2023 Lamborghini Revuelto unveiled: V12 Aventador replacement goes hybrid

The replacement for the Lamborghini Aventador V12 supercar has been revealed with plug-in hybrid power – meet the 2023 Lamborghini Revuelto.

Translating from Spanish as "unruly", the Revuelto is the first production Lamborghini to adopt plug-in hybrid power, in a move to switch the company's entire line-up to hybrid propulsion by the end of next year.

But the move to cut emissions hasn't killed the V12, as mounted amidship is an all-new 6.5-litre naturally-aspirated motor that can rev up to 9500rpm, and develop 607kW and 725Nm on its own.

It is combined with three electric motors – two up front, and one on the gearbox powering the rear wheels – to make the Revuelto the company's most powerful car ever, developing 747kW, or 1015 metric horsepower.

Lamborghini claims a 0-100km/h time of 2.5 seconds – three tenths quicker than the final Aventador V12 – towards a top speed of more than 350km/h.

The Aventador replacement is not the first hybrid Lamborghini – that title held by the Sian limited edition of 2019, which used 'supercapacitors' to store small bursts of electricity to assist the engine – but it's the first plug-in hybrid from the Italian brand.

It can drive for short distances on electric power – in all-wheel drive, unlike plug-in hybrid supercars from Ferrari and McLaren – and be charged using mains power, through regenerative braking, or by the V12 petrol engine.

The Revuelto is underpinned by a new carbon-fibre chassis claimed to be 10 per cent lighter than the old Aventador, while suspension, brakes, wheels and the car's electronics have received a makeover.

The cabin has been brought into the modern era with three screens, over-the-air software updates, and a full suite of advanced safety technology for the first time.

Australian launch timing and price details for the new model are yet to be confirmed, but it's likely to cost close to $1 million to account for the new hybrid technology, given the final Aventador Ultimae coupe was $904,419 plus on-road costs.

For everything you need to know about the new Lamborghini Revuelto, read on.

At the heart of the Lamborghini Revuelto is the third new V12 engine in Lamborghini's history – the first in production from the 350GT of 1963 to the Murcielago of 2002-2010, and the second in the Aventador (and its various special-edition derivatives) from 2011 to 2022.

Known as the L545, the new 6.5-litre V12 engine is said to weigh 17kg less than the Aventador's motor, but quotes outputs of 607kW and 725Nm – 33kW and 5Nm more than the Aventador Ultimae.

The unit can rev to an astonishing 9500rpm – among the highest redlines of any road car in production today – and achieves its peak power at 9250rpm.

It is aided by three electric motors – two mounted on the front axle powering each wheel, and the third fitted to the gearbox to assist in driving the rear wheels.

The Revuelto retains Lamborghini's trademark all-wheel-drive layout, but now the front wheels are powered by electricity only – with the petrol engine driving the rear wheels.

The combined output is pegged at 747kW – or 173kW more than the Aventador Ultimae, enough to make the Revuelto the most powerful Lamborghini ever built, including factory race cars.

The 3.8kWh battery mounted in the central tunnel is capable of a few kilometres of electric-only driving before the engine switches on. It can be charged by recapturing energy as the car decelerated, by the V12 in six minutes, or in a claimed 30 minutes from a 7kW AC home wallbox.

The Aventador's ageing single-clutch automated manual transmission has been replaced by a new eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, said to be lighter and faster than any other Lamborghini road-car gearbox.

The third electric motor – mounted to the transmission – serves as the starter motor, while a mechanical reverse gear is replaced by the two front electric motors, though the third motor can switch on if "extra momentum" is needed in reverse, or the car is in "low-grip conditions".

Beneath the Revuelto's bodywork is what Lamborghini calls a 'monofuselage', a monocoque carbon-fibre chassis that is said to be 10 per cent lighter and 25 per cent stiffer than the one in the Aventador.

