LAMBORGHINI

Does Lamborghini still see a future for its V12 engines?

Since the Revuelto's debut in 2023, Lamborghini has been promising to keep the V-12 around until 2030. The company wouldn't comment on what might happen after that, suggesting it didn't exactly know where regulations would take the brand. Now, though, Lamborghini insists the 12-cylinder will stay in production for even longer.

"The horizon for us is even more than 2030 now," says product line director Matteo Ortenzi. "It's part of the character of [the Revuelto], we like the responsiveness of the engine, it's a signature for us, so we don't want to change it."

Speaking with Motor1 at the reveal of the Fenomeno at The Quail, Ortenzi points to the Revuelto's hybrid system as the pathway to maintaining its 12-cylinder heart.

"This allows us to comply with the legislation, especially in CO2 and emissions, which would be difficult to comply with if we did not have this kind of technology," he said.

Despite Lamborghini's massive sales achievements in the US, the decision to double down on the V-12 was not influenced by the Trump administration's move to dismiss all penalties for emissions laws.

"For sure, we are keen to comply with every legislation, not just the US—I have in mind C6 in China," Ortenzi says. C6—also known as China VI—is the country's own set of emissions regulations. "So there are different kinds of legislation we have to comply with. We have one bullet that has to work worldwide, because we are a small producer. We have to be realistic."

The news of Lamborghini's recommitment to the V-12 comes alongside its move to scale back its ambitious EV plans. The Italian carmaker previously laid the groundwork to introduce its first purely electric car in 2028, before turning the Urus into an EV in 2029. Earlier this year, CEO Stephan Winkelmann walked back those plans, saying in separate interviews that the two cars could become plug-in hybrids instead.

Amidst the wave of electrification—and with the Sword of Damocles hanging over traditional combustion engines regarding the 2035 deadline—sports car brands like Lamborghini refuse to abandon a core part of their DNA: 12-cylinder engines.

This is evident, for instance, in their latest release, the Lamborghini Revuelto, which is equipped with a naturally aspirated 12-cylinder engine—assisted, of course, by three electric motors that allow the powertrain to exceed 1,000 hp.

Details about this new car were revealed by Lamborghini CEO Stephan Winkelmann, who shared some interesting insights into the future of these engines... a future that isn't as bleak as one might think. In fact, we will continue to see them under the hoods of Sant'Agata models for at least the next 10 years—or perhaps even longer.

"We have the V12 today, and we will have it in the near future. And when I say 'near,' I mean up to the middle of the next decade," the German executive stated.

We are dealing with at least 20 different emissions regulations across various global markets. Stephan Winkelmann, CEO of Lamborghini:

"The Revuelto SV complies with the Euro 7 standard, which will govern emissions control in the near term. Furthermore, we are talking about a global car... and we face at least 20 different emissions regulations across our markets, so manufacturers are working hard to ensure V12 engines can make it to the mid-2020s."

The ban on internal combustion engines in Europe will take effect in 2035...and that moment is crucial for what comes next: "We can't predict anything beyond 2035. But I believe that, even after that, European regulations will allow us to sell combustion-engine cars powered by biofuels. That will be a great opportunity for us to continue homologating cars like this one. In the rest of the world... I don't see any issues after 2035."

Will Lamborghini race at the Nürburgring again? The Revuelto SV arrived with a record under its belt... but, contrary to what one might imagine, not at the Nürburgring—the usual benchmark for measuring sports car performance.

Instead, Lamborghini chose to test its most extreme hypercar on a more conventional track, also in Germany: Hockenheim. There, with Italian driver Marco Mapelli at the wheel, it achieved a lap time of 1:41.6—the fastest time ever recorded by a production car on that circuit (a track less frequently used by manufacturers, it should be noted).

A return to the Green Hell...Lamborghini would likely return to the Green Hell, where it has achieved notable results. For instance, this model's predecessor, the Aventador SV, completed the lap in under 7 minutes, and the SVJ held the record for production sports cars for a time. Winkelmann, however, ruled out that possibility: "At the moment, our focus is on remaining at Hockenheim, due to availability and costs. Furthermore, it was our engineers' choice, and I generally place great importance on their opinion," he concluded. So... it seems we won't be seeing a Lamborghini at the Nürburgring anytime soon...

The future of Lamborghini seems clear, then: Electric assistance all-around, but purebred, high-revving internal combustion engines too.

Autonews