Lamborghini is preparing for a massive unveiling at the 2019 Frankfurt Motor Show, and from the looks of things, it may involve a car that we’ve heard of yet know little about. It’s industry knowledge at this point that Lamborghini is preparing a low-volume hybrid hypercar that would serve as a preview for the replacement model of the Lamborghini Aventador. The car, codenamed LB48H, was supposedly shown to a group of select people in 2018 before it makes its world début sometime this year. Well, it looks like Lamborghini is now preparing to début the hypercar at the 2019 Frankfurt Motor Show, which starts on September 12, 2019. More details about the LB48H should arrive in the leadup to Frankfurt. Buckle those seatbelts, folks. Lamborghini's hybrid hypercar is coming.

When Will the Lamborghini LB48H Hybrid Supercar be Revealed?

It goes without saying that when Lamborghini debuts a vehicle at a major auto show like Frankfurt, you expect nothing less than fireworks. That’s shaping up to be the case when the 2019 Frankfurt Motor Show opens its doors next month. Lamborghini will be at the event, but it’s not there to go about and sight-see what other automakers are showing off. Nope.

The hybrid Lamborghini hypercar is coming, folks, and if you didn’t know then, you should now. This is one Frankfurt reveal that you don’t want to miss.

To be fair, we know precious little about the car that Lamborghini has codenamed “LB48H.” The Italian automaker has done a tremendous job keeping details about the model close to its chest. That said, there are several important details about the mystery car that have bubbled to the surface. Numerous reports dating back to past years have established that the model in question will be powered by a hybrid until made up of multiple electric motors and Lamborghini’s iconic naturally-aspirated V-12 engine. The powertrain combination should be potent enough for the LB48H to pack well more than 1,000 horsepower, putting it squarely in the vicinity of some of its expected rivals, including the Mercedes-AMG ONE, the Aston Martin Valkyrie, and the recently unveiled Ferrari SF90 Stradale. At this point, it’s important for Lamborghini to mark its territory in the hypercar segment, especially if this model — thought of in a lot of circles as a preview to the upcoming replacement to the Aventador — is as raunchy as we think it is.

Consider the Ferrari SF90 Stradale as a measuring stick. Ferrari’s new hybrid hypercar is powered by a 4.0-liter V-8 engine and a pair of electric of motors located in the front axle of the car. Together, the setup produces 986 horsepower and 590 pound-feet of torque. The V-8 engine connects to an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission that sends power to the two rear wheels, and together with the two electric motors in the front, the SF90 Stradale is effectively Ferrari’s first all-wheel-drive sports car not counting the Ferrari GTC4Lusso. According to Maranello, the hybrid setup helps the SF90 Stradale sprint from 0 to 60 in 2.6 seconds, reach 125 mph in 6.7 seconds, and max out at a top speed of 211 mph. It’s also capable of traveling up to 16 miles on electric propulsion alone — through the eDrive drive mode — at speeds reaching 84 mph. Opt for the performance-spec Qualify drive mode, and you basically turn the SF90 into a hybrid race car.

These are just a few of the details that Ferrari has bared about its newest hybrid powerhouse. If the oft-rumored hypercar does arrive, we’re expecting a powertrain setup along the lines of V-12 engine that’s paired with a number of electric motors. We are aware that a more civilized engine — a 4.0-liter turbocharged V-8 unit — could be used, though it’s unlikely that Lamborghini would go that route for what amounts to its flagship, range-topping model. If Lambo goes all out — as it should — we’re expecting nothing less than a 5.2-liter V-10 engine. Heck, if this is a preview of the Lamborghini Aventador’s successor, call your shot and shoot for the stars with a mid-mounted 6.5-liter naturally aspirated V-12 engine and a pair of high-powered electric motors in the front. The 2019 Aventador uses the same engine, and it produces a whopping 730 horsepower and 509 pound-feet of torque. If it can keep the output at those figures and throw in a pair of electric motors that produce at least 150 horsepower each, you’re looking at a powertrain setup that produces 1,030 horsepower. That’s cause for some chest-puffing directed towards Maranello.

Lamborghini Aventador S specifications

That would entail a super aggressive design with excessive amounts of sharp edges, character lines, and muscular panels. If you’re looking for an aesthetic peg, look at the Terzo Millennio Concept that Lamborghini worked on together with some of the brightest minds from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Lamborghini unveiled the Terzo Millennio back in November 2017, and two years of the Terzo Millennia’s existence hasn’t dulled our senses on how absurd this car looks. It’s sharp in a lot of angles, yet it also maintains the same geometric Lamborghini shape. The nose, in particular, is razor-like and the massive wheels sit under fenders that look bigger than they probably are. Sharp creases and aerodynamic blades are everywhere, too, and having said all of that, none of these design features count as the highlight of the car. Now, I don’t expect the Lamborghini LB48H to come with the same self-healing carbon fiber structure that Lambo touted on the Terzo Millennio, but the mere possibility of the technology’s potential makes you wonder if Lamborghini has found a way to put that tech to production. I’m not going to bet on it, but if there’s one automaker that can pull it off, it’s Lamborghini.

It’s easy to look at the Terzo Millennio and see it as a peg for the upcoming Lamborghini hybrid hypercar. But if you think about the proximity between the debuts of the Terzo Millennio and the Lamborghini hypercar, it’s not completely out of reach to imagine that parts of the new hypercar will be influenced, directly or indirectly, by the Terzo Millennio. We should know more about the LB48H as we closely approach the 2019 Frankfurt Motor Show. Hopefully, more details arrive that allows us to shape the LB48H in our heads. The fact that we know little about it close to its debut means that Lamborghini will have us on edge by the time the LB48H takes center stage in Germany.

Further reading

Read our full speculative review on the 2019 Lamborghini LB48H Hybrid Supercar.

Read our full review on the 2017 Lamborghini Terzo Millennio Concept.

Read our full review on the 2018 Lamborghini Aventador S.