New Lamborghini LB744 Has A Drive Mode Limited To 180hp: Here’s Why

Lamborghini’s new hybrid supercar, codenamed the LB744 and to be the successor to the Avendator flagship, has four driving modes, with each limiting how much power the car can produce.

Corsa mode unleashes the full 1001 horsepower from the car’s 6.5-liter V12 engine and triple-motor hybrid electric system. Below this there is Sport mode, which has a power limit of 895 hp but is designed to sound the most impressive – Lamborghini says how in this mode “the sound of the V12 [is] expressed in its most compelling tones.” Perfect for showing off to bystanders, in other words.

Then there’s Strada mode, which could probably also be described as ‘normal’. This is where the V12 and its hybrid assistance are toned down to ‘just’ 874 horsepower. Lamborghini says this mode is “perfectly suited to dynamic everyday driving and long trips, combining elevated comfort with elevated sportiness. In this state the V12 is constantly available for recharging the car’s battery, and there’s a Recharge mode to completely refill the pack.

Strada mode also uses the electric motors on the front axle to split torque between the front wheels, which along with the car’s active aerodynamics works “to provide maximum stability at high speeds, for example on the highway,” the Italian supercar maker explains.

Lastly there is Città mode, which is Italian for ‘city’ and switches off the V12 engine entirely, leaving only the car’s three electric motors to do the driving. This is a mode designed for urban areas, naturally, where pedestrians (and potentially local legislation) take a dim view on the bellows of a V12 Lamborghini crawling through rush-hour traffic.

As Lamborghini points out, this also means the LB744 can, technically, be driven in cities with emissions restrictions. In this mode, with the engine shut down, the car produces just 178 horsepower, or about the same as a Mazda Miata. With Città mode enabled the suspension, traction control and gearbox all adjust to deliver “maximum comfort,” the carmaker says, while the active aerodynamics are switched to their slipperiest and most efficient setting.

Add all this to the option to switch between Recharge, Hybrid and Performance modes (within each of the modes already mentioned) and the LM744 has 13 dynamic settings for the driver to pick from. But of course, this being a Lamborghini, you can bet your house it’ll be driven in Sport or Corsa mode absolutely everywhere.