Lamborghini: end of an era as brand says farewell to V12

The Invencible coupe and Autentica roadster both use the Italian firm’s 12-cylinder 6.5-litre naturally-aspirated V12 which has become a calling card in many of Lamborghini’s famous models, but against tightening emissions regulations is being discontinued..

In both one-off vehicles, the V12 produces 769bhp, which sends that power to all four wheels via a seven-speed gearbox. Lamborghini has not stated how quickly either model will accelerate, but it’s likely to be similar to the Aventador – upon which the pair are based – zero to 60mph time of 2.6 seconds.

“The V12 engine is one of the pillars of our history and our marque’s success,” said Stephan Winkelmann, chairman and CEO of Lamborghini.

“As we head towards embracing a new era of hybridization at the heart of our strategy, this is the Lamborghini way of celebrating the naturally aspirated V12 with two one-off vehicles that perfectly represent our concept of excellence in personalization.

Both the Invencible and Autentica also pay homage to some of Lamborghini’s stand-out creations from the past, including the Sesto Elemento and the Veneno. It’s the former which gives both cars their large rear wing, while aerodynamic touches help reference the latter.

The duo are centred around the same carbon fibre monocoque used in the Aventador, while Lamborghini’s trademark hexagonal elements are used throughout in areas such as the front and rear light assembly.

Inside, the cabin has been stripped back as much as possible, with no instrumentation featuring on the dashboard whatsoever.

The Invencible features a ‘Rosso Efesto’ bodywork with contrast sills and doorframes finished in carbon, while the Autentica roadster incorporates a Grigio Titans exterior shade with matt black details.

Lamborghini is expected to unveil its next-generation hybrid supercar “in the coming weeks”.

Meanwhile Lamborghini ended 2021 with a remarkable all-time record: 8,405 cars were delivered worldwide, making it the company’s best year ever. Global sales were up by 13 per cent on 2020 due to a targeted and monitored growth strategy. In the United Kingdom 564 cars were delivered in 2021, up nine per cent on the previous year.

Mr Winkelmann said: “This record has provided confirmation of four factors for us: the solidity of our strategic plan, our brand’s outstanding international reputation, the competence and passion of our people and the exceptional professionalism and dynamism shown by our 173 dealers in 52 markets, who have continued to invest alongside us at a challenging, uncertain time.”

In terms of models, there was ongoing success for the Urus Super SUV with 5,021delivered. It was followed by the V10-powered Huracán, which saw a strong increase in sales up to 2,586 thanks to the strong impetus provided by the Huracán STO. In addition, there were 798 Aventadors (V12 model) delivered all over the world.

The sales outlook continues positively into the new year, thanks to a substantial order portfolio that already covers almost the entire production planned in 2022. Lamborghini’s strategic plan for the year ahead includes four new products to be unveiled over the next 12 months.