- The Lamborghini Temerario could potentially pack over 1,000 hp in a future hardcore variant
- Lamborghini considered V-6 and V-10 engines before deciding on the V-8 for the Temerario
- The Temerario is priced from $361,621 in the U.S., including destination
The Lamborghini Temerario debuted in August as the successor to the Huracán and already ups performance over the previous car in a big way. However, Rouven Mohr, Lamborghini’s R&D chief, has hinted that there’s more to come.
In an interview with Top Gear published on Tuesday, Mohr said the twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V-8 that forms the gas component of the car’s plug-in hybrid powertrain can be tuned to deliver more horsepower.
Rouven Mohr
The engine, which features a flat-plane crankshaft and can rev to 10,000 rpm, already delivers an impressive 197 hp per liter of displacement, but Mohr said it could be dialed up to deliver 217 hp.
Combine this with the roughly 147 hp delivered by the Temerario’s electric motors, and the peak power for Lamborghini’s entry-level supercar could potentially surpass the 1,000 hp of the Temerario’s Revuelto V-12 sibling.
Lamborghini Temerario
“A four-digit number is possible,” he told Top Gear. “We can do a big step, it’s clear.”
According to Mohr, the ability to generate big power is one of the main reasons Lamborghini went with a V-8 engine for the Temerario, as opposed to a V-6 like what Ferrari and McLaren have done with their respective rivals, the 296 GTB and Artura. Mohr said Lamborghini also ruled out a V-6 because the engine wasn’t fitting for the brand.
Lamborghini Temerario
But what about the Huracán’s V-10? Mohr said Lamborghini had also looked at sticking with a V-10, but emissions rules would have limited the engine’s performance, thus ruling it out.
Lamborghini pulled out all the stops when designing the Temerario, blessing the car with a new chassis and new aerodynamic concepts, in addition to the new powertrain. The car in its current form delivers a peak 907 hp, or enough for 0-62 mph acceleration in 2.7 seconds and a top speed of more than 210 mph. It starts sales early next year and carries a base price of $361,621, including a $4,000 destination charge.