Grab the tissues, because Lamborghini is officially saying goodbye to the iconic 6.5-litre naturally-aspirated V12 engine that has powered its vehicles in one form or another since the early 60s.
Before it shuts shop on the V12 engine, though, Lamborghini has released a pair of one-off creations designed to celebrate the end of the V12 supercar era as the company moves to hybrid powertrains in its next-gen lineup.
They’re called the Invencible and Auténtica, and have been designed by Lamborghini’s Centro Stile design house, with the Sesto Elemento, Reventón and the Veneno firmly in mind to make a bold statement before saying goodbye to the engine configuration that made Lamborghini what it is today.
Underneath, the Invencible and Authéntica come riding on the carbon fibre monocoque snatched from the Aventador, with Lamborghini’s 6.5-litre naturally-aspirated V12 powerhouse sitting behind the cockpit producing 573kW and 720Nm, which is sent to all fours via a seven-speed ISR transmission.
While it is no doubt sad news, Lamborghini isn’t giving up on the V12 just yet, as the naturally-aspirated engine will be replaced by a V12 hybrid in the Aventador’s successor that we’ve already seen during the testing phase.
Lambo says that by 2024, all the models in its lineup will be electrified, two of which have been confirmed to come fitted with a hybrid V12, and will be joined by a fully-electric Lamborghini in the second half of the decade. During the latest debuts, Stephan Winkelmann, Lamborghini’s CEO, said:
“The V12 engine is one of the pillars of our history and our marque’s success. As we head towards embracing a new era of hybridisation at the heart of our Cor Tauri strategy, this is the Lamborghini way of celebrating the naturally aspirated V12 with two one-off vehicles that perfectly represent our concept of excellence in personalisation.”
