2024 Lamborghini Revuelto review: First international drive

There are defining moments in the timeline of every carmaker and, for Lamborghini, it’s those once-in-a-decade occasions when the V12 baton is passed from one generation to the next. It’s such a sacred moment that I’m almost inclined to observe a minute of reverential silence.

The sun is blazing at the Nardo Handling Track in the southeastern tip of Italy and hunkered down a few metres from me are the wheeled embodiments of Lamborghini’s past and future. Closest to me is a luminescent green Aventador SVJ, the fastest and angriest iteration of the brutish V12 supercar that has spearheaded the Raging Bull’s line-up since 2011.

Somewhat symbolically, parked directly ahead of it is a day-glow orange Revuelto, the long-awaited V12 successor to the Aventador.

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Given that a dozen years have elapsed since its rambunctious predecessor was unleashed, the Revuelto needed to make a significant leap in every domain, and it does, debuting more cutting-edge tech than any previous Lambo.

Lamborghini hasn’t played it safe in creating the Revuelto; it’s the company’s first plug-in hybrid model, debuts a brand-new carbon fibre chassis and eight-speed dual-clutch transmission, as well as an all-new HMI system. It’s also built on a state-of-the-art production line that’s been created specifically for the latest flagship model.

The Revuelto’s raw numbers are gobsmacking. Propulsion comes via a naturally aspirated V12 engine, in itself cause for celebration, but even more so because it pushes out Everest-dwarfing outputs of 607kW and 725Nm and revs to 9500rpm (courtesy of new pistons, cylinder heads and a higher compression ratio).

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Supplementing the V12 is a trio of electric motors to eke out combined outputs of 746kW and maximum torque approaching 1500Nm.

Top speed is quoted at 350km/h-plus, while the 0-100km/h split is demolished in 2.5sec. On paper, that may not seem like much of an improvement over the Aventador, but this is one of those instances where numbers really don’t convey the whole picture.

Significantly, the pair of axial flux e-motors at the front axle deliver what’s claimed to be the most sophisticated form of torque vectoring in any road car to date – individually doling out micro-perfect doses of torque to each of the front wheels to enable faster, more drama-free cornering.

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Now for the sobering part: The Revuelto will be the most expensive series production Lamborghini ever – by some margin – when it arrives on our shores in early 2024. The ex-factory price tag starts at €422,340 plus duties and taxes, so expect Australian pricing to start in Aventador SVJ territory at more than $900K (and that’s before on-road costs and customisation).

Despite the Revuelto’s cardiac-arresting price, Lamborghini has already secured an order bank stretching more than two years for the tech-laden debutant.

An operatic V12 motor has always been the talismanic element in any Lamborghini flagship, and that’s no less the case in the Revuelto – it’s a mighty powerplant.

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The 6.5-litre unit has been spun around 180 degrees as the new eight-speed dual-clutch transmission sits transversely behind it, and packaged in unison with the gearbox is a 110kW e-motor that supplements the V12 in sending drive to the rear wheels.

What used to be the transmission tunnel is now occupied by the hybrid powertrain’s 3.8kWh battery pack. Why the tiny battery pack? Simple: its job is not to significantly reduce CO2 emissions or provide a meaningful electric-only range.

The battery pack’s function is to provide the trio of electric motors with short, sharp bursts of energy. It’s quickly recharged on the go, so there’s almost never a situation where it’s fully depleted. We established this firsthand.

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Driving the Revuelto’s front axle is a pair of axial flux electric motors that crank out 350Nm each and a combined power output of 220kW. They provide true torque vectoring to help get the car turned in on corner entry, keep it balanced in mid-corner and launch away from the exit. As with latter versions of the Aventador, four-wheel-steer is retained as a standard feature, further boosting agility.

Pretty much every component that went into the Aventador has been binned and the foundation of the Revuelto is its brand-new full carbon fibre monocoque chassis, front crash structure and bodywork; the only exceptions being the aluminium doors.

Lamborghini CTO Rouven Mohr says the carbon ‘monofuselage’, which uses a mix of forged and prepreg carbon fibre, reduces weight by 10 per cent and increases stiffness by 25 per cent compared to the already rigid Aventador.

