“We are walking in the footsteps of our illustrious predecessors. The overall form comes from the Countach, scissors doors and all, then a touch of craziness from the Diablo, especially on the rear wing. And again, the determined look of the Murcielago and of course the Aventador, which is always in our hearts. Now with the Revuelto it is time to open the doors to the future”. This is how Mitja Borkert introduces the new supercar with which Lamborghini celebrates its V12 engine in a plug-in hybrid version, an absolute novelty, just as completely new as the monocoque structure on which the car is built, an aeronautics-inspired monofuselage made entirely of carbon fibre that offers extra strength and torsional stiffness against a reduction in weight.
Proportions first
The Revuelto, codename LB744, is also a record-breaking supercar in terms of its styling, done entirely under the guidance of Borkert, Lamborghini’s Head of Design since 2016. “For this car we went through 17 scale models, the most extensive creative research ever done here at Sant’Agata Bolognese”, he told us on a tour of the Style Centre for a preview of the Revuelto where it actually took shape. As in every project proportions come first. The wheelbase is increased (+79 mm) as is the overall height (+24 mm) compared to the Aventador, to the benefit of roominess. “We listened to customer feedback and ended up giving the interior more space, for everyday driving fun but also for the track wearing a helmet, as the seat is slightly lower”.
The legendary “Cofango”
A spaceship, but with the engine in full view, one of the aspects that Mitja Borkert links up to another of his passions: “As you know, I am a big fan of supersport motorbikes. Right from the start we wanted to show off this fantastic V12 engine, now hybridised, by treating it like a motorbike. So no glass cover, also to save weight. We made what we call this ‘cofango’ by uniting the parts into one very three-dimensional element that frames the powertrain, flanked by side blades reminiscent of the Diablo, but also a bit like the Miura. It’s a piece of modern architecture, you could take it out of the car and hang it on a wall of your house like a beautiful sculpture”, he says, inviting us to look at the Revuelto from the rear, his favourite view, “with the engine and the hexagonal exhausts, as you glimpse inside, it conveys how super powerful it is. We have worked a lot on visibility, not just roominess”.
Shark Nose
The front end is no less compelling for that, with its ‘shark nose’ pointing downwards to give impetus to the arrow-like progression of the front end in plan view, and with the strong Y-shaped mark of the daytime running lights inserted into the large triangular light clusters”. In designing the interior, the designers relied on customer feedback as well as on the driving experience gained by the technicians on the Nardò track, Lamborghini’s home circuit. The philosophy followed is ‘feel like a pilot’, with a very low driving position, a dashboard that is light in design to the advantage of visibility and a latest-generation HMI system that makes it possible to ‘swipe’ the contents displayed from one screen to another with a single hand gesture, without distracting from driving.
An alien in the cockpit
And then there’s a little surprise: “Since there’s always an alien inside the spaceship in science fiction movies, we put one in there too, with this ‘alien look’”, jokes Borkert about the image that you get at first glance when you look at the Y-shaped carbon fibre element in the centre of the dashboard. A cool shape does not exclude functionality. In the console that fits above the lengthwise tunnel (housing the batteries that power the Revuelto’s three electric motors, two dedicated to the front wheels and the third for the rear axle) there is finally room for small items with dedicated functions, from the compartment with a phone charger to cup holders. The space behind the seats and the front luggage compartment also ensure the possibility of storing the necessities for a weekend trip.
Maximum consistency with Lamborghini design
Everything is always consistent with Lamborghini’s design Dna, in the overall forms as well as in the details, in which the Y sign and the hexagon, namely the polygon deriving from the intersection of several Y shapes, recur. The exterior surfaces are obviously the result of constant collaboration with the aerodynamics team, “they are our friends, once the design was established we took a style model to the wind tunnel and started the refinements to boost the downforce by 70%”, notes Borkert, who is keen to emphasise the importance of teamwork.”It is my honour to explain the Revuelto, but it is the work of the whole Style Centre, it has been our principal project for the last few years. It has been a fantastic journey and today I am happy to be able to tell you the design story of this car”.
(Full article in A&D no. 260)
