- The Aventador successor has been codenamed LB744
- First-ever four-wheel drive in full-electric mode
Lamborghini has unveiled a few key details of the successor to the iconic Aventador sportscar ahead of its debut that is slated to take place in the coming weeks. Codenamed LB744, it will feature an all-new architecture and a new powertrain that delivers an output of more than 1,000bhp.
The signature 6.5-litre mid-mounted V12 engine on the flagship Lamborghini model will be paired with three electric motors. This power will be sent to the wheels via a new eight-speed dual-clutch transmission. The latter is mounted transversely and placed behind the combustion engine for the first time. In what has been the transmission tunnel since the days of the Countach, there is a lithium-ion battery instead, which powers the electric motors.
For reference, the electric motors will boost power delivery at low RPMs and can also turn the new LB744 into a pure electric car, reducing overall CO2 emissions by 30 per cent when compared to the Aventador Ultimae.
Weighing in at a mere 218kgs, the new engine on the Lamborghini LB744 is 17kgs lighter than its outgoing version. This engine has been rotated by 180 degrees compared to the layout on the Aventador, and will produce an output of 813bhp at 9,250rpm and a torque of 725Nm at 6,750rpm.
The Lamborghini LB744 will carry over the four-wheel-drive system, and while the internal combustion engine provides power to the rear wheels, a pair of electric motors now make their debut on the front axle, each supplying traction to one of the front wheels. There’s also a third electric motor positioned above the eight-speed double-clutch gearbox that can supply power to the rear wheels, depending on the selected driving mode and conditions.
Coming to the battery of the LB744, the model has a 3.8 kWh unit. When the charge drops down to zero it can be recharged using both ordinary domestic alternating and charging column current up to 7kW in power and is claimed to completely recharge in just 30 minutes. It can also be recharged under regenerative braking from the front wheels or directly from the V12 engine in just six minutes.
Located above the gearbox, this electric motor doubles up as the starter motor and generator, as energy is supplied to the front electric motors via the battery in the transmission tunnel. In full-electric mode, it can also provide power to the rear wheels that, in addition to the e-motors driving the front wheels, allow zero-emission four-wheel drive. How the system functions depends on which driving mode is engaged, thanks to an uncoupling mechanism with a dedicated synchroniser allowing the connection to the double-clutch gearbox.