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Also consigned to the dustbin is the Aventador’s racecar-mimicking pushrod suspension, which makes way for double wishbones front and rear, supplemented by the latest Magneride adaptive dampers.

In addition to enabling more efficient packaging and a reduction in weight, Mohr says the new suspension setup also makes for much better “vertical control” (ride quality, in other words).

With the Aventador and Revuelto parked line astern, it’s easy to glean the latter’s dimensional stretch. This is partly to accommodate the hybrid powertrain and partly to liberate much-needed cabin space (more on this later). Measuring 4947mm from end to end and 2033mm across the bows, this Lambo has a sizable footprint on the tarmac.

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It’s no lightweight either, tipping the scales at 1772kg – and this is dry weight, so expect a figure of 1900kg-plus with a full tank of fuel and all fluids on board.

Much work has gone into the Revuelto’s aero package, which includes an active rear wing with three positions. It’s one of the contributors to 30 per cent more downforce than the Aventador and 60 per cent greater aero efficiency, says Mohr.

The standard wheel package brings 20-inch rims at the front and 21s at the rear, but most buyers are likely to specify the optional bigger rims (21s at the front and 22s at the rear). Bridgestone Potenza Sport rubber is standard issue, but only on the smaller rims.

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Enough of the nitty-gritty. Let’s cut to the chase, which in today’s case will take place around the dipping, diving 6.22km Nardo Handling Track. This circuit has been dubbed the “mini-Nurburgring” with good reason as its combination of fast corners and blind crests means you need commitment – and track knowledge – to go quickly around here.

Handily, Lamborghini’s events team has brought along the Aventador SVJ alluded to earlier to provide a frame of reference and get in a sighter lap or two before leaping into the cockpit of the Revuelto. Raw and uncompromising, the Aventador SVJ pummels all your senses – and that’s not necessarily a bad thing.

There are those who expect nothing less of an apex supercar. But this also means the Aventador is not something you’d ever consider using for the daily schlep to the office and back.

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Sliding under the vertically opening scissor door of the Revuelto shortly after a brief on-track stint in the SVJ, the contrast is immediately evident. Cabin space is almost cavernous by comparison with the Aventador, and even the act of sliding in and out requires less strenuous gymnastics.

The V12 also fires up with far less drama, which may come as a disappointment for poseurs who enjoyed the attention-grabbing bark of the Aventador’s pyrotechnic start-up. As before, there are Strada, Sport and Corsa drive modes, but new for the Revuelto is a ‘Citta’ EV-only mode that enables the car to enter zero-emission zones.

However, you only get about 10km of pure-electric range, so pandering to tree huggers is clearly not the key focus for this car.

Given we’re on a racetrack today, the obvious choice is to slot the drive mode selector into Corsa before trickling out onto the circuit behind the pace car, steered by Lamborghini Squadra Corse chief instructor Filippo Zadotti.

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Gassing up the V12 once we’re onto the front straight, my eardrums aren’t battered to anywhere near the same degree as in the Aventador SVJ. There’s still plenty of decibels – and they’re all good – but the Revuelto’s soundtrack is noticeably more restrained and civilised than the SVJ’s.

The hybrid powertrain is so smooth and seamless that, from behind the wheel, it’s impossible to discern that three electric motors are also contributing to the prodigious forward thrust. What’s more, the V12 spins up to 9500rpm with such ridiculous ease that you need to keep an eye on the tacho to avoid bouncing off the rev limiter.

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Adding to the Revuelto’s suave demeanour is the silky smooth eight-speed dual-clutch transmission, which is in a different universe to the spine-jarring ISR sequential gearbox that served the Aventador for its entire lifecycle. Super fast and intuitive, the dual-clutch ’box responds virtually instantly to tugs on the elongated carbon fibre paddles.

Did I mention the Revuelto is mind-bogglingly fast? The Lambo effortlessly clocks up 300km/h-plus down Nardo’s front straight, and every other non-bendy section of the track is also pulverised by the V12 hybrid powertrain.

