The Lamborghini Temerario is the latest in the line of the brand’s sports cars that occupies a spot just below the range-topping models – like the
and
before it. This is the most powerful iteration yet, with a hybrid-assisted, 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V-8 pumping out a total of 902 horsepower.
However, there was some controversy among Lambo fans when the Temerario dropped the naturally aspirated V-10 from the previous two models. That family of engines was famous for its sonorous sounds and ample power. Instead, the automaker decided the new model should drop two cylinders but gain a pair of turbos and three electric motors.
Now, Lamborghini Chief Technical Officer Rouven Mohr is offering a bit more detail about the company’s decision to use the new engine. Plus, he’s hinting that a more powerful version could happen.
Mohr started with the Italian supercar maker in 2017 and oversaw the development of the
, Huracan, and
.
A V6 Lamborghini?
According to Mohr, Lamborghini considered multiple engine configurations for the Temerario.
“There was the V-8, or there was a V-6. We also considered a new V-10, but to fulfill the emission regulations it would lose 20 percent of its power,” he told Top Gear. “It’s clear that the old V-10 was at the end of the lifecycle.”
The V-8 turned out to be the best choice. The company felt like going from a V-10 to a V-6 was too much of a radical change, even if a turbocharged six-cylinder engine could achieve the targeted performance goals. An eight-cylinder setup was the best option and offered room to increase the power output in the future.
“A V-8 with the flat-plane crankshaft has higher potential than a V6, so that was another reason we chose the V-8,” Mohr said.
More Power Is Possible
Without the hybrid assistance, the Temerario’s twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 produces 788 hp and 528 lb-ft of torque. That figure works out to just shy of 200 hp per liter of displacement. Plus, the engine is capable of revving to 10,000 rpm.
According to Mohr, the engine can handle as much as 217 hp per liter. With this improvement, the powerplant would produce around 868 hp. Plus, there’s room to boost the output from the trio of electric motors.
“Electric is quite easy to increase power: just increase the voltage,” Mohr said. “A four-digit number is possible for the engine. We can do a big step, it’s clear.”
With over 1,000 hp on tap, the Temerario’s power would be close to stepping on the toes of the 1,001-hp
. However, Lambo could introduce a more powerful Revuelto to retain the separation between models.
TopSpeed’s Take
Supercars are supposed to be powerful. Their output and speed define the segment. We can’t wait to see how much power Lamborghini can extract from the Temerario’s engine as it evolves during the coming years.
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