The image of Lamborghini’s 2020 replacement for the Aventador has become a little clearer thanks to new comments from the company’s chief technical officer.
Speaking to Autocar, Maurizio Reggiani confirmed not just that the as-yet unnamed car is still scheduled to use a normally-aspirated V12 – which we already knew – but also that the preferred method of hybridisation is to use a standalone electrified front axle.
Instead, the company is pursuing a design where the electrified front axle is given its own gearbox to overcome the problem of electric motors becoming less effective at higher speeds. That would allow it to keep up with the howling V12 amidships at all speeds, as well as delivering full torque vectoring capability to improve its ability to hold a line in the face of inevitable extra weight – at least 150kg and probably more. Reggiani said:
“I think yes, you could have a gearbox in the front. This is my vision. It can be much more manageable to have an electric motor in the front because you don’t need any kind of propeller shaft. I think it can be the best solution.
“My personal idea is that this is the best concept, to give the best control and management of the chassis. It would be easy to have full torque vectoring at the front, to help compensate again for the increase in weight with more agility.
“I always say that I prefer to have 10kg less rather than 1hp more, even if the power-to-weight ratio remains the same, but I imagine the starting point of the car will be heavier, no doubt. What will be the end game? We don’t know. Improvements will happen.”
It’s expected that the car, which will be named after a famous bull as per Lamborghini tradition, will be considerably faster in a straight line than the Aventador. Quite an alarming thought, if you happen to have recently driven one…
Source: Autocar
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