Report: Lamborghini goes on a diet to reduce fuel consumption and emissions

Enough is enough already, right? When the focus is on horsepower, the answer to that question is certain to be hotly contested, but Lamborghini is seemingly content with a number just shy of 700 raging horses bulls. That doesn't mean that the Italian supercar manufacturer won't continue its unabated push towards ever-quicker acceleration – and how often do we really need to travel at speeds over 200 miles per hour, anyway? – but there's clearly more than one way to skin a cat Prancing Horse.

Why not just build a bigger engine? Simple, as company CEO Stephan Winkelmann correctly observes, "It has come to the point where acceleration equals consumption. More consumption means increased CO2 emissions." Apparently, the answer to the power conundrum will be less weight. "We will use composite materials in the right place, when it also has the right cost, stiffness and mechanical characteristics," explains R&D chief Maurizio Reggiani.

We've also heard repeated rumblings of full hybrid powertrains, though those seem more likely to come at the tail end of the decade. In the meantime, expect aluminum in the place of heavier steel along with improved aerodynamics and stop/start technology to reduce fuel consumption and carbon emissions. Whatever the case, it should be interesting to see how all the world's supercar manufacturers – Lamborghini included – grapple with the push to be green while also upholding their performance traditions.



[Source: AutoWeek]