Can Lamborghini’s new Temerario eclipse the Huracán?
A first drive of the Italian marque’s latest supercar
In step with Lamborghini’s programme to hybridise its line-up, the successor to the petrol Huracán supercar first launched in 2014 combines a V8 engine with three electric motors. The Temerario, as it is called (like all recent Lamborghinis after a famous fighting bull of the late 19th century, this one meaning “reckless”), may be less raucous in voice than the V10 Huracán, but is arguably even better in terms of performance.
A high-revving 10,000rpm, 4.0-litre V8 engine produces 789bhp, boosted by twin turbochargers and a trio of 148bhp electric motors that together elevate the power to a mighty 907bhp. Supercars capable of 10,000rpm are normally £1mn-plus: the Czinger 21C and Aston Martin Valkyrie among them. The Temerario is priced from £260,035, goes from 0-62mph in 2.7 seconds and has a top speed of around 210mph.
The complex three-motor system is effectively the same as the one Lamborghini used in its 2023 V12 Revuelto, now its flagship model at £452,000. One electric motor is shoehorned in between the eight-speed transmission and the Temerario’s V8 mid-mounted engine, with two more applied to the front axle for all-wheel drive. The tiny 3.8kWh battery pack is fitted between the front seats. If you want to leave home in the morning without disturbing neighbours, the system is good for about five miles of electric-only range. Not that the Temerario is designed for stealth. The shark-nose front is menacing, while Lamborghini’s hallmark hexagonal styling cues extend to the exhaust, rear clusters and new daytime running lights.
Testing it out on the fast curves of the Estoril Circuit in Portugal, the Temerario was able to carry speed around the bends and show intimidating pace down the home straight. It is agile, stable and easy to handle; expect zero turbo lag and striking forward thrust.
The hybrid offers 13 driving modes, ranging from two-wheel drive Città for urban motoring, to Corsa for track days. Drift allows the car to generate three levels of controlled oversteer to slide around corners. Note the appropriate warning flashed onto the dashboard: “driver skills needed”.
Aerodynamics have been key to design, with a muscular rear end increasing downforce by 103 per cent compared to a Huracán EVO. Add an optional, lightweight carbon-fibre Alleggerita Pack and this rises to 158 per cent, while features such as underbody vortex generators and motorsport-inspired diffusers help keep Temerario’s 21in tyres glued to the road.
Inside, apart from a few extra centimetres of head and leg room over the Huracán, the central infotainment hub looks rather like an alien mask. Lamborghini’s trademark switchgear looks as though it was borrowed from a fighter jet, including the iconic red flip-top starter button, as cool to flick open as 007’s Dunhill lighter.
As for practicalities, unlike early Lamborghinis that would struggle to store a credit card, the Temerario has a modest array of nooks and crannies. The new sports seats are more comfortable, with 18-way adjustment, while the frunk luggage space is slightly larger. Bespoke luggage will also, they say, squeeze behind the passenger seats.
The Huracán sold some 29,000 units in a decade and is one of Lamborghini’s greatest hits. The Temerario has big boots to fill.