Lamborghini reveals its first hybrid supercar: The Sian

Ahead of its official Frankfurt Auto show debut, Lamborghini has revealed the Sian, the Italian supercar maker’s first hybrid vehicle.

Sian means flash of lightning in the Sant’Agata automaker’s Bolognese Italian dialect — an apt name for a car that’s also the company’s most powerful creation.

The Sian’s heart is the same 6.5-liter V12 engine used in the Lamborghini Aventador SVJ with an added twist — electricity.

The new Lamborghini employs a 48-volt mild-hybrid system to add 34 electric horsepower into the mix, bringing the total to 819 horsepower. Those numbers also turn the new Sian into the most powerful production Lamborghini ever, beating the 770 horsepower SVJ.

“The Lamborghini Sian represents the first step in Lamborghini’s route to electrification, and expedites our next-generation V12 engine,” said Stefano Domenicali, Lamborghini chairman and chief executive officer.

The company claims the Sian will go from 0-62 miles per hour in under 2.8 seconds and have an electronically limited top speed of 217 mph.

In terms of design, the car borrows from the company’s Terzo Millennio concept, which also featured aggressive lines and futuristic LED lights. Lamborghini’s designers also say it takes inspiration from its memorable 80’s supercars.

“The fastest Lamborghini must be a visual and symphonic feast, as remarkable to those who see it pass by as those privileged to drive it,” said Mitja Borkert, head of design at Lamborghini.

“It takes inspiration from the Countach, but the Sian is a futuristic icon, not retrospective,” he said.

The Sian sports the number 63 towards its rear. That number is no coincidence. It represents both the supercar maker’s founding date, 1963, and the number of Sians the company plans to build. Each will cost $3.6 million, with all of the cars already spoken for.

Lamborghini’s newest creation is set to take the stage for its public reveal at the 2019 Frankfurt Auto Show, which kicks off Sept. 12.