Lamborghini Sián — The First Hybrid Lamborghini Ever Built
63 Cars. A Supercapacitor Instead of a Battery. And the Last Naturally Aspirated V12 Before Everything Changed.
63 Cars. A Supercapacitor Instead of a Battery. And the Last Naturally Aspirated V12 Before Everything Changed.
For most of its history, Lamborghini’s philosophy was simple: more cylinders, more displacement, more noise, more drama. Turbochargers were for other manufacturers. Hybrid systems were for environmentalists. Electronics existed to be switched off.
Then, in 2019, Lamborghini built the Sián — its first hybrid production car. And in doing so, proved that electrification and Lamborghini’s DNA were not mutually exclusive after all.
The Name
“Sián” means “flash of lightning” in Bolognese dialect — the regional language of Sant’Agata Bolognese, where every Lamborghini is born. It is a name chosen deliberately: lightning is instantaneous, violent, and impossible to ignore.
Why a Supercapacitor — Not a Battery
Every other hybrid hypercar in 2019 used a conventional lithium-ion battery. The Ferrari SF90, the McLaren P1, the Porsche 918 — all batteries.
Lamborghini chose a supercapacitor. It stores energy electrostatically and releases it almost instantaneously — no delay between throttle press and torque delivery. For Lamborghini, this was the only acceptable solution. The supercapacitor is three times lighter than a comparable lithium-ion battery, and the electric motor provides maximum torque precisely where the V12 needs it most — at low speeds and during initial acceleration.
The Numbers
| Specification | Detail |
|---|---|
| Engine | 6.5L NA V12 + supercapacitor hybrid |
| Combined Power | 808hp (774hp V12 + 34hp electric) |
| Torque | 720 Nm |
| Gearbox | 7-speed ISR, AWD |
| 0–100 km/h | Under 2.8 seconds |
| Top Speed | 350 km/h (217 mph) |
| Weight | 1,595 kg |
| Production | 63 coupés + 19 roadsters |
| Launch Price | ~$3.3 million |
| Current Value | $4.5–$6 million+ |
The 63 — A Number With Meaning
Lamborghini limited the Sián to 63 examples — honouring 1963, the year the company was founded. All 63 coupes were sold before the car was publicly unveiled. A Roadster version followed, limited to 19 examples — again, sold before announcement.
The V12 — 774 Horsepower of Farewell
The Sián’s 6.5L V12 produces 774 horsepower at 8,500 RPM — the same architecture used in the Aventador SVJ and Veneno. Combined with the electric motor’s 34hp, the system total reaches 808hp.
Subsequent Lamborghini V12s — including the Revuelto — use larger electric motors and conventional batteries. The naturally aspirated character of the Sián’s engine will not be repeated.
The Design — Inspired by the Countach
The Sián draws deliberately from the original Countach of 1974. The Y-shaped motif that defines the headlights and taillights is carried throughout the design language. Where the Veneno was pure aggression, the Sián carries a thread of heritage — connecting Lamborghini’s past to its future.
The Sián FKP 37
A unique one-off version was built as tribute to Ferdinand Karl Piëch, the Volkswagen Group patriarch who acquired Lamborghini in 1998 and was directly responsible for the company’s survival. The FKP 37 designation uses his initials and birth year (1937). It is the only Sián that exists as a one-of-one.
What the Sián Changed
The Sián proved to Lamborghini’s own engineers that hybridisation could enhance a Lamborghini rather than compromise it. The Revuelto — with three electric motors and 1,001hp — would not have been possible without what was learned building the Sián.
In that sense the Sián is simultaneously an ending and a beginning. The last expression of the pure naturally aspirated V12 philosophy. The first step towards whatever Lamborghini becomes next. On the collector market, values have already doubled from the launch price.
Sixty-three owners. One turning point. The flash of lightning that changed everything.
Supercapacitor or battery — which hybrid approach makes more sense for a supercar? Tell us in the comments.
Related reads: Veneno · Aventador SVJ · Revuelto · Huracán Performante · Miura · Ferrari vs Lamborghini · Lamborghini: The Complete History