2025 Lamborghini Revuelto: Delicately Violent

For many years, the rarest and most expensive exotic cars on the planet were extremely capable but also very difficult to drive. Consider Lamborghini for example. Pushing a Miura, Countach or Diablo to the limit required skills far beyond those of the average motorist.

Even with a gentler approach behind the wheel, you still had to be committed, focused and cautious in order to avoid losing your driver’s license or control of the car, especially on a wet, slippery road.

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Today's exotics have changed everything. The introduction of traction control, ABS and stability control has made things easier. Ditto for driver-adjustable steering and suspension systems. Now, a very high-performance car can be a razor-sharp, pavement-devouring monster one minute and a sweet, docile companion the next minute, simply at the touch of a button. The Revuelto is just that.

The V12 Isn’t Dead!

In order to meet increasingly stringent emissions standards and continue to have access to certain urban areas, Lamborghini had no choice but to electrify its model lineup. With the Urus SE, Revuelto and the new Temerario, all the vehicles bearing the famous raging bull logo are now hybrids. Each one is different, mind you. While the Urus SE is an SUV that can travel several dozen kilometres without firing up its V8, the Revuelto puts electrification at the service of performance.

Lamborghini’s top-of-the-line supercar didn’t lose a few cylinders in the process, thankfully. The naturally aspirated 6.5-litre V12 is alive and well behind the cockpit, producing 814 horsepower and 535 lb-ft of torque on its own. It's paired with three electric motors—two in the front and one in the rear—bringing total output to 1,001 horsepower.

The Revuelto does benefit from all-wheel drive, but there is no driveshaft connecting the V12 to the front wheels, which are driven solely by the two electric motors. Behind the engine, a dedicated unit integrates the third electric motor, differential and 8-speed dual-clutch gearbox. This is a different layout from the outgoing Aventador, which had a 7-speed single-clutch sequential transmission. As Lamborghini explains, the new and more compact gearbox sits further back and allows the engine to be positioned more centrally, therefore improving weight distribution.

The other part of the equation is a 3.8kWh high-voltage battery featuring its own cooling system. That’s right: the Revuelto is a plug-in hybrid supercar with pure electric driving capability, although zero-emission range is less than 10 kilometres. To charge the battery, you can either plug a cable in the connector located in the front trunk or use the V12, which then becomes the most melodious generator in the world. Given the small size of the battery, it only took us 25 kilometres of highway driving at a steady speed to fully recharge it.

Relatively Accommodating and Compliant

Thanks to a revised carbon fibre chassis, getting into the Revuelto is fairly easy. Lamborghini has reduced the width of the body at the door sills, making it easier to access the interior when the gullwing door is open. Once settled behind the wheel, we enjoyed a surprisingly good amount of space, including for the head. The company claims the Revuelto offers 25% more space than the Aventador.

Our tester was equipped with comfort seats, which are more accommodating than the available carbon fibre sport buckets. The many adjustments (including power side bolsters) allow you to find an adequate and supportive driving position. Visibility is satisfying up front, but obviously more limited to the sides and rear. When looking into the rearview mirror, it's even worse at high speeds because of the raised spoiler that further obstructs the view.

Ergonomically, the Revuelto has a few quicks. For instance, the turn signals and windshield wipers are operated by buttons on the steering wheel, leaving plenty of room for the large paddle shifters. With your hands at the 9 and 3 o’clock positions, buttons on the back of the steering wheel control various functions like radio volume, instrument panel display and more. It takes a few minutes to get used to, but we found the layout sensible and easy to use.

There’s one screen for the driver, one for the passenger and another in the middle that bundles a myriad of vehicle controls. That centre touchscreen requires taking your eyes off the road, but we still found it quite easy to use with high-definition graphics. Interestingly, Lamborghini has made it possible to send information to either the driver or passenger screen by sliding your finger to the right or left. Fancy stuff.

