Sant’Agata Bolognese, Italy - Lamborghini’s striking new Sián supercar is not only the most powerful production car in the marque’s history, but it also ushers in a new era of hybrid electrification.
Fittingly, its name departs from the tradition of fighting bulls, with Sián signifying a lightning flash in Bolognese dialect. That’s pretty much the way it will hit the market too, as only 63 of them are going to be produced and, sorry, but they’re all sold out already.
Let’s get straight to the numbers. Billed as the first step on Lamborghini’s road to electrification, the drivetrain mates a 48-volt electric motor, mounted inside the gearbox, to a V12 engine that churns out 577kW at 8500rpm. With the additional boost from the e-motor, the car boasts a system output of 602kW, which is enough to get it from 0-100km/h in just 2.8 seconds, according to claims, and reach a top speed of over 350km/h.
But here’s a little twist. Instead of using a lithium-ion battery to story power, the Sián employs a supercapacitor, which is said to be capable of storing three times more power than a conventional battery of the same size and weight.
The supercar has an advanced regenerative braking system, which thanks to the symmetric behavior of the supercapacitor, can be fully charged every time the vehicle brakes. This translates into an instant power boost that’s available up to 130 km/h, when the electric motor automatically disconnects.
The Sián’s power-to-weight ratio, for the record, is better than that of the Aventador SVJ and for that you can thank the extensive use of lightweight materials.
And what you see here is not necessarily what you’re going to find in another Sián owner’s dream garage, as all 63 vehicles will be individually styled by each owner through the Lamborghini Centro Stile in conjunction with Lamborghini Ad Personam.
“The fastest Lamborghini must be a visual and symphonic feast, as remarkable to those who see it pass by as those privileged to drive it,” said Lamborghini design boss Mitja Borkert.
“It takes inspiration from the Countach, but the Sián is a futuristic icon, not retrospective. Exclusivity is enhanced by total Ad Personam personalisation that every one of the 63 Sián owners has the privilege of creating, in conjunction with me and the Centro Stile team: 63 individuals worldwide will own not only the fastest, but a unique Lamborghini.”
The configuration that you see here, incidentally, will be on display for all to see at the Frankfurt Motor Show next week.
