Downsizing, turbocharging and electrification have become a common trend in various segments – including the supercar sector – over the past few years. But Lamborghini seems determined to hold onto the naturally aspirated engine for as long as it can.
The brand’s head of development, Maurizio Reggiani, told Autocar that the naturally aspirated engine formed a strong part of Lamborghini’s DNA. According to Reggiani, Lamborghini’s essence comes from how a given vehicle’s design, emotion and performance come together.
“It can have a magnificent design as a super-cool Lamborghini but, if the car can’t do ‘emotional’ when you sit in it – [if you can’t] hear the noise or feel the tyres working on the asphalt – then the job is not done,” he told the British publication.
“My dream is to maintain the naturally aspirated engine for as long as possible. It is a sense of emotion in a super-sports car. Naturally aspirated is part of the DNA of a super-sportscar. No other engine can provide the emotion, the response, the sound. It’s unique – and that makes the difference today for Lamborghini.”
Reggiani says adding a hybrid system to a Lamborghini would unravel this DNA and result in a compromised supercar because of the additional weight. He does, however, understand that electrification and turbocharging cannot be avoided forever.
Indeed, the soon-to-be-revealed Urus SUV will feature a twin-turbo V8 and by 2020 likely be available with a plug-in hybrid system as well. Reggiani says the Urus will be the best introduction to electrification for Lamborghini because “the packaging of the batteries and the weight is less strategic than on a super-sports car”.
Reggiani went on to challenge battery and electric motor developers to come up with something more suitable for Lamborghini’s supercars in terms of weight and packaging.
