2026 Lamborghini Temerario

Imagine a magic pill that could make you stronger, faster, smarter and even curb your appetite. Sound tempting? That's essentially what hybridization offers. Regardless of how you feel about electrification, it's undeniable how much it has advanced vehicle technology. It's not just about 60-mpg Priuses anymore; nearly every performance brand is using hybrid technology to create cars that are more powerful, efficient and capable than ever before.

The launch of the 2026 Temerario, Lamborghini's newest entry-level supercar, establishes the brand as the first luxury manufacturer to offer a fully hybrid lineup, a bet few would have taken on a company more widely known for its V12 and V10 engines, and "three-comma doors." Translated to English as "daredevil," the Temerario is intended to capture the bold and fearless essence of Lamborghini's spirit. That's fitting, as the Temerario prepares to pick up where the Huracan — Lamborghini's best-selling model of all time — left off.

Sunsetting the Huracan means saying goodbye to its iconic naturally aspirated V10 engine — an enduring hallmark of the brand since the Gallardo debuted in 2004. From Dodge Vipers to BMW M5s, a V10 engine is one of the surefire ways to earn universal admiration.

Thus, the Temerario's downsized V8 needed something truly remarkable to stand out. Lamborghini delivered by engineering it to rev up to an astonishing 10,000 rpm — the highest-revving production V8 ever — and topped it off with two massive turbochargers generating 36 psi of boost, resulting in a 789-horsepower masterpiece.

For an engine to spin up to 10,000 rpm, it requires some exotic parts and a sprinkle of performance pixie dust. For starters, there's a flat-plane crank, which is designed to be lighter than traditional cross-plane cranks, allowing the engine to spin faster. Lightweight titanium connecting rods attach to the crank to further reduce rotating mass and withstand the higher interior stresses. 

Two turbos the size of cantaloupes reside roughly within the V between the cylinder banks, but look comically oversized for the nest they occupy. Turbos this size need a ton of exhaust gas to get going, meaning you could probably fix yourself a cappuccino while you wait for the boost to kick in. However, Lamborghini integrated an axial flux electric motor between the engine output shaft and the new eight-speed dual-clutch transmission. This motor can deliver 147 hp and 221 lb-ft of torque on demand, seamlessly bridging the power gap and eradicating turbo lag entirely.

The hybridized V8 sends power solely to the rear wheels, while two additional electric motors producing a combined 294 hp and 442 lb-ft drive the front axle. This setup, also featured in the Lamborghini Revuelto, gives the Temerario all-wheel drive and sophisticated torque-vectoring capabilities, where power can be shuffled both fore and aft as well as side to side. All three motors are fed by a lithium-ion battery housed in the tunnel that runs down the center of the car, totalling 3.8 kWh of energy capacity. The Temerario can handle recharging the battery entirely onboard using the engine and regenerative braking, but if you wanted to, you could also use a Level 2 EV charger and juice up in about 30 minutes.

Collectively, the whole getup delivers a combined 907 hp and 538 lb-ft of torque, which is capable of propelling the Temerario from 0 to 62 mph in just 2.7 seconds, with the car eventually topping out at 213 mph.

My time behind the wheel was spent entirely off public roads at the Circuito do Estoril racetrack in Portugal. Starting up the Temerario, it always defaults to Citta (city) mode, running solely on electricity powered by the front motors. The battery's energy reserves aren't too practical for daily plug-in hybrid use, offering only about 6 miles of range if you baby it — enough to sneak clear of your neighborhood or any other sound-sensitive areas.

A notable advantage of the hybrid setup is the thrill of hearing the V8 engine bark to life repeatedly. Its sound profile is unlike any Lamborghini before: sharper, raspier and more high-pitched. The new V8's sound may not come close to matching the iconic wail of the naturally aspirated V10s from earlier models. But, as Ulrich Baretzky, former head of engine technology at Audi Sport, aptly put it, "Noise is wasted energy."

The Temerario offers 13 driving configurations, created by combining five standard drive modes — Citta, Strada, Sport, Corsa and Corsa ESC Off — with three electric motor settings: Recharge, Hybrid and Performance. A twist of the red checkered flag drive dial on the steering wheel to Sport or Corsa instantly rouses the V8 engine. In these modes, the suspension firms, the engine is alert and the gearshifts are sharper and more punctuated. The Performance electric mode focuses on maximizing driving dynamics over efficiency, while the Recharge and Hybrid settings serve more straightforward purposes.

The Temerario's well of power is impressively robust and astonishingly linear. If you crave drama, you can always engage the Temerario's launch control, and it'll happily throw finesse to the wind and punt you and your passenger down the road. For this parlor trick, the engine's redline is temporarily raised to 10,250 rpm, mainly to avoid a third shift before 100 km/h (62 mph), which shaves precious nanoseconds off acceleration times.

Despite its impressive power and speed, the Temerario is a supercar that actually inspires confidence, not fear, when you're behind the wheel. The front electric motors can either help stabilize the car or make it more agile, depending on the drive mode, your inputs and situation.

