Which Lamborghini would you prefer?
09/09/2019
They probably cost about the same amount of money. Both the Lamborghini Miura and the brand new Lamborghini Sián hybrid sports car are likely to be in the seven-figure euro/CHF range, one as a sought-after classic, the other as a new car.
There are parallels, such as the uncompromising design, the V12 mid-engine or the small number of units.
However, the differences are probably greater than the similarities. The Lamborghini Sián is the first sports car from Sant'Agata with a hybrid drive. However, the V12 still does the main work, namely 785 hp, while the electric motor contributes just 34 hp to the system output of 819 hp.
The special feature of the Sián, however, is the energy storage system. Instead of batteries, supercapacitors buffer the electricity. According to Lamborghini, this is the first use of this technology, but insiders know that diesel engines were hybridized with this approach at Connaught in Wales almost ten years ago.
Stefano Domenicali, the boss of Lamborghini, is certainly rightly proud of the small-series super sports car: "The Sián is a masterpiece of possibilities; it is not only an impressive example of ultimate hypercar design and of today's cutting-edge technologies, but also strengthens Lamborghini's potential as a super sports car brand for tomorrow and for the coming decades, in which hybrid technology will become more desirable and inevitable."
In terms of both performance and technological complexity, the Lamborghini Miura presented in 1966 looks modest in comparison. Yet the same could probably have been said about it back then. In fact, the Miura was even more of a superlative of what was
than the Sián can be in the age of the Rimac, Lotus Evija or Bugatti Chiron.
For prospective buyers, however, it makes little difference which of the two they prefer. The Sián, which incidentally was not named after a bull, is sold out according to Lamborghini and even a used Miura in very good condition is not so easy to find.
To give my own opinion on the two sports cars: For me, the choice would be an easy one. Although I haven't yet driven the new Sián, I have driven the old Miura with "just over" 350 hp. And in terms of purity of design and sound, it beats pretty much everything else in this category. What's more, you can be reasonably sure that the Miura will still be alive (and running) in 20 or 30 years' time, whereas this is probably less certain with the hybrid Sián. But because I don't have the money for either one, I don't really have to agonize over this decision. One less thing to worry about!
