Attack Mode: 2027 Lamborghini Revuelto SV Driven

V-12 Lamborghinis are an intimidating presence. They’re brazen statements of wealth and power, nowadays often seen spitting flames on social media. Yet for all the symbolism and viral clicks, the current Revuelto is by far the most sophisticated and approachable machine of its kind. It’s even a plug-in hybrid. You might assume that Lamborghini applying its go-faster Super Veloce (SV) treatment, the equivalent of waving a red flag at the biggest bull, would make it a wilder, unwieldy beast. The new Revuelto SV is just the opposite.

This latest SV-badged wedge seems cautious at first, prioritizing handling fidelity over raw firepower, though it’s hardly short on the latter. It retains the standard Revuelto’s 814-hp 6.5-liter V-12 and trio of electric motors (one nestled in the eight-speed dual-clutch rear transaxle plus one at each front wheel, giving it all-wheel drive). And despite weight-reducing measures throughout its chassis and body, those savings are mostly negated by a larger 7-kWh battery, up from 4 kWh. We estimate it compresses scales at close to 4300 pounds, or roughly the same as the last Revuelto we tested.

However, that new battery can now contribute up to 254 electric ponies, versus the smaller pack’s 187-hp max, and with more consistency under heavy use. The extra boost is most noticeable when the car’s front end seemingly yanks it out of tight corners. Altogether, system output is up a modest 49 horses and 7 pound-feet of torque, for respective totals of 1050 and 1051. We reckon that should cut a tenth from the regular Revuelto’s 2.2-second 60-mph time, though the SV will still lose a drag race to some blue-collared Chevy Corvettes. For what it’s worth, the EPA likely will grant more EV range than the base car’s five-mile estimate.

Quoted top speed drops from 217 mph to 214, thanks to the increased drag of the SV’s pointed front bumper, deeper front splitter, and fixed rear wing that give it the profile of an angry lawn dart. More important is the added stability from its 80 percent bump in maximum downforce over the regular Revuelto. Additional racing-derived kit includes a switch from adaptive magnetorheological dampers to manually adjustable passive units, plus tweaks to its rear-suspension geometry. New Formula 1–inspired Brembo CCM-R Plus carbon-ceramic brakes (with whopping 16.5-inch rotors in front and 16.1-inchers in back) sit at each corner, as do SV-exclusive center-locking wheels with standard Bridgestone Potenza Race R track-oriented (yet street-legal) tires, sized 265/35ZR-20 in front and 345/30ZR-21 at the rear.

We can’t yet speak to the SV’s on-road behavior. But it did exhibit excellent poise around Italy’s Vallelunga circuit, shrugging off curbs and deftly hugging the bumpy pavement on the fast, winding front straight. Spinning the Revuelto’s naturally aspirated V-12 through the gears is as intoxicating as ever, its entire cabin resonating with a mechanical wail as the ticking digits in its speedometer turn to a frantic blur. Just as breathtaking is the awesome stopping force of the upgraded brakes and the exceptional pedal feel they maintain lap after lap.

The SV’s setup only magnifies the Revuelto’s already-shocking agility for its size. Chuck it into a turn, and the car’s front-axle torque vectoring, rear-wheel steering, and massive amounts of predictable grip help you gather up any waywardness and still hit the apex. Working in the background is an enhanced vehicle dynamics sensor that better orients the car’s central nervous system at speed. A new Pilota function in the sportiest Corsa drive mode brings additional flexibility by unlocking the SV’s five-stage traction control, allowing drivers to work up to the car’s limit without fully deactivating its safety net.

While we appreciated the SV’s tech on an unfamiliar track, the Pilota mode’s control knob on the steering wheel is slow to respond and further clutters the Revuelto’s busy helm. Accidentally activating the windshield wipers with your thumb is as uncool as it is distracting when you’re in the heat of a hot lap. We also wish the car’s waist-high exhaust cannons, which can cook your arm from six feet away, were even louder, because a Lamborghini should make you feel 12 years old again. Of the SV’s near-endless personalization items that will quickly inflate its estimated $753,000 base price—about 140 grand more than the standard car’s—the most compelling may be the low-mounted, fixed-back racing seats that offer slightly more headroom.

With production capped at 1963 units (an ode to the company’s founding year), only a privileged few will have the opportunity to flog the SV on track. They won’t be disappointed. In focusing the Revuelto’s aggression with stronger grip and better aerodynamics, Lamborghini made its big brute even easier to drive at a higher level. It still intimidates, but it’s also more enjoyable to tame.