Beyond the Bull: The design story behind the Lamborghini Temerario

At Sant’Agata Bolognese, design isn’t outsourced – it defines the place.

More than 20 years after Lamborghini established Centro Stile as an in-house creative force, the brand stands at a defining crossroads: hybridisation across the range, a growing model family, and a new generation of super sports cars that must honour heritage while pushing into the future.

It has an inherently difficult brief given the myriad of engineering complexities influencing car design these days, from safety to emissions targets, never mind electrification and vehicle dynamics.

Enter the Lamborghini Temerario – the compact, hybrid insurgent positioned as the rebellious brother to the V12-powered Lamborghini Revuelto.

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Not a shadow. Not a successor. A brand statement, according to the overtly passionate Mitja Borkert, Lamborghini’s head of design.

“For me, we are the epicentre of super sports car design. It’s very important that we have our design headquarters in-house. Everything always starts with the brand. Our claim is Driving Humans Beyond.”

The Temerario embodies that philosophy – not by being louder, but by being sharper.

From the outset, Lamborghini was clear: the Revuelto and Temerario must coexist, not compete.

“We wanted to ensure that we are creating two different super sports cars for Lamborghini. They are recognisable as Lamborghinis, but we wanted the Temerario to be the more compact, more enjoyable, more rebellious little brother to the Revuelto,” reiterated Mr Borkert in a recent interview.

The proportions tell part of the story. The Temerario is 270mm shorter than the Revuelto — a dramatic visual and dynamic shift. Yet the hybrid powertrain demanded a 40mm longer wheelbase for packaging and balance.

Compared to its Huracán predecessor, interior space increases, including 24mm more headroom – critical for customers heading straight from showroom to circuit with a helmet in hand.

The result is a car that looks and feels tighter, more concentrated but still unmistakably Lamborghini from every angle. The silhouette remains sacred: cab-forward stance, sharply inclined side windows, muscular rear haunches.

From the first sketches, Mr Borkert set the direction.

“In the early sketches, I defined the Y shape as a DRL. But I wanted to have the second iconic element of Lamborghini – the hexagon – as the signature for the Temerario,” he explained.

But here’s the thing: that hexagon is more than aesthetic light theatre.

“The hexagon in the front is not just a light – it’s also an air tunnel.”

Air is channelled through sculpted openings toward the radiators, making lighting part of the aerodynamic architecture. At the rear, an Omega-like framing graphic houses the hexagonal light signature, creating a dramatic short-tail stance that exposes the mechanical drama between the tyres.

“The philosophy in the front and rear is that the lights are always part of the aerodynamic concept. There is always a little bit of a motorcycle feeling in our cars,” said Mr Borkert.

That’s not surprising, given the Lamborghini design boss likes his motorcycles, especially Ducati-branded bikes.

The Temerario’s surfacing is still defined by sharp lines and tension, but with a more human, athletic quality — technical components wrapped in sculpted musculature rather than pure origami aggression.

It doesn’t abandon its lineage, but rather it builds upon it.

Mr Borkert recalls seeing the debut of the Lamborghini Gallardo more than two decades ago.

“The Gallardo fascinated me because of the clean shapes, the big shoulder, the puristic surfaces,” he said.

Then came the Lamborghini Huracán, adding sharper tension and more dramatic surfacing.

The Temerario advances those principles into the hybrid era: pure recognisable Lamborghini shapes, but infused with a distinctive new design language.

That evolution sharpens further with the Alleggerita lightweight package, which features extensive use of carbon fibre to reduce weight and increase performance.

There are carbon-fibre wheels, revised aerodynamics, a more aggressive rear wing, and an exposed carbon engine bonnet. Customers can spec elegance – or full-blooded track aggression – from day one.

Personalisation remains central, with over 400 colours available and liveries offered from launch.

Inside, the design mantra is clear: Feel Like a Pilot.

“When you drive the car, you feel integrated. We have a super lightweight dashboard and iconic elements like Y shapes and hexagons,” said Mr Borkert.

The start-stop flip cover remains a Lamborghini ritual, much like the ‘weapons hot’ button in a modern-day fighter jet.

The driving mode rotary selector sits directly on the steering wheel, inspired by motorsport. Digital displays for driver and passenger allow content to be swiped between screens – a feature developed in house at Sant’Agata itself.

Yet practicality hasn’t been sacrificed. There’s space for four carry-on bags: two in the front boot, two behind the seats. More headroom. More storage.

Centro Stile and Lamborghini’s Squadra Corse racing division have always operated in lockstep so that opportunities aren’t missed.

“Racing is a perfect ambassador for design. We are designing the cars always together,” said Mr Borkert.

The GT3 variant is engineered for maximum global competitiveness while retaining Lamborghini’s hexagonal identity and Italian tricolore cues. The Super Trofeo version delivers near-GT3 aggression for gentleman drivers worldwide. And that synergy ensures Temerario’s design isn’t just expressive – it’s functional under pressure.

The Temerario represents something larger than a new entry in the range. It signals Lamborghini’s hybrid design revolution without diluting its brand identity.

The Revuelto carries the V12 torch – theatrical, monumental, flagship, while the smaller Temerario counters with agility, compact intensity and next-generation engagement, says Mr Borkert.

“The Temerario is here to stay. It is here to write its own legend.”

Shorter. Sharper. Aerodynamic lighting. Human surfacing wrapped around technical architecture. A cockpit inspired by both aerospace and racing. Hybrid, yes – but still extreme. Technological, but still emotional like Lamborghinis past and present.

If the Revuelto is the king, the Temerario is the rebel prince, pushing Lamborghini into its next era from the epicentre of super sports car design in Sant’Agata Bolognese.

MORE: Explore the Lamborghini Temerario showroom