Lamborghini Aventador SVJ to be last V12 ‘on its own’ – report

The upcoming Lamborghini Aventador SVJ will be the last of a dying breed, with the company's research and development chief indicating the company's next generation of vehicles will be assisted in some form – likely to be electrification.

In a report by Top Gear, Maurizio Reggiani, Lamborghini R&D boss, is quoted saying that the SVJ is the "last time the V12 will be on its own".

We already knew the Raging Bull prefers the idea of hybridisation to turbocharging – despite the bi-turbo V8 in the Urus crossover – though the company is still yet to explicitly say its next line of supercars will feature electric assistance.

Speaking with CarAdvice at the Geneva motor show in March, Reggiani said Lamborghini plans to keep its engines naturally aspirated for as long as it can despite ever-tightening emissions regulations.

"Unfortunately, the turbo is an equaliser for the sound and spark plug of the engine. For this reason, we try to emphasise the special system for sound with a special muffler to recognise the cylinder… a mechanical muffler with a throttle inside that we use to bypass in some conditions," he said.

"Super-sports cars are a different mission and different profile. We are still convinced that naturally-aspirated is the best choice in terms of responsiveness in terms of sound and in terms of emotion, those are the main parameters that we want to have from a super sports car."

"I think the CO2 [requirements] will be attacked in the future with a hybrid machine, where we can leave the emotional naturally aspirated appeal but reduce dramatically the CO2 and fuel consumption using a hybrid," Reggiani added.

Such an approach would give Lamborghini a point of difference against its rivals, considering companies like Ferrari and McLaren have all started making the switch to downsized twin-turbo engines for its supercars – though McLaren has announced its plans to go all hybrid in the coming years.

This news comes shortly after the Aventador SVJ set a new Nurburgring record, lapping the 'Green Hell' in 6:44.97 minutes – nearly three seconds quicker than the record set by the Porsche 911 GT2 RS in September last year.

Lamborghini is yet to confirm exactly when it'll reveal the Aventador SVJ in its final form, though a debut at the Paris motor show in October seems likely. Alternatively, the Monterey Car Week could serve as launchpad.

Final specifications are also yet to be detailed at this stage, but we do know that the new flagship supercar will feature active aerodynamics systems for improved downforce and handling, revisions to the all-wheel drive, steering and ESC systems, along with Pirelli P Zero Corsa track tyres that have been specifically developed for this model.

Stay tuned for all the latest updates over the coming months.

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