Cars on show: Lamborghini Asterion LPI 910-4
Another teaser, another day; but everyone got Lamborghini’s “Once you achieve perfection, you can just double it” tagline completely wrong. Instead of a 2+2 Grand Tourer, the firm has done what it does best and come up with the completely bonkers Asterion LPI 910-4 instead.
At the heart of this carbon-fibre dream – and they’re telling us it’s just a concept for now – is a 5.2-litre V10 engine devoid of the turbochargers so apparent in our downsized age. There is a twist to the tale of course, as that engine is supplemented by three electric motors, giving a headline figure of 898bhp (or 910PS – hence the name), fed through a double-clutch seven-speed automatic gearbox.
Engineered in carbon fibre, this Plug in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) mixes eco-friendly electric driving – for up to 31 miles at up to 98mph – with exciting hybrid performance that includes a 0-62mph time of 3.0 seconds and a top speed of 199mph. That’s not quite the magic 200mph of course, but the Asterion does only emit 98g/km and can theoretically return 69mpg. It’s practically an ‘eco car’…
Those figures are as bullish as the badge though, thanks to the contrived European testing system (NEDC). Not that anyone well-heeled enough to afford this mythical beast – the name Asterion comes from a legendary Minotaur, the mixture of bull and human signifiying the hybrid element – will care.
What they might be interested to know is the Asterion LPI 910-4 represents the future of the brand. This Hyper Cruiser (their label, not ours) is more about comfort than the outright performance its figures would suggest, with seats that sit higher than is traditional for the firm’s super sports cars in a cabin that features a removable tablet for infotainment, sat-nav and climate controls.
Plus the doors open outwards, rather than scissoring up and out of the way. Still, you can’t have everything.
