Automobili Lamborghini SpA has been known as a builder of highly powerful, very exotic super cars since the founding back in 1963 by the late Ferruccio Lamborghini, who insisted his car by powered by a massive V12 engine made in-house, because that was the only type of engine that would suit his GT.
Over the years things have changed, and today we also have the stunning Gallardo V10 (and in the past the V8 powered Urraco, Silhouette and Jalpa) but also the majestic Murciélago with his massive V12 engine pumping out no less than 670 horsepower in the latest SuperVeloce evolution … one thing these modern super cars have in common is the fact that they are not really environmental friendly to put it mildly.
That is why in a recent interview with Stephan Winkelmann he stated that there is in fact a Hybrid on the drawing boards at Automobili Lamborghini SpA right now, probably not a full electric car but more likely a petrol powered car with an additional electric engine.
This electric engine would power the car for city drives, when emissions are the highest, but once you want to apply some real power the mighty old gasoline engine kicks back in to offer you the thrilling driving experience we’ve become accustomed to from the Raging Bull.
So what models will be featuring an electric motor in the future ? Well probably none of the cars in the line up today, the Murciélago is about to be replaced by a successor in 2011 or 2012 at the latest, while the Gallardo will probably also be replaced or re-styled before 2015 … so we won’t be seeing an electric ‘aided’ Murciélago on the road in 2015, but what could be a very reasonable option is the Estoque or another front engine GT model.
Remember this stunning four door presented at the Paris Auto Salon back in 2008 ? Production has been postponed due to the bad economical climate these days, but I’m almost sure it will enter production in one form or another once the clouds clear up and sales go back up.
The original press release for this four door already stated the option of a V10 powered Estoque, but also a Hybrid version … so my best guess would be that the first Lamborghini car to receive the ‘green’ touch of a Hybrid version will be their new four door, four seater super saloon.
Several sources stated that Automobili Lamborghini was working on a Hybrid Gallardo to be unveiled in 2015, but I don’t think that we will still be seeing a Gallardo by then, it would mean a production span of over 12 years for this V10 model, somehow I don’t think it will take another 6 years for Lamborghini to amaze us with a successor to this entry level super car.
Sure they could be developing the Hybrid technology inside a Gallardo for now, but rest assured that they will commercialize it in a brand new model by 2015, not in a model that has been in production since 2003 in it’s original form with the LP560-4 revealed in 2008, only five years after the initial launch, so I don’t expect to see a Gallardo six years from now (or it would be yet another evolution like the LP560-4 was).
