The Lamborghini Sian Roadster Is A V12 Hybrid Hypercar That's Already Sold Out

Lamborghini‘s first-ever production hybrid has been given an open-cockpit treatment. But if you like the look of it and have the required funds in your offshore account, tough luck - only 19 Sian Roadsters will ever be made, and all of them have been sold.

This makes the roofless version of the hypercar (and we mean roofless - better check the forecast before going out for a drive), even more exclusive than the Sian coupe, of which 63 will be built. Pricing hasn’t been revealed, but it’s likely to be even dearer than the tin-top, which was rumoured to be as much as $3.7 million.

Despite the roof being hacked off, the aerodynamic efficiency of the Sian hasn’t suffered, Lamborghini says. Air is swallowed up by the splitters, the big bonnet vent and the giant side intakes, and then chucked at the active rear spoiler. Active cooling vanes at the back, meanwhile, are “triggered by the reaction of smart-material elements to the temperature generated by the exhaust system”.

The bodywork is, for the most part, unchanged, meaning you still get the Countach-inspired hexagonal tail lights. It’s arguably even more visually arresting than the coupe, though, thanks to those naked carbon-topped buttresses and the air channels behind them.

The heart of the Sian Roadster is Lamborghini’s tried and tested 6.5-litre V12, albeit with titanium intake valves and a new exhaust that help increase power to 774bhp at 8500rpm. A tiny electric motor embedded in the gearbox brings the total output to 808bhp. 0-62mph takes 2.9 seconds - a tenth slower than the coupe - while the top speed is over 217mph.

Rather than lithium-ion batteries, the Sian instead uses a supercapacitor, which can be charged and discharged at the same rate. The hypercar is capable of fully juicing its energy stores every time the driver brakes, holding it ready to be deployed on the next throttle application and giving a nice instant-torque boost. Over 81mph, the motor disconnects.

The hybrid setup weighs just 34kg all in. It’s what makes the Sian and Sian Roadster far more relevant than the usual low-volume car collector bait from Lamborghini - this system will help Sant’Agata Bolognese keep hold of its big N/A engines for as long as possible.