Even Lamborghini isn’t immune to the rush of electrification and the pressures of emission reduction.

As one of the last naturally-aspirated V12 dinosaurs still on sale, the Aventador has been a fantastic swansong for a bloodline of twelve-cylinder Lambos running back over five decades, from the pioneering Miura to the ultimate expression of flamboyance and excess that exists today. It now seems, though, that the curtain has to close on such a unit in its purest form.

For those who just cannot get the Toyota Prius out of their heads whenever the idea of a hybrid is mentioned, it’ll be a turn-off. But surely, when the alternative is a downsized motor augmented by turbocharging which, even today, can dull throttle response and muffle the hard-edged soundtrack, such a proposal should be welcomed?

Still, if the years of hype surrounding the Porsche 918 and LaFerrari have proven anything, its that a well-executed petrol electric drivetrain can be just as exciting - if not more so - than the traditional powerplants. For starters, more power is a dead cert: could the next Lambo hypercar push past the 800bhp barrier? With the Ferrari 812 Superfast nearly doing so with an unassisted V12, there’s surely a strong chance.