Cars used to just drive in a single, simple way, maybe with a switch on the transmission to engage overdrive. These days, they’re overflowing with different driving modes, all accessible at the flick of a switch. The new upcoming Lamborghini halo car ups the ante with 13 unique modes to tune the car to precisely suit your every whim.
The new project is currently known as the Lamborghini LB744. It combines an all-new 6.5-liter naturally aspirated V12 with a triple-motor hybrid drivetrain. Two of those motors drive the front wheels. The third is integrated into the car’s 8-speed dual-clutch transmission at the rear of the car. A Lamborghini hypercar would normally fit the gearbox in the tunnel, but in this case, that space hosts the car’s lithium-ion battery.
Perhaps most interestingly, Lamborghini has given the LB744 the ability to drive on electric power alone in Città mode. Named for the Italian word for city, it’s an all-electric, all-wheel-drive mode with 180 horsepower. It’s intended for comfort and for regular daily use. It should also prove useful in European cities that ban combustion engine use entirely. If the car’s battery runs out, the V12 can step in to recharge it in just a few minutes. There’s no clear statement on the available electric-only range. However, the dashboard image published by Lamborghini indicates 200 km (124 miles) of available range with the battery at a 100% state-of-charge.
For a more typical Lamborghini experience, the LB744 can be switched into Strada mode. It’s the basic mode you’d choose when you want the power of the V12, but you’re not intending to go on the attack. It offers 874 horsepower from the powertrain, and is ideal for grand touring purposes.
Sport mode is the next level up in intensity, raising the available power to 895 hp. In this mode, the suspension and gearbox are tuned for maximum responsiveness. Lamborghini also states that this mode features the engine’s soundtrack at its best, with the V12’s sound “expressed in its most compelling tones.” Meanwhile, track rats will head straight for Corsa mode. It turns all the settings up to 11, and offers the full 1001 hp available from the drivetrain. There’s also a launch control feature available in Corsa, and the possibility of disabling the ESC entirely if your driving skills are up to snuff.
In addition to the four modes listed, the driver can also select from Recharge, Hybrid, and Performance sub-modes. These act as modifiers to the primary modes. Recharge prioritizes pumping energy back into the battery, with maximum regenerative braking. Meanwhile, Performance focuses on outright speed and power output. Hybrid falls somewhere in the middle. All up, there are thirteen unique total drive modes available according to Lamborghini, presumably including the additional ESC-off setting in Corsa mode.
Thirteen drive modes does sound like overkill. However, Lamborghini has made them more accessible by splitting them into four primary modes that can then be tweaked further as desired. Most of all, though, it’s compelling that this thoroughbred hypercar can also be used as a quiet EV in situations that require humility rather than brash displays of power.
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