Wild 1,360hp Lanzador concept previews Lamborghini’s first EV
The first electric Lamborghini isn’t due until 2028, but we’re told the Lanzador concept provides ‘a concrete preview of the production vehicle’. For a car company that, perhaps more than any other, has outrageous combustion engines twisted into its DNA, this radical EV suggests the future definitely won’t be dull.
The Lanzador tees up a long-anticipated ‘fourth model line’ for Lamborghini, sitting alongside the Urus SUV and two supercars: the new plug-in hybrid Revuelto and smaller, soon-to-be-replaced Huracan. We’d call it a crossover if that word didn’t instantly invoke images of a Nissan Qashqai on the school run. Lamborghini terms it an ‘Ultra-GT’.
Technical details are a bit sparse, but the Lanzador uses two electric motors – one for each axle – to deliver ‘peak power of over one megawatt’ (circa. 1,360hp). If the showroom version follows suit, that would make it the most powerful production Lamborghini ever. CEO Stephan Winkelmann also suggested a minimum range of 300 miles, although we’d expect that figure to improve by 2028.
Between SUV and supercar
The Lanzador’s wedgy styling was apparently inspired by the Sesto Elemento concept, Murcielago and reborn Countach LPI 800-4. However, as a luxurious GT with two seats and four seats, we’d also draw a direct line to the most glamorous Lamborghini of all: the 1968 Espada.
However you define it, the Lanzador certainly bridges the gap between an SUV and a supercar. Its combination of a raised ride height and low-slung body looks genuinely different. Indeed, at around 1,500mm, the car is no taller than a typical hatchback, despite riding on huge 23-inch wheels.
Underneath all those aggressive angles is an entirely new platform that incorporates tech such as self-levelling air suspension, rear-wheel steering and ‘Wheelspeed Control’ for quicker and more precise cornering. “We are taking Lamborghini integrated driving dynamics control to a whole new level, which has not been possible for production sports cars before,” says chief engineer Rouven Mohr.
Fire up the jet
Inside, the Lanzador has four individual seats, acres of glass and a plethora of sustainable materials, including merino wool and 3D-printed recycled foam. ‘The pilot and co-pilot sit low within the cabin as if in a jet,’ says Lamborghini, while the minimalist dashboard features two digital displays that retract when not in use.
Can an electric car possibly recapture the visceral, emotional appeal of a voracious V10 or operatic V12? We’ll have to wait five years to find out, but the Lanzador proves that Lamborghini isn’t afraid to embrace EVs. And that not every SUV needs to be big and box-shaped.
Tim Pitt writes for Motoring Research