You have four main drive modes to choose from including City, Road, Sport and Race, the latter available with or without the electronic nannies. All of them can be specified with soft or firm damping. Additionally, you can choose to drive in fully electric mode (for a few kilometres), hybrid mode or recharge mode (the V12 then acts as a generator). Last but not least is a Performance mode that maximizes total output whenever the sportiest modes are selected.

From a Whir to a Roar

We started our test drive by engaging the Revuelto’s electric mode. Even without the V12's intervention, the car navigated traffic with ease. It also proved convenient for leaving the driveway in silent fashion instead of waking up the entire neighbourhood.

In this configuration, only a whirring sound from the electric motors can be heard. With the suspension set to its softest setting, we were impressed by the car's ride quality and effortless handling. The Revuelto steers with ease in traffic, and we were able to travel up to 118 km/h on the highway without the gasoline engine kicking in. With the battery fully charged, we covered 10 kilometres before the V12 woke up. By the way, whether in City or Road mode, the engine starts loudly and then becomes discreet again.

If road noise wasn't so loud even at lower speeds, you could easily consider long trips with the Revuelto. The best remedy is to let the V12 freely express itself by selecting one of the sportiest drive modes. The naturally aspirated engine screams through a pair of large exhaust pipes located between the taillights. A superb melody at normal revs, the soundtrack becomes exhilarating as you get closer to the ignition cut-off (at 9,500 rpm).

The main problem with driving the Revuelto is the super-low ground clearance. The front lift system at low speeds is great for preventing bumper dents and scratches, but we opted to turn around on several occasions because the ground-hugging car’s underbody wouldn't have appreciated some of the places we took it. Watch out for bumpy roads that can scrape the flat belly.

Fantastic Yet Frustrating

Once the sportier drive modes are selected, the Revuelto becomes noticeably firmer and less comfortable, especially on rougher pavement. But you know what? It remains easy to drive nonetheless. Precise steering, a rigid chassis, plenty of feedback from the front wheels and formidable braking power (maybe a bit too much when driving around town) give you the impression of always having everything under control.

Mother Nature wasn't on our side for part of the test drive. In fact, at one point, we faced a downpour that made the road look like an oil slick. However, even in Sport or Race mode, the Revuelto remained sharp and manageable. Impressive.

We wish we could tell you we were able to push the Revuelto to its limits, but that's simply impossible on public roads, as you can imagine. Accelerating flat out in first gear is the only thing you can do without losing your driver’s license. Once you're in second gear, you have to ease off immediately or you'll reach a speed that could send you to court.

Of course, at around 100 km/h, the Revuelto is very, very far from its limits. Here’s a car with stratospheric levels of performance, one that can go double or even triple the posted speed limits, and you just have to eat your frustration behind the wheel, constantly restraining yourself. The only way to properly assess and enjoy its potential is to take it on a track.

The Million-Dollar Question

Driving such a world-class sports car in and around Montreal, Toronto or any other place in Canada is sure to turn every head along the way. If you like to draw attention, the Revuelto is exactly what you need. Some customers, eager to show off their success with a flamboyant, million-dollar-looking vehicle, want just that.

It would be a crying shame to say the Revuelto is only about looks, however. With mind-blowing technology and performance on tap, it begs to be driven and pushed on a track, where maximum fun awaits the lucky few who can call it their own.

Even this far into our review, we haven’t yet mentioned the price. That's mostly because financial matters are irrelevant to supercar buyers. As they say, if you have to ask, you probably can’t afford it. But just to satisfy your curiosity, the Revuelto starts at $699,394 in Canada, and our options-filled tester came in at $870,794. Add the applicable taxes (including the federal government’s luxury tax) and you’re looking at a million-dollar car, literally.

Oh, and what about fuel consumption? We achieved a combined 17.3 L/100 km during our single-day test drive. Sounds bad? It would for just about any other vehicle, not so much for a Lamborghini with a 6.5-litre V12 that can rev up to 9,500 rpm.