Having last year shown off its limited edition hybrid V12 supercar, the Sián, it was all-but inevitable that Lamborghini would make a convertible version, if for no other reason than that we all deserve to listen to that mighty engine with the roof off.
Super-capacitor hybrid
So, with that happy inevitability, here is the Sián Roadster; all 819hp and 19 limited editions (already, again inevitably, sold out) of it.
Let's start with the powerplant, because really - in spite of the styling - that's what the Sián is all about. It's a V12, of course, displacing 6.5 litres and developing 785hp at an ear-wax-clearing 8,500rpm. So where does the 819hp figure come from? Well, the Sián is a hybrid, a mild-hybrid, which uses clever super-capacitors to provide a burst of power for a small electric motor when needed.
That motor provides 34hp at peak output, and so we reach a total of 819hp. The super-capacitors are clever, because although they cannot store charge for a long period in the way that a conventional battery can, they can be charged and discharged incredibly quickly, with almost no power losses along the way. The idea is that it can both boost peak output for the ultimate in acceleration (0-100km/h in 2.9 seconds is pretty impressive for a two-wheel drive car...) and also provides 'torque-fill' - keeping the Sián pushing forward during those milliseconds when the gearbox is shifting up. Even though the electric motor is dormant at speeds above 130km/h, Lamborghini claims that, overall, the Sián is some ten per cent faster than it would be with the engine alone. The top speed is an Autobahn-busting 350km/h. It's also now the most powerful convertible car on sale, beating the Ferrari 812 GTS.
Only adds 34kg of weight
There's another benefit to the super-capacitor system; weight. Unlike a conventional battery and motor setup, the Sián's electric system adds only 34kg to the car. Or, in other words, about the amount of weight this correspondent has put on over lockdown... The electric system is also fitted to an appropriately-named car - Sián means 'flash' or 'lightning' in the Bologenese dialect.
The show car (not that there's a show, but you take our meaning) is clad in a striking Blue Uranus (no sniggering at the back, please) paint job but Lamborghini says that the 19 customers will doubtless customise their cars using Lambo's bespoke 'Ad Personam' service. The wheels are coloured in with Oro Electrum: the colour chosen by Lamborghini to signify electrification. The interior is finished in white with Blu Glauco detailing and aluminium elements in Oro Electrum. Oh, and the air-vents are 3D-printed, so if you want to you can have your initials embossed into them. Or any other word, we assume. Personally, we'd put 'Breezy' on ours...
As aerodynamic as the coupe
Of course, it's going to be pretty breezy in the Sián Roadster anyway, what with no roof and a hybrid V12 doing the heavy lifting. Lamborghini claims that the lack of a roof has no effect on the Sián's aerodynamic proportions, but it sure has an effect on the looks - those headrest behind the two seats, which continue back along the bodywork, look like a futuristic robot was asked to design a 1950s sports racing car. Further back along the rear deck, there are heat-sensitive panels that rotate and move to allow hot air out from the engine bay when needed. Meanwhile the huge rear wing only extends when the car is moving, leaving a cleaner, less cluttered profile when parked.
"The Sián Roadster encapsulates the spirit of Lamborghini," says Stefano Domenicali, Automobili Lamborghini Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. "It is the expression of breathtaking design and extraordinary performance, but most importantly embodies important future technologies. The Sián's innovative hybrid powertrain heralds the direction for Lamborghini super sports cars, and the open-top Sián Roadster affirms a desire for the ultimate lifestyle Lamborghini as we move towards a tomorrow demanding new solutions."