A Quick Review of the Lamborghini Temerario: A Huracan Descendant with a 907-HP PHEV Powertrain to Get Your Heart Racing

The Huracan, which debuted in 2013, closely followed the blueprint of its predecessor, the Gallardo. However, the automotive world has transformed drastically in the past decade, prompting Lamborghini to replace the Huracan with the Temerario—a supercar that is literally and figuratively brand new. Gone are the familiar contours, and the renowned naturally aspirated V10 engine has been replaced with a plug-in hybrid powertrain that delivers nearly 45 percent more power than the mid-mounted V10 it supplants.

Lamborghini Temerario Quick Review: The Huracan’s Heir Arrives With a 907-HP PHEV Powertrain

What’s the deal with the twin-turbo V8 and three electric motors?

Lamborghini is committed to reducing emissions, boosting power, and electrifying its entire product range. This meant bidding farewell to the Huracan’s 5.2-liter V10 in favor of a turbocharged engine. While Ferrari made a similar move with its naturally aspirated V8 in the mid-2010s, resulting in higher power and torque figures but a less thrilling auditory experience, Lamborghini was determined not to make the same mistake.

The Temerario, on the other hand, boasts a unique 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 engine. While it shares a configuration with the Urus’ V8, only the Temerario’s engine features a true supercar-style flat-plane crankshaft. Moreover, whereas the VW Group’s typical V8 engine has an 86 x 86 mm bore and stroke for a perfect square configuration, the new L411 V8 has a 90 mm bore and a 78.5 mm stroke, one of the primary reasons it can attain an insane 10,000-rpm redline.

Such speeds would be outrageous for most naturally aspirated engines, but they are unprecedented for a production turbocharged engine. Lamborghini promises that the new V8 sounds more exciting than most other turbocharged engines, and it is even said to be designed with some vibrations intentionally transmitted from the engine to the chassis and seats to enhance the sensory experience.

The internal combustion engine alone produces 789 horsepower from 9,000 to 9,750 rpm, compared to the old Huracan Evo’s 631 horsepower at 8,000 rpm or the standard model’s 602 horsepower. The car’s maximum torque is 538 lb-ft (730 Nm), outperforming the old V10’s 443 lb-ft (600 Nm), excluding the three 110-kW (148-hp) electric motors in the powertrain.

Two of the electric motors are positioned in the front to provide all-wheel drive for the Temerario and enable torque vectoring functionality, while also allowing it to function as a front-wheel-drive EV in Citta (city) mode. A third motor is mounted between the V8 and the new eight-speed gearbox, acting as a generator with up to 221 lb-ft (300 Nm) of torque to conceal any turbo lag.

Overall, this powertrain delivers an astonishing 907 horsepower, outmuscling the Ferrari 296 GTB (819 hp), McLaren Artura (671 hp), and McLaren 750S (740 hp). However, this power comes at a weight penalty. The Temerario weighs in at 3,726 lbs (1,690 kg), a substantial 592 lbs (268 kg) heavier than the Huracan LP640 Evo and 485 lbs (220 kg) heavier than the Ferrari 296.

But once you experience how this car launches off the line, you’ll quickly forget about its heft. According to Lamborghini, the Temerario accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in just 2.7 seconds, an improvement over its predecessor’s 2.9 seconds, and its top speed has increased from 325 km/h to 343 km/h. However, a slight increase in braking distance from 100 to 0 km/h, from 31.9 to 32 meters, serves as a reminder that there’s more mass to manage this time around.

Exterior Design

If the powertrain specifications make the Temerario sound like a downsized, less extreme version of the V12 Revuelto, the exterior design supports that notion.

While the silhouettes are similar and both feature centrally mounted, high-mounted exhausts, the Temerario’s front and side intake sculpting is less flamboyant, and its LED headlights stretch horizontally across the nose instead of sweeping back.

The distinction between the V12 and V8 supercars is not merely aesthetic. While the Revuelto is built around a carbon fiber chassis, the Temerario employs an aluminum spaceframe construction, similar to the previous Huracan.

The new car’s 2,658 mm wheelbase is 4.8 inches (121 mm) shorter than its bigger sibling’s but 38 mm longer than the Huracan’s, providing improved legroom over the older model. Lamborghini also claims that there is more headroom, so even taller drivers can comfortably wear the mandatory helmets at track events.

Interior

Inside, the Temerario is a dead ringer for its sibling. It shares the same dashboard layout, featuring a configurable digital instrument cluster, a vertical touchscreen, and a fighter-jet-inspired engine start button on the center console.

The flat-bottom steering wheel with drive mode selectors and an EV button is also identical. The driver can choose from four driving modes: the new Citta (city) mode, the familiar Strada, and the Sport and Corsa modes, as well as the most exhilarating Corsa Plus mode, which allows you to disable ESP.

Driving Aids

There’s also a drift mode with three settings to accommodate different skill levels. If you want to showcase your drifting skills or go pro, you can record the action using the Lamborghini Vision Unit with its three cameras, capturing footage of the road, the passenger, and an over-the-shoulder view from behind the firewall.

The Temerario also records telemetry data if you let it loose on any of the 150 racetracks worldwide and can even combine this data with the driver’s heart rate if they have an Apple Watch.

Driving in EV mode will keep your heart rate low, but not for long. Lamborghini doesn’t provide figures for the electric range, but given the small 3.8 kWh battery, you’re likely looking at around 2.2 miles of electric-only driving before the V8 kicks in. The lighter Ferrari 296, with its larger battery, offers a more realistic EV range of about 6.8 to 10 miles, despite an official claim of 15 miles.

Charging the Temerario’s battery takes 30 minutes using a 7-kW supply, or the V8 engine can do it for you while driving if you switch from Hybrid to Recharge mode. However, you’ll sacrifice a few horses, as engaging Recharge mode reduces output to 715 hp, although this is still far more appealing than the 187 hp available in EV mode.

Will the Lamborghini Temerario Be a Hit?

This first Temerario – like the Revuelto, minus the traditional LP suffix – is just the beginning, and we can expect Spyder variants and track-focused lightweight versions to arrive in the coming years. Lamborghini’s R&D boss, Rouven Mohr, also hinted at a possible rear-wheel-drive variant that would be lighter and simpler.

Similar to Ferrari offering the 296 buyers the Assetto Fiorano configuration right out of the gate, Lamborghini provides its Temerario customers with an “Alleggerita” package, which includes a CFRP rear decklid and undertray and a body kit, saving 12.7 kg (28 lbs) over the standard car but increasing downforce by 103 percent over the old Huracan Evo.

If you’re determined to shed even more weight from both the Temerario and your bank account, an interior lightweight package is available with carbon fiber door panels, thinner rear glass, and polycarbonate side windows. Combined with the optional carbon diffuser, carbon wheels, and titanium exhaust, along with the Alleggerita package, you can cut over 55 lbs from the car’s curb weight.

Lamborghini has not disclosed pricing for the Temerario, but considering all the additional power, performance, and technology it brings to the table compared to the $250,000 Huracan, the international media predicts a price tag close to the $342,000 that Ferrari asks for the 296 GTB, if not more.