Skip advert
Advertisement

Hybrid cars don’t have to be boring

Editor Paul Barker believes the new Lamborghini Temerario is concrete proof that hybrid cars can genuinely be exciting

Hybrid cars opinion - Paul Barker

A couple of very different new cars revealed last week have put a positive spin on electrification for anyone who still loves the smell of petrol in the morning. 

A new Lamborghini is always a special occasion for those who had supercars on their bedroom walls (the Countach was my childhood poster of choice), and deploying plug-in hybrid power alongside a petrol V8 to take it over 900hp makes the Temerario an enticing proposition. 

Advertisement - Article continues below

As usual for Lamborghini, its latest beast has a name that will only really sound right when said by an Italian, and I love that the first translation that popped up on a popular internet search site was “reckless”. “Daredevil” was further down the page, and I’d imagine is more what Lamborghini was going for, but the Temerario looks like a ‘proper’ supercar, and the figures back it up. Using three electric motors to boost its performance by over 100bhp is the kind of electrification car lovers can get behind. 

And I’m always a big fan of super-fast practical cars, so a new BMW M5 Touring is well overdue. In fact it’s almost a decade and a half since the last 5 Series super-estate, and this new 700bhp model is immediately installed at the top of my one-car-to-do-everything Christmas list. 

It’s about time BMW returned to the arena that the Audi RS 6 and Mercedes-AMG E-Class Estate have long populated. As one esteemed colleague eloquently put it, “Audi and AMG are no longer the only estates to scare the cr*p out of your dog”. That’s a lovely image, I’m sure you’ll agree, but there’s something so very appealing about fast cars that will also do the boring family car stuff.

It will be interesting to see what the extra weight of a plug-in hybrid powertrain does to cars that need a driving experience to match their looks – cars that need to do much more than be brutally fast in a straight line. 

But it’s good to see clever people are finding ways to deploy the latest technology to ensure we still have models that get pulses racing, and keep people enthused about performance vehicles.

Searching for the ultimate thrill? These are the best supercars

Skip advert
Advertisement

As Editor, Paul’s job is to steer the talented group of people that work across Auto Express, Carbuyer and Driving Electric, and steer the titles to even bigger and better things by bringing the latest important stories to our readers. Paul has been writing about cars and the car industry since 2000, working for consumer and business magazines as well as freelancing for national newspapers, industry titles and a host of major publications.

Find a car with the experts

Skip advert
Advertisement

Recommended

Lamborghini Temerario: next-generation V8 supercar gets £260k price tag
Lamborghini Temerario on display at  Monterey Car Week - front 3/4 static

Lamborghini Temerario: next-generation V8 supercar gets £260k price tag

The successor to the Huracan loses displacement but gains twin-turbochargers
News
20 Dec 2024

Most Popular

New Kia PV5 Passenger MPV undercuts the VW ID.Buzz by a huge £25k
Kia PV5 Passenger - show front

New Kia PV5 Passenger MPV undercuts the VW ID.Buzz by a huge £25k

New entry into the electric people carrier market undercuts the VW ID. Buzz by a significant margin
News
29 Apr 2025
Car Deal of the Day: BMW’s ultimate luxury SUV at an unusually low price
BMW X7 - front

Car Deal of the Day: BMW’s ultimate luxury SUV at an unusually low price

German firm’s flagship SUV could never be called cheap but it is exceptional value at £735 a month – making it our Deal of the Day for Sunday 27 April
News
27 Apr 2025
New 2025 Kia PV5 van starts from a tempting £22,645
Kia PV5 Cargo on display at Commercial Vehicle Show - front 3/4

New 2025 Kia PV5 van starts from a tempting £22,645

All-new entry into the van market promises competitive pricing and comes with a range of up to 247 miles
News
30 Apr 2025