Lamborghini Temerario: The Quickest Gas Car Ever Tested by MotorTrend
The automotive landscape is constantly shifting, with electric vehicles (EVs) dominating headlines for their mind-bending acceleration. Yet, despite the silent speed of EVs, there’s an undeniable allure to the visceral symphony of an internal combustion engine. Enter the Lamborghini Temerario, a groundbreaking plug-in hybrid supercar that has rewritten the MotorTrend record books, proving that the thrill of internal combustion still reigns supreme.
A New Standard for Performance
The Lamborghini Temerario has officially claimed the title of the quickest vehicle with an internal combustion engine ever tested by MotorTrend. This 907-horsepower “starter” supercar achieved a blistering 9.58-second quarter-mile run, clocking in at a stunning 148.5 mph. This monumental achievement places the Temerario ahead of the 2021 Ferrari SF90 Stradale Assetto Fiorano by a mere 0.03 seconds.
While it’s true that some EVs, such as the Tesla Model S Plaid, Lucid Air Sapphire, and select Porsche Taycan Turbo variants, have clocked faster times in MotorTrend testing, they simply cannot replicate the raw drama and emotion that the Lamborghini delivers. The Temerario’s hybrid powertrain masterfully blends the instant low-end torque of three electric motors with the sustained top-end pull of a twin-turbo, flat-plane-crank 4.0-liter V8, creating an exhilarating driving experience unlike any other.
The Art of Launch Control
Lamborghini has long been a master of supercar theater, and the Temerario exemplifies this mastery. For the most demanding runs, drivers engage Corsa handling mode and Performance powertrain mode, then press the small checkered-flag button to activate launch control. With a firm press of both pedals, the engine revs to 4,000 rpm before rocketing the car forward with controlled fury. The Bridgestone Potenza Race tires howl off the line, the V8 spins to its 10,250 rpm redline, and the eight-speed dual-clutch transmission executes a brutally efficient upshift into second gear. The tires chirp, and the process repeats, showcasing a perfect synergy of mechanical engineering and driver engagement.
Zero to Sixty: A Moment of Raw Power
To achieve a 9.6-second quarter-mile time, a car must possess explosive acceleration. The Temerario delivers, blasting from 0 to 60 mph in a mere 2.2 seconds. While this is incredibly quick, it places the Lamborghini third in our all-time records for combustion-powered vehicles, trailing the Ferrari SF90 Stradale Assetto Fiorano and the 2026 Porsche 911 Turbo S. However, the lead is short-lived. The Temerario hits 100 mph in just 4.6 seconds, by which point it has already surpassed the Ferrari and Porsche in terms of raw speed.
Braking Performance: A Challenge for Hybrids
While the Temerario excels in acceleration, its braking performance is respectable but not record-breaking. The standard carbon-ceramic brakes bring the car to a stop from 60 mph in 96 feet. This is largely attributable to the added weight of the plug-in hybrid system. Even with the $84,100 Alleggerita package, which reduces the curb weight by 55 pounds, the car still tips the scales at a portly 4,185 pounds. When pushed to higher speeds, the Temerario’s braking performance improves, landing in a three-way tie for 12th place on our list of thousands of vehicles, stopping from 100 mph in 266 feet.
Handling Dynamics: A Balancing Act
The MotorTrend figure-eight course serves as the ultimate test of a car’s handling capabilities, combining cornering, braking, and acceleration into a single lap that reveals a vehicle’s dynamic characteristics in both objective and subjective terms. The Temerario grips the corners with an average of 1.14 g of lateral force, completing the lap in 22.3 seconds. This places it 0.7 seconds behind our current record holders—a three-way tie between the 2026 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1, the 2025 Porsche 911 GT3 Touring, and the 2022 McLaren 765LT Spider. The Lamborghini’s lap time matches that of the 2015 Porsche 918 Spyder, the 2025 Lucid Air Sapphire, and two of its lighter predecessors, the 2020 Huracán Evo AWD (3,645 pounds) and the 2021 Huracán STO (3,390 pounds).
We like to frame the figure-eight performance with a second number—the average g-force due to acceleration, braking, and cornering experienced over the entire lap. The Temerario’s 1.05 g average means that for the entire lap, you are experiencing forces greater than gravity pressing you into your seatbelt or pushing you away from your seat.
More Than Just Numbers
While the Temerario’s objective performance metrics are impressive, the most significant takeaway from our testing is that Lamborghini has not sacrificed an exhilarating driving experience in the pursuit of numbers. The Corsa mode keeps the car planted and focused for those critical fast laps, but the Lamborghini truly shines in Sport mode, offering playful yet controlled rotation. For drivers seeking ultimate thrills, the three-stage Drift mode is designed to help the rear end swing out in spectacular slides.
The Lamborghini Temerario is the ultimate blend of high-octane adrenaline and raw driving emotion. It’s a machine that delivers a visceral experience that few other vehicles can match. We look forward to exploring the limits of this incredible supercar further in a full road test soon.
Lamborghini Temerario: The Quickest Gas Car Ever Tested by MotorTrend
The automotive landscape is constantly shifting, with electric vehicles (EVs) dominating headlines for their mind-bending acceleration. Yet, despite the silent speed of EVs, there’s an undeniable allure to the visceral symphony of an internal combustion engine. Enter the Lamborghini Temerario, a groundbreaking plug-in hybrid supercar that has rewritten the MotorTrend record books, proving that the thrill of internal combustion still reigns supreme.
A New Standard for Performance
The Lamborghini Temerario has officially claimed the title of the quickest vehicle with an internal combustion engine ever tested by MotorTrend. This 907-horsepower “starter” supercar achieved a blistering 9.58-second quarter-mile run, clocking in at a stunning 148.5 mph. This monumental achievement places the Temerario ahead of the 2021 Ferrari SF90 Stradale Assetto Fiorano by a mere 0.03 seconds.
While it’s true that some EVs, such as the Tesla Model S Plaid, Lucid Air Sapphire, and select Porsche Taycan Turbo variants, have clocked faster times in MotorTrend testing, they simply cannot replicate the raw drama and emotion that the Lamborghini delivers. The Temerario’s hybrid powertrain masterfully blends the instant low-end torque of three electric motors with the sustained top-end pull of a twin-turbo, flat-plane-crank 4.0-liter V8, creating an exhilarating driving experience unlike any other.