Stopping power is just as superlative. Where the Aventador SVJ squirrels around under heavy braking, the Revuelto stays beautifully composed when you stand on the anchors. Some hybrid cars skimp on the braking package as decelerative energy is funnelled into recharging the battery pack.

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That’s not the case here as mighty carbon-ceramic discs (410x38mm at the front and 390x32mm at the rear) are clamped upon by 10-piston calipers at the front and four pistons at the rear. Adding to confidence levels is a brake pedal that has shorter travel and more weight and bite than the spongy pedal in the Aventador SVJ.

As counter-intuitive as it may sound, the 746kW Revuelto is far easier to handle than the significantly less potent SVJ, and less demanding to punt hard than even the V10-powered Huracan STO and Tecnica.

That said, the Revuelto piles on speed so rapidly that you still need to stay focused on a track that’s replete with blind crests, corners that disappear out of sight, and even a yump that gets the car airborne at 225km/h.

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Where the Aventador requires a skilful pilot to tap into the last 20 per cent of its dynamic envelope, the Revuelto’s inherent balance and superbly calibrated chassis control software enable even those less experienced in track driving to enjoy a large chunk of its repertoire.

For now, we can’t offer an emphatic assessment of ride quality, but the Nardo Handling Track has its fair share of bumps, dips and crests and the seat of my pants tells me the Revuelto is far more supple than the bone-jarring Aventador.

To put the Revuelto’s pace in perspective, Lamborghini CTO Rouven Mohr says it’s about 2.5sec a lap quicker than the Aventador SVJ on the same tyres around the Nardo Handling Track.

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Raw pace is one thing, but the reality is that the majority of owners will spend most of their time in the car pootling around in traffic or in highway cruise mode. There’s good news here, too, as the enlarged cabin means even occupants who are 1.9m-plus tall will be able to sit in comfort and not have their noggins rubbing against the roof lining.

The new monofuselage chassis also provides 84mm more legroom, as well as leaving space behind the seats for some soft luggage or a small golf bag. In addition, there’s a storage compartment under the front bonnet that can accommodate two aircraft cabin bags.

Annoyingly in the Aventador, there was no place to keep your phone, keys and various other bits and bobs. That’s been addressed in the Revuelto as there are storage cubbyholes in the centre console, as well as a cup holder on the passenger-side dashboard.

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Another much-needed improvement is the brand-new HMI setup, which features a 12.3-inch digitised instrument cluster, 8.4-inch vertical infotainment screen and a 9.1-inch co-pilot display panel with a digital speedo readout to terrify your passenger.

Our test vehicle was equipped with the so-called “comfort” seats, but two-piece sports seats (unlike the fixed-back sports pews in the Aventador SVJ) will also be on the menu. Upholstery options include not just fine leathers, but also the newly introduced Corsa-Tex fabric in Dinamica microfibre, which is made of recycled polyester.

It’s also possible for customers to specify a balanced mix of leather and Corsa-Tex, or favour one material according to their preference.

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Stylistically, the Revuelto carries over the visual drama of its predecessors. Ultra-low, wide-shouldered and laced with scoops, bulges and sharp edges, you’re guaranteed to prompt rubbernecking wherever you go in the V12 Lambo.

Personally, I love the car’s rear three-quarter view, but I’m not sold on the frontal styling. Feel free to reach your own conclusions about its aesthetics…

So, the verdict: has Lamborghini nailed its crucial new halo car? There’s not a whole lot to fault in the Revuelto. Apart from being electrifyingly rapid, it titillates all the senses in a way that few others in its genre can – the magic of a Pavarotti-silencing V12 that revs to 9500rpm is not something that’s replicated elsewhere.

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The fact that the comfortable and relatively spacious Revuelto is vastly more daily driveable and dynamically accessible than the Aventador only adds to its appeal. That said, there might be those who lament it’s lost the raw, unruly charm of its predecessor.

My take? I think Lamborghini has got the balance right with the Revuelto, and it would be no surprise if it tops the Aventador’s sales tally (11,465 units) over the course of its lifecycle.