REPORT: Lamborghini hybrid coming in 2015, next-gen models available with either AWD or RWD
by Jeremy Korzeniewski on Aug 5th 2009 at 8:00PM 
Lamborghini Gallardo LP-560 - Click above for a high-res image gallery
Following closely in the footsteps of its rival from Maranello, Lamborghini CEO Stephan Winkelmann has confirmed in an interview with German Automobilewoche magazine that the Italian purveyor of high-end supercars is working on a hybrid Gallardo. Not surprisingly, the electrically assisted Bull is expected to hit the market in 2015 – the same year as the upcoming fuel-saving Ferrari.
In contrast to the recently announced fully electric SLS Gullwing from Mercedes-Benz, Lamborghini's eco-friendly efforts won't include replacing the traditional gasoline powerplant completely. Instead, Winkelmann suggests that a small electric motor would be used solely to get the car moving at low speeds, after which either the expected V10 or V12 engine would kick the fun into high gear.
Worry not, Lambo fans – there's no chance the company will lose focus on its high performance roots. In fact, the boys at Inside Line report that both the Gallardo and Murcièlago lines are destined to receive dedicated track-ready Balboni-style rear-wheel drive models to augment the automaker's already amazingly capable all-wheel drive supercars.
Gallery: Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4
[Source: Popular Science]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
aj121489 8:07PM (8/05/2009)
Am I the only one who thinks these hybrid supercars are stupid and kinda pathetic?
Reply
jinsei888 8:15PM (8/05/2009)
Yes, you are the only kne
abbas350 10:43PM (8/05/2009)
yeah, except for the gasoline/rocket hybrids
Matt 11:02PM (8/05/2009)
ALL HYBRIDS are stupid and pathetic.
MKIV 11:32PM (8/05/2009)
Oh cool... I know lot of Lambo owners who worry about gas prices.
Might even see few of them on the road during rush hours commuting back and forth to work.
shawndh 12:30AM (8/06/2009)
No, you're not alone. I'd think that a Lambo owner would be kinda embarrased by a hybrid badge on his $200k ride. What the h#ll does a guy who drives a Lamborghini care about saving gas? How many miles a year are you really going to put on your Lamboghini? How much pollution is coming from the worlds super car owners? This is completely STUPID. Maybe we'll see NASCAR and funny car hybrids next.
Doug 9:47AM (8/06/2009)
You are not alone...
willyolio 3:53PM (8/06/2009)
you're not alone. many other people have no idea what 100% torque at ZERO RPM does for performance, either.
Switch 8:08PM (8/05/2009)
"next-gen models available with either AWD or RWD" Really no FWD? Was that sentence really necessary? Anyway I love Lamborghini and can't wait to see what they bring to the table. The LP560 is a beautiful work of art.
Reply
Mike7 8:15PM (8/05/2009)
"next-gen models available with either AWD or RWD" Really no FWD? Was that sentence really necessary?
Yes, because new Lambos are exclusively AWD. Autoblog is trying to inform you that Lamborghini is changing its policy and will offer RWD cars, starting with the Balboni Gallardo.
Switch 8:51PM (8/05/2009)
But they already had an article on LP550 so we already knew they were offering RWD again.
Krystian 9:25PM (8/05/2009)
if you had read said article instead of skimming it you would have learned it was a one off special edition. This is confirmation that they are actually going to offer RWD in the future :)
Jeff Johnson 8:19PM (8/05/2009)
all this says to me is that even Lamborghini is not immune to to this stupid hippie "green" movement.
Don't get me wrong - a hybrid car can be a good thing for certain people, but when you let it go to your head there are problems. If I'm spending 175K dollars, i don't care about MPG, i don't care for the extra weight and i damn sure wouldn't care about the 'hybrid' badge.
The main problem with hybrid cars is that people actually think they alone are going to save this planet. They might help a percent here or there, but in the grand scheme of things vs the money involved it's a wasted effort. It makes me sad Lamborghini has taken to this level
Reply
aj121489 8:21PM (8/05/2009)
EXACTLY.
fmwso 8:45PM (8/05/2009)
+2 this whole "green" movement is ridiculous.
Nick 9:18PM (8/05/2009)
@Jeff Johnson,
Greentech isn't stupid. The Hippie movement died decades ago. And yes, you are dumb.
"i damn sure wouldn't care about the 'hybrid' badge."
-> The thing is, Jeff, is no one asked what YOU think of a Hybrid Lambo, you obviously don't fit into the buyer category. There's plenty of wealthy people that would love to buy a Hybrid Lambo, so stop the whining, the knee jerk 'anti-green' reaction and get a life.
PJ 9:21PM (8/05/2009)
I disagree. If you're spending $175,000 on personal transportation, it's *all* about the badge. Image is the entire basis of the big-bucks car market. Does a Bentley Continental GT cost twice as much as a BMW 650i because it's twice as good? No; it's because it's a Bentley. Does a Ferrari 599 accelerate 3x as fast or corner 3x as hard as a Corvette ZR1? No, but buyers pay $300,000 for one and $100,000 for the other because one is a Ferrari.
In that sense, a hybrid Lamborghini makes perfect sense--it's catering to the monied fashion-conscious that keep its lights on (what, you thought it was enthusiasts?). Incidentally, this is nothing new for Lambo--they first "took it to this level" in 1986 with the LM002 SUV, aimed at the then-trendy 'roided Arnold wannabes.
Aloysius Vampa 9:21PM (8/05/2009)
Nick, what if he is in the buyer category?
You don't know.
paul34 9:58PM (8/05/2009)
This probably has to do more with boosting Lambo's overall MPG numbers.
Visnick 10:36PM (8/05/2009)
Dude "greentech" is the dumbest s#$t I've heard in a long time.
Just a bunch of marketing hype