Meanwhile, the brake pedal is completely electronic, not to remove you from the experience but to ensure braking response remains virtually unchanged lap after lap. Barreling down the front straight at Estoril, nearing 190 mph, the approach to the first corner requires surprisingly little brake pedal effort. The electric motors ease high-speed instability as I shed all that momentum. Of course, the massive 16.1-inch front and 15.4-inch rear carbon-ceramic brakes, paired with 10-piston and four-piston monobloc calipers, respectively, play a key supporting role in this act. Bending the nose into the first corner, the front wheels mete out torque as needed to keep me exactly on my desired driving line.

My track stints involve cars shod in Bridgestone Potenza Race tires, size 255/35R20 at the front and 325/30R21 at the rear. These tires provide excellent grip, though they aren't as sticky as, say, the Michelin Cup 2 R, an option available on performance models like the Porsche 911 GT3 or Corvette ZR1. Lamborghini claims that even after 30 laps on the Estoril circuit, lap times remain within a 1-second margin with only 4% tire wear — a truly impressive feat. For spirited road driving, the standard Bridgestone Potenza Sport tires are fine, but for serious track use, the Race compound is a must.

But wait, there's more. Engaging the Temerario's Drift mode unlocks three levels of progressively dramatic tail-out angles. Unlike traditional drift modes that simply cut power to the front axle, the Temerario uses its front electric motors to not only initiate the drift but also moderate the transition out of the drift. Mid-engine cars like the Temerario typically rotate too quickly due to their centralized mass — visualize a spinning top — but this system slows things down, delivering a more predictable, controlled experience. That said, you can still spin out in front of your friends if you drive like a moron (or so it's been said).

The Temerario is larger than the Huracan in every dimension, measuring approximately 7.3 inches longer, 2.5 inches wider and 1.4 inches taller, riding on a wheelbase that's been extended by 1.4 inches. The exterior design is distinctly different from the Huracan yet instantly recognizable as a Lamborghini. Aft of the passenger cabin, the V8 engine sits mostly hidden under its vented engine cover fed by the usual assortment of supercar ducts and scoops. New floating hexagonal light signatures front and rear will be a dead giveaway for spotting one at night. 

Inside, the Temerario borrows heavily from the Revuelto, showcasing a trio of digital displays. These include a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster, an 8.4-inch iPad-like infotainment screen and a thin 9.1-inch display for the front passenger. A unique feature is the center screen's ability to share information, allowing users to swipe data to either the driver's or passenger's display. If you're a GoPro power user, the optional Lamborghini Vision pack will have you drooling. Three 4K cameras seamlessly integrated into the cabin record high-definition footage from three angles, and the footage can be overlaid with vehicle telemetry data, allowing you to relive the glory of your track days in vivid detail. On the road, this system doubles as a built-in dashcam as well. 

The Temerario's larger exterior dimensions allow for a more spacious cockpit compared to the Huracan, with 1.3 inches more headroom, 1.8 inches more legroom and a slightly expanded front field of view. At 5 feet, 9 inches tall, I find the cabin to be more than spacious enough to wear a helmet comfortably with room to spare, and Lamborghini claims drivers up to 6 feet, 6 inches(!) can do the same — though I'll believe that once my 6-foot, 5-inch boss gets a turn at the wheel. Standard power seats offer excellent support and sport modern comfort features like heat and ventilation. Springing for the weight-saving Alleggerita package swaps them for manually adjustable lightweight seats that are equally supportive.

The only audio option available is a seven-speaker system by Sonus Faber, designed and crafted in Italy. This system brings an artisanal flair that will have hipsters swooning, incorporating natural materials such as silk, paper and plant-based leather derived from oranges and cacti. While it does a good job of filling the cabin with sound and elitism, it may not fully satisfy the expectations of discerning audiophiles. 

Beyond tech features and passenger space, the Temerario also features a slightly larger frunk with 4 cubic feet of storage, and additional room behind the seats for everyday essentials. That's enough for a short weekend away if you pack light.

In addition to unique seats, the Alleggerita package — Italian for "lightweight" — reduces weight while simultaneously lightening your wallet by $49,113. Lamborghini says the package enhances downforce by 67% — a notable improvement over the 103% gain the Temaraio achieves compared to the Huracan — thanks to a carbon front splitter, recycled carbon-fiber underbody panels, sleek side skirts, a significantly lighter engine compartment cover, and various carbon accents integrated throughout the interior. Altogether, these upgrades trim about 28 pounds. Adding in savings of the titanium exhaust and optional carbon wheels (an additional $26,200) raises the total weight savings to more than 55 pounds.

Starting at $386,649 (including destination), the Temerario positions itself as an "entry-level" Lamborghini, though it comes at a higher price than its closest hybrid supercar rivals, the Ferrari 296 GTB and McLaren Artura. However, it remains significantly more attainable than its flagship sibling, the Revuelto, which starts at over $600,000.

The Temerario ushers in a new era for the brand, completing the transition to hybridization and embodying the technology not as a compromise, but as a path to pushing the performance envelope. While I'll continue to miss the sweet song of the departed V10 engine, I'm excited to further realize the capabilities of the new high-revving hybrid V8 in Temerario models to come.