Italian luxury sports car manufacturer Automobili Lamborghini has launched its first hybrid plug-in V12 High Performance Electrified Vehicle (HPEV), the LB744. The car boasts a new aeronautics-inspired chassis, the “monofuselage”, which features a monocoque made entirely of multi-technology carbon fiber, and a front structure in Forged Composites.
Compared to its predecessor, the Aventador, the LB744 is 10% lighter and has a torsional stiffness of 40,000 Nm/°, up 25%. This significant improvement ensures best-in-class dynamic capabilities.
Lamborghini has also implemented measures to optimize efficiency and increase sustainability during the manufacturing process. This includes reduced energy consumption of cooling equipment and a decrease in waste materials. The company retained the traditional autoclave composite production for the roof construction, meeting high technical, aesthetic, and quality requirements.
The rear chassis of the LB744 is made of high-strength aluminum alloys and features two hollow castings in the rear dome area, reducing weight and increasing rigidity. This also results in a substantial reduction in welding lines.
The LB744 monofuselage design is a significant step forward in driving dynamics, lightweight qualities, and torsional stiffness. The car is also the first super sports car to be fitted with a 100% carbon fiber front structure. The front cone structures are also made of carbon fiber to ensure a level of energy absorption that is significantly higher than a traditional metal structure.
The design concept behind the monofuselage is based on maximum integration between components, optimized through the use of Forged Composites technology and the development of the monolithic rocker ring. The single-element ring-shaped component is made of CFRP (Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastic) and forms the supporting structure of the car, enclosing and connecting the Forged Composites elements such as the tub, the front firewall, and A pillar.
Lamborghini’s use of carbon fiber in car production represents a new “year zero” in relation to automation, integration, and modularity. The introduction of automated and digitalized processes into material transformation preserves traditional Lamborghini manufacturing in composites. Integration refers to the integration of several functions into a single component through the development of compression molding. Finally, modularity refers to making the applied technologies modular and therefore more flexible and efficient to respond to all product requirements and characteristics.
The LB744 represents a significant milestone in Lamborghini’s commitment to innovation, driving dynamics, and sustainability. The company continues to push the boundaries of automotive engineering and redefine what is possible in the world of luxury sports cars.
