Richard Hammond has never really been a big fan of supercars. They’re too flashy, sometimes fragile, and not always as impressive to drive as they are to look at: the former host of Top Gear doesn't hide his reservations. Yet, behind the wheel of the Lamborghini Revuelto And with its more than 1,000 HP, its tune will quickly change.
It must be said that the Revuelto comes equipped with all the bells and whistles you’d expect from a top-tier Lamborghini: a 6.5-liter naturally aspirated V12, spectacular styling, and performance capable of making almost any sports car seem like a run-of-the-mill vehicle. But this time, the V12 isn’t alone. The Revuelto pairs it with three electric motors—two mounted up front and a third integrated into the eight-speed dual-clutch transmission. The combined output exceeds 1,000 HP, allowing the Lamborghini to accelerate from 0 to 62 mph (about 100 km/h) in 2.5 seconds, before reaching 217 mph—nearly 350 km/h.
Hammond was expecting a caricature of a Lamborghini
For Richard Hammond, however, the surprise doesn’t come from this sheer excess of power. He actually expected to find a Lamborghini true to its stereotype: spectacular, over-the-top, and a little intimidating. His relationship with the brand is, in fact, complicated. As a child, he loved the Countach. Over the years, however, he explains that he gradually distanced himself from Lamborghinis, which he felt had at times become a sort of caricature of themselves.
The Revuelto begins to shake that conviction on a wet Welsh road. Despite its wide tires and considerable power, Hammond discovers a car that instills confidence in him. The two front electric motors, all-wheel drive, torque vectoring, and rear-wheel steering all contribute to a driving experience he didn’t expect to associate so naturally with a large Lamborghini: control. «My God, this is an incredible feeling!» he exclaims after he starts pushing the car to its limits. He then admits that the experience has little in common with what he had imagined before getting behind the wheel.
A Revuelto that «shrinks» around its driver
Perhaps the most surprising thing is the way Hammond describes the Revuelto’s agility. In particular, he recalls the very light Lamborghini Sesto Elemento that he had driven years earlier to Top Gear. The Revuelto is nowhere near as light, but he feels he can recapture some of that sensation in its handling.
As the kilometers go by, the supercar seems to «shrink» around him. Whereas some Lamborghinis once gave him the impression that he was driving a car even more imposing than it actually was, the Revuelto quickly strikes him as agile and lively. The hybrid powertrain even allows him to drive temporarily in all-electric mode—a particularly strange experience in a Lamborghini V12 that’s so visually spectacular.
Above all, technology hasn’t completely erased the eccentricity of Sant’Agata Bolognese. Hammond still appreciates its theatrical touches, from the high-mounted central exhaust to the missile-launcher-style start button.
At the end of the test drive, his verdict is unambiguous. He, who had feared he would find himself driving a cartoon character, ultimately concludes that the Revuelto is «a very, very, very good car.» And perhaps even the first Lamborghini he could love without having to add a «despite…» to justify his choice.
English 
French 
Italian 
Spanish 
German 
Japanese 
Dutch