- 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.
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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.
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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.