The rise of super-hybrids is a craze that all automotive manufacturers have been trying their hand at, and this is a good thing. It not only preserves the existence of those reckless, fun, and ludicrously expensive boxes of pleasure, but it preserves the Earth as well.
Almost everyone worth noting has joined the party, Ferrari with their ridiculously named car, the LaFerrari, McLaren with the P1, and Porsche with their 918. Even BMW has scampered along with their i8, trying to masquerade as one of the big boys.
And the thing with parties is while everyone is just standing around, you get a good look at them all and start comparing them. The Ferrari was designed as a tease: with only 499 of them in existence, they go to their loyal customers.
The McLaren and the Porsche are wonderfully designed, but it seems to feel like they were computer generated, rather than built with passion.
Leaving the BMW i8, and well, its a poor man’s super-hybrid. And while they left the sleek concept design for production, that’s just to distract you from the fact that there is a $700,000 price gap and it doesn’t quite compare.
But with all parties, while you’ve got your solo cup in one hand and the other is scratching your head thinking, “when is this going to start?” late as expected, the cool kid shows up.
The Lamborghini Asterion LPI 910-4 is the beast we’ve been waiting for. Asterion is the name of the Minotaur of Greek Mythology and aptly bestowed on this Raging Bull Hybrid.
Currently a concept, revealed at the Paris Motor Show earlier this month, the Lambo has a 5.2l V10 engine directly out of the Huracan which cranks out 610 horse power, and three electric motors that together put out around 300 hp. Combined this car has 910 hp, making this the wildest bull Lamborghini has ever made.
The V10 cranks the rear wheels, but the front wheels are all electric. Lamborghini estimates this car to sip gas at a whopping 57.4 mpgs and has the ability to cruise around in pure electric for 31 miles, more than some of its rivals. Also the Lambo is capable of going to a top speed of 78 mph in all electric mode without the engine kicking in.
Unfortunately as a concept Stephan Winkelmann, the CEO of Lamborghini, has stated, “I strongly believe that this is not a car that will be in production and we will not do it”. Afraid that the car would not be a sufficient rival to the other super-hybrids, Winkelmann added, “It’s more a hyper-cruiser.”
However, to the more ambitious and fiscally frivolous ordinary individual, a poor man’s version will be made. The research and development boss at Audi, Ulrich Hackenberg, has stated to Car, “We are able to make the R8 a plug-in hybrid […] The Lamborghini Asterion shows this is possible – that car uses the platform of the R8”.
This means that there will be half off Lamborghinis showing up in Audi dealerships in the future, and that is surely something to look forward to.