2013 Lamborghini Aventador to get stop/start, cylinder deactivation technology

It doesn't matter if you produce supercars, subcompacts, or semi trucks, U.S. and European governments are clamping down on fuel economy and emissions. While hybrid powertrains becoming a popular option, even in the hypercar realm, more traditional high-performance machines are being forced to get creative.

Lamborghini (which just purchased Ducati, allegedly in part to improve its corporate average fuel economy), is reportedly set to apply features like cylinder deactivation and stop/start to its Aventador supercar. According to Auto Motor und Sport, for 2013, the 6.5-liter V12 brute will include CDS, or "Cylinder Deactivation System" which will allow the Italian supercar to run on six of its 12 cylinders. Additionally, the engine will benefit from stop/start system that employs a capacitor rather than a traditional battery. The report says that the capacitor is seven pounds lighter than a battery can charge up more quickly and the system starts the engine up in a mere 180 milliseconds. For reference, an average stop/start system takes about 250 milliseconds, while the Ferrari system takes 230 milliseconds.

The report says that the combination of the cylinder deactivation and stop/start will result in a 20 percent increase in fuel economy for the Aventador, which currently returns 11 miles per gallon city, 17 highway.

Other updates for the 2013 Aventador include a new instrument panel that enlarges numbers on the speedometer and tachometer and the option for more carbon fiber bits, including the engine cover. According to the report, the updated Aventador may bow at the 2012 Paris Motor Show this September.