2020 might just be looking up because there is news just in from Sant’ Agata regarding a new Lamborghini hypercar.
The new Lamborghini Sián Roadster hypercar has just been unveiled, and as the name implies it is the convertible version of the Sián coupe hypercar.
The biggest news here with the launch of the Sián Roadster, apart from the missing roof, is that the Sián, which is the Bolognese dialect stands for ‘flash’ or ‘lightning’ represents Lamborghini’s foot in the door for electrification or hybridisation.
To the petrolhead purists however, don’t fret just yet as the naturally aspirated V12 is still present and singing its sonorous tune within this open-top hybrid super sports car.
As expected, Lamborghini gone down the McLaren route of hybridisation. That is to say that, similar to the P1, the goal of the hybrid system in the Sián isn’t to save the earth but go round it as fast as possible.
To help with that, the Lamborghini Sián Roadster features a 34 hp 48 volt electric motor bolted to the gearbox of the 6.5 litre V12, that has also been uprated to produce 785 hp at the redline 8,500 rpm. That innovation pales into comparison with the revolution that Lamborghini has made in the world of hybridisation is in the battery, as Lamborghini’s first hybrid debuts with a world-first super capacitor battery.
Developed in collaboration with MIT, this energy-dense yet light weight battery pack is located within the bulkhead and engine for perfect weight distribution. And is on tap to provide an instant power boost up to 130 kmh.
Lamborghini claims that this new battery and electric motor system will improve the driving experience of the Sián, both at slow speeds and on the limit. And as the electric motor is capable of filling torque gaps of the V12, it also means that this open-top hypercar has a combined 819 hp and does the century sprint in 2.8 seconds, onwards to a top speed of 350 kmh.
The hybrid philosophy isn’t the only thing that the Sián shares similarities with a certain Woking supercar manufacturer. The front end of the Sián, with Lambo’s signature Y-shaped headlights, does looks strikingly similar to that front end of a 720S. Although having said that, being a Lamborghini, everything on the Sián is more angular and dramatic.
Some design hallmarks of the Sián are also a callback to the quintessential 80s Lamborghini supercar, the Countach. Beneath the active rear wing lies six hexagonal tail lights that were meant to hark back to the raging bull. And the arial view of the Sián roadster is meant to evoke the lines first seen on the iconic early Periscopio Countaches.
There is however some method in the design madness of the Sián. It should go without saying that this angular bull was designed with aerodynamics in mind unlike Lambos of old.
The neatest aero bit of aero wizardry of the Sián is its ability to direct the air flow through the fixed carbon fibre splitter and bonnet, through the side air intakes and outlets and over that active rear spoiler, without any loss of aerodynamic efficiency due to the roofless roadster design. This may also mean that you could happily do 350 kmh without feeling like you’re in a hurricane, probably.
It is also becoming a pattern for Lamborghini to launch a product with some ingenious aero trick, much like the Huracan Performante with its ALA fixed wing. For the Sián though, the aero trick here are four movable flaps in the rear. These four flaps are active cooling veins that open and close to cool the engine of the beast. It is made of what Lamborghini term ‘smart material’ and rotate passively without the need of any motors but instead with the heat generated by the exhaust.
To those who want to lay their hands on this Italian hypercar, you better wish to be friends with someone who bought one earlier. Lamborghini is making only 19 of these limited run exclusive hypercars, and as luck would have it, they’re all sold out.
More information can be found in the press release below:
Sant’Agata Bolognese, 8 July 2020 – Automobili Lamborghini presents the Lamborghini Sián Roadster: a limited edition, open-top hybrid super sports car engineered around Lamborghini’s iconic V12 engine, with unique hybrid technologies and delivering unsurpassed Lamborghini and hybrid performance. The roofless design of the Sián Roadster puts an exclusive group of drivers in one of the most spectacular cockpits ever: always open to the sky; resonating with the inimitable V12 sound from the most powerful Lamborghini engine to date; and experiencing extraordinary performance while reveling in the Sián Roadster’s role in Lamborghini’s route to future hybridization.
“The Sián Roadster encapsulates the spirit of Lamborghini,” says Stefano Domenicali, Automobili Lamborghini Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. “It is the expression of breathtaking design and extraordinary performance, but most importantly embodies important future technologies. The Sián’s innovative hybrid powertrain heralds the direction for Lamborghini super sports cars, and the open-top Sián Roadster affirms a desire for the ultimate lifestyle Lamborghini as we move towards a tomorrow demanding new solutions.”