Lamborghini claims the car's carbon-fibre front structure is a first for a road car – while being 20 per cent lighter and twice as stiff as the Aventador's aluminium front structure. Forged composites and carbon-fibre reinforced plastic have been used elsewhere to save weight.

The company quotes a 44:56 front-to-rear weight distribution, as well as stiffer anti-roll bars (11 per cent front, 50 per cent rear) and 10 per cent quicker steering than the Aventador Ultimae.

The three electric motors are claimed to enable more advanced torque vectoring and improved braking performance – as they can combine the electric motors' regenerative braking, and the traditional brake discs – while rear-wheel steering is standard.

Drivers can choose from four drive modes – Citta (city), Strada (road), Sport and Corsa (race) – and three settings for the hybrid system: Recharge, Hybrid and Performance.

Citta mode prioritises electric driving with a power limit of 132kW, Strada allows up to 652kW with the V12 activated and a focus on keeping the battery topped up, Sport permits 667kW and unlocks more performance, while Corsa is designed for race tracks, unleashing the full 747kW power output.

The new Revuelto is fitted as standard with 20-inch front and 21-inch rear wheels wrapped in 265/35 R20 front and 345/30 R21 tyres – with one-inch-larger alloys shod in 265/30 R21 and 355/25 R22 rubber available as an option.

Bridgestone Potenza Sport tyres are standard fitment – available in run-flat and tubeless forms – while buyers can option Bridgestone Potenza Race tyres for race-track use, or Bridgestone Blizzak LM005 for snow-covered European winters.

Carbon-ceramic brakes are standard equipment, with 410x38mm front discs clamped by 10-piston calipers, and 390x32mm rear discs with four-piston calipers.

These figures are up from 400x38mm and six pistons up front, and 380x38mm and four pistons at the rear in the Aventador Ultimae.

The Lamborghini Revuelto adopts the Italian car maker's latest design language, which debuted in showrooms on the Sian hypercar of 2019 – a car that bears a strong similarity to the Revuelto – and now featured on the second-last of the Huracan V10 supercars, the Tecnica.

Key styling features include Y-shaped LED daytime-running lights, distinctive side air vents to cool the engine, a large glass window to showcase the engine, and a pair of hexagonal exhaust outlets mounted high on the rear end.

Lamborghini says aerodynamic load has increased by 33 per cent up front and 74 per cent at the rear at "maximum load conditions" – in other words, increased downforce – in combination with the active rear spoiler.

Inside, headroom and legroom are said to have increased by 26mm and 84mm respectively compared to the Aventador Ultimae to accomodate taller occupants, while the rear luggage compartment is claimed to be large enough for a golf bag, and the front luggage area for "two cabin trolleys".

Buyers can choose from 400 exterior colours and 70 seat colours through the company's personalisation division.

The Revuelto takes a big step forward compared to the Aventador inside, where there are now three screens: a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, a central 8.4-inch infotainment touchscreen, and a 9.1-inch display for the passenger.

The central display runs new infotainment software with Amazon Alexa functionality, satellite navigation and over-the-air updates (though there is no mention of Apple CarPlay or Android Auto).

Apps and widgets on the infotainment screen can be moved to the instrument cluster or passenger display with a "two-finger swipe", Lamborghini says, while all three displays are run by the same computer unit for a consistent look and feel.

The new steering wheel design is claimed to be "inspired by the interaction ... of a Squadra Corse race car", with Lamborghini resisting rival Ferrari's move to touch-sensitive steering wheel controls in its newest models by retaining physical switches.

Also on offer is support for a Lamborghini Unica smartphone app, which can show users the car's fuel level, battery charge, remaining electric driving range, and current location, plus give them the ability to unlock/lock the car, sound the horn or turn on the lights.

There's even a function to set speed limits, location boundaries or time restrictions for any drivers borrowing the car.

Safety has seen a significant upgrade, with lane-keep assist, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, adaptive cruise control and likely autonomous emergency braking fitted for the first time.

Launch timing for the 2023 Lamborghini Revuelto has not been announced, but it is expected in European showrooms later this year.