The Lamborghini Huracan is not long for this world, with a new entry-level Lambo expected to replace it in 2024. We know that replacement will have some form of hybrid assistance, and despite the company’s strict adherence to the V10 engine, it’s rumored to be powered by a mere V8. A new report, however, claims that V8 will have two turbos — and an absolutely wild system for managing them.
Lamborghini has been betting big on the twin-turbo V8 recently, with one already showing up in the company’s new LMDh car. Given that the Huracan Super Trofeo shares its engine with the road-going version, it’s not unreasonable to expect a similar situation with the LMDh mill.
But the layout proposed in Motor Trend’s new report is truly something unique. The outlet prophesied a four-liter hybrid V8 with a 10,000 rpm redline, and two turbochargers that only kick in above 7,000 rpm. Below that mark, what would be redline is many cars, the Huracan’s successor will function like a naturally-aspirated plug-in hybrid.
Motor Trend’s sources apparently didn’t confirm anything about the all-wheel-drive setup or a plug-in hybrid system, though the latter has already been confirmed by Lamborghini CEO Stephan Winkelmann. The report did suggest that hybrid power would come from a motor placed directly between the engine and transmission, much like the McLaren Artura.
If the facts from this report turn out to be true, Lamborghini will have one of the oddest turbo systems in known history. Only engaging boost at high rpms, the spot where turbos in a traditional system begin to run out of steam, could mean the company is using absolutely massive turbochargers — a surefire way to get those big peak numbers for the sales catalog. But if high amounts of boost are ramping up only as the engine approaches redline, the driving experience of the car may start to feel a bit compromised.
Until Lamborghini reveals its Huracan successor, we won’t know for sure how the turbo system will really work. It seems we will have to wait just a bit longer to see if the company’s novel forced induction plan actually works — and if it actually feels good to drive.