Dancing on ice in the Lamborghini Revuelto

On paper, this might seem like an absurd exercise. Unleashing a 746kW hypercar on an icy surface with almost zero grip is akin to asking Usain Bolt to wear his running shoes and sprint as fast as he can across a skating rink.

Welcome to Arjeplog, where the ambient temperature is -37 degrees Celsius. Nestled on the edge of the Arctic Circle in far north Sweden, it’s possibly the last place on earth where you’d expect to find the million-dollar Lamborghini Revuelto.

Lamborghini has really thought outside the box to come up with this exercise, but there’s method to the madness as company CTO Rouven Mohr says good dynamics on low-grip surfaces translates to taut and predictable handling even in environments where the grip coefficient is much higher.

We might not be able to tap into much of its potency today, but there’s no denying that the Revuelto’s powertrain is a genuine masterpiece. The 6.5-litre V12 is supplemented by a trio of electric motