GENEVA — The Lamborghini Aventador's replacement will mark the Italian automaker's first foray into hybridization, while also holding on to a familiar feature.
That gives Maurizio Reggiani, chief technical officer at Lamborghini, a clear task for rolling out a hybrid system that maintains the brand's DNA, he says.
And to do so, Lamborghini plans to keep a naturally aspirated engine in the Aventador.
"We think that is fundamental in terms of emotion, in terms of sound release and in terms of responsiveness," Reggiani said last week at the Geneva auto show.
The Aventador is powered by a naturally aspirated V-12 engine that is used in several variants, including the Aventador SVJ Roadster, which debuted here. Lamborghini will likely launch the model's successor around 2021, according to previous reports. Reggiani declined to specify a date.
"This is our job to create the perfect merging between the two, thermal and electric, and for the Aventador, we think that the V-12 naturally aspirated is the best choice," Reggiani said.
While the naturally aspirated engine "is the best that you can have" for responsiveness, Reggiani noted that a weak point of such an engine is that it is unable to generate a high level of torque at a low rpm.
But that's where an electric motor would help.
Said Reggiani: "Normally, with an electric engine, you can compensate."