The Sián Roadster makes its debut in Blu Uranus, especially selected by Lamborghini’s Centro Stile, which together with the Ad Personam department works with every Sián client to entirely personalize the color and finish of their Roadster. Encapsulating the blue of the sky and the green of the fields, evoking the freedom and driving elation delivered by the open top Sián Roadster’s performance, the car is finished with Oro Electrum wheels: the color chosen by Lamborghini to signify electrification. The complementary interior is an elegant combination of white with Blu Glauco detailing and aluminum elements in Oro Electrum: new-design air vents produced via 3D printing allows customization with a client’s initials.
Design for the future
The Lamborghini Sián Roadster asserts the futuristic design of the coupé, but as a true roadster adds a new purity with the open-air cabin. The aerial view of the Sián Roadster is evocative of the iconic periscopio line inspired by the first Countach, running diagonally from the cockpit to the rear and culminating in the aerodynamic airstreamers behind driver and passenger. The Sián’s long sculptured contours and characteristic aero wings give the Sián Roadster an unmistakably powerful profile. The car’s very low front, with integrated carbon fiber splitter, houses the iconic Lamborghini Y-shape headlights.
The pure and uncluttered Sián design is a clear statement of the car’s optimized aerodynamic efficiency and technological prowess: airflow is directed through the front splitters and through the front bonnet, through the side air intakes and outlets and over the rear spoiler, with no loss of aerodynamic efficiency from the roadster’s roofless design. Active cooling vanes on the rear use unique materials-science technology patented by Lamborghini: operation of the vanes is triggered by the reaction of smart-material elements to the temperature generated by the exhaust system, causing them to rotate and providing an elegant and lightweight cooling solution.
The extreme and strong rear of the car incorporates Lamborghini’s evocative hexagon design, including six hexagonal taillights inspired by the Countach. The rear wing is integrated within the profile and extends out only during the driving to enhance the performance.
Electrification and hybrid technologies for a new tomorrow
The low, powerful chassis houses a next-generation V12 powerplant: ‘Sián’ in local Bolognese dialect, meaning ‘flash’ or ‘lightening’, denotes the Sián Roadster’s electrification as part of the future hybrid strategy, while maintaining the extraordinary emotion and dynamic performance inherent in naturally aspirated Lamborghini super sports cars.
The Sián Roadster’s hybrid system provides the highest power possible via the lightest solution, combining the V12 engine with a new powertrain. A 48-volt e-motor, delivering 34 hp, is incorporated into the gearbox to provide immediate response and improved performance. The e-motor also supports low-speed maneuvers such as reversing and parking with electric power.
The Sián Roadster sports Lamborghini’s innovative supercapacitor application: a world-first technology storing ten times the power of a lithium-ion battery. Located in the bulkhead between cockpit and engine it ensures perfect weight distribution. Three times more powerful than a battery of the same weight and three times lighter than a battery producing the same power, the electric system with the supercapacitor and e-motor weighs only 34 kg, thus it delivers a remarkable weight-to-power ratio of 1.0 kg/hp. Symmetric power flow ensures the same efficiency in both charging and discharging cycles: the most lightweight and efficient hybrid solution.
This advanced technology combines with the V12 engine, which incorporates titanium intake valves and is uprated to 785 hp (577 kW) at 8,500 rpm. Combined with the additional 34 hp from the hybrid system, the Sián Roadster delivers a total of 819 hp (602 kW) and reaches a top speed of over 350 km/h.
The Lamborghini Sián Roadster incorporates a highly sophisticated regenerative braking system, especially developed by Lamborghini. The symmetric behavior of the supercapacitor, which contrary to normal Li-Ion batteries can be charged and discharged with the same power, fully charges the Sián’s energy storage system every time the vehicle brakes. The energy stored is an instantly-available power boost, allowing the driver to draw immediately on increased torque when accelerating away, up to 130 km/h when the e-motor automatically disconnects, improving the elasticity maneuvers and making it more than 10% faster than a car without this system.
The innovative system also delivers instant acceleration in low gears, with improved traction force provided by the combination of V12 engine and hybrid system. The Sián Roadster accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in less than 2.9 seconds. The improvement in elasticity maneuvers is even more evident, for example traction force is improved by up to 10% in third gear.
The Lamborghini Sián Roadster benefits from a heightened level of driving comfort facilitated by the hybrid system alongside dynamic handling and performance. The moment when deceleration and missing torque is felt during gear changes powered by a traditional combustion engine, is eliminated by the torque upshift fill provided by the hybrid’s e-motor: the pilot will feel only the pull backward of acceleration, eliminating uncomfortable jerking movements.
