Since its launch, the Lamborghini Temerario occupies a central place in the new era of Sant'Agata Bolognese. Hybrid, ultra-high-performance and conceived as a direct replacement for the Huracán, it embodies the brand's transition to intelligent electrification. But, after a possible off-road versionBut there's another element that could soon thrill purists even more: the arrival of a rear-wheel-drive version, a technical choice that we're sure will be appreciated. Lamborghini no longer.
Architecture designed for four-wheel drive... but not set in stone
In an interview with The Drive, Palolo Racchetti, head of the Temerario range, explained that the model was designed from the outset as a four-wheel drive. "We've always been a manufacturer of four-wheel-drive cars," he recalls. And the Temerario takes this concept even further, with a 100 % electric front axle.
Why not offer a true rear-wheel drive mode, when some competitors do? Racchetti gives a very clear answer: "There's always a bit of torque at the front for two reasons. Firstly, because if we removed it completely, you'd feel it. Secondly, because we can use torque vectoring to make the car even more playful." But he immediately adds something more surprising: while the Temerario doesn't (yet) have a rear-wheel drive mode, that doesn't mean a dedicated version is impossible.
The Huracán example
At Lamborghini, the evolution of the Huracán serves as a benchmark. It began its career with all-wheel drive, before being upgraded to rear-wheel drive with the radical STO. A parallel that Racchetti directly evokes: "Someone might say that, in a sense, all-wheel drive makes the driving experience less pure compared to rear-wheel drive. That's why, on the Huracán, we had the Performante, the pinnacle of all-wheel drive performance, and the STO in rear-wheel drive." In other words, the brand recognizes that rear-wheel drive has a special place in the range.
Towards a Temerario STO?
Asked about a future, more radical version, the equivalent of an STO, Racchetti reveals an internal debate: "At this stage, I'd say there are several schools of thought within the company." Some avenues under consideration:
- a pure rear-wheel drive version, which would remove all assistance from the electric front axle;
- a version that's still hybrid, but more track-oriented, lighter, more incisive, still with all-wheel drive but using electric motors with a different philosophy.
Racchetti admits that Lamborghini hasn't yet finalized its strategy, but he confirms that a more extreme variant will indeed arrive: "Our life cycle is generally predictable: at some point, a sportier version, more suited to the track, always arrives. Even though we already offer a lighter package, we can go even further. We're thinking about it.
An engine that makes you want to dare propulsion
At the heart of the debate is the engine. The 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8, a new in-house creation, revs up to 10,200 rpm and plays an integral part in the car's identity. Combining it with pure rear-wheel drive immediately evokes a supercar that's more raw, more alive, more connected to the driver. What if Lamborghini decided to push the concept to the limit, removing the rear electric motor as well, and using only the 800 hp V8? This would create a profoundly different Temerario, perhaps one of the purest Lamborghinis of the modern era.
A question of philosophy
For Racchetti, the current Temerario already manages to combine efficiency and feel: "The Performante was so fast that sometimes you had the impression that the car was doing something for you. This is no longer the case with the Temerario. You don't feel any intervention. Power distribution is so linear that it remains totally predictable, which enhances driving pleasure." In any case, Lamborghini has not closed the door on a Temerario RWD, with or without an electric motor.
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