Matador Concept Uses Lamborghini's Past To Imagine Their Car Of The Future

From the Countach onward, all of Lamborghini’s supercars (and their latest SUV) have had a very aggressive design that makes them instantly recognizable. Frederik Steve Kristensen, a designer and engineer for Danish hypercar manufacturer Zenvo, picked up on that and designed a car for Lamborghini’s future by taking inspiration from its past.

He calls it the Matador as, in his own words, the design is supposed to “tame” Lamborghini’s previous “bulls”. It revolves heavily around what he believes are the key traits that make a Lamborghini what it is, and he points some specific ones. Things such as shoulder lines of certain proportions, large side intakes, sculpted rear arches, and the car’s overall silhouette all play a role in Kristensen’s design.

While the car’s graphical elements were certainly important to him, he also placed a heavy focus on aerodynamics, noting some of Lamborghini’s own efforts on groundbreaking aero, as well as some cars with unique aerodynamic principles not belonging to the Italian automaker. He mentioned systems like Lamborghini’s ALA and the “flow-through design” of some of their concepts, but also recognized other pioneers in integrated aero design like the Aston Martin Valkyrie and Lotus Evija.

Kristensen then began the design process, which included a number of concept sketches before he eventually found a design he liked. Once he did that, he visualized it in Photoshop, 3D modeled it, then brought it to life in a series of renderings.

However, while the Matador is just a rendering, that didn’t stop Kristensen from adding a little bit of function to his design. The car is supposed to be powered by a twin-turbo 3.0-liter V12 working in tandem with two electric motors. The engine drives the rear wheels while the electric motors power the front ones, and the whole system is said to make 1,400 hp (1,419 PS / 1,044 kW). In addition to the Matador’s all-important aesthetics, it boasts integrated aero elements throughout its body as well as active front and rear wings, the latter of which doubles as an air brake.

Note: This is an independent rendering by Frederik Steve Kristensen and is not related to or endorsed by Lamborghini