Ottawa Citizen

Lamborghin­i hybrid unleashes 819 horsepower

- MATTHEW GUY

Lamborghin­i has whipped up yet another jaw-dropping creation. In keeping with the current trend of bestowing unpronounc­eable names on hypercars, this one’s called the Sián. It’s also the most powerful Lamborghin­i has ever produced.

Deploying a claimed world’s first use of a supercapac­itor in a hybrid powertrain, the Sián produces a staggering 819 horsepower. Adopting a V12 engine makes sense, but there’s also a 48 volt e-motor incorporat­ed into the gearbox to provide immediate response and improved performanc­e.

The company says this is the first time in any low-voltage hybrid that a direct connection has been made between electric motor and wheels.

Besides sounding like a Bond weapon, the supercapac­itor brings some innovative hybrid tech to the table — it’s used for energy accumulati­on rather than a lithium-ion battery. The unit is said to be three times more powerful than a battery of the same weight.

Located in the bulkhead between cockpit and engine helps keep the car’s weight distributi­on in check. The electric system, supercapac­itor and e-motor weigh only 34 kilograms, which means a remarkable weight-to-power ratio of 1.0 kg/h.p.n fact, the whole car has a better power-to-weight ratio than the Aventador SVJ.

All this adds up to a run to 96 km/h from rest in under 2.8 seconds, according to Lamborghin­i. The company claims the e-motor fills in power gaps during gear changes — which are already lightning quick.

Driving.ca

 ?? LAMBORGHIN­I ?? The latest Lamborghin­i is called the Sián, and it’s the most powerful ever.
LAMBORGHIN­I The latest Lamborghin­i is called the Sián, and it’s the most powerful ever.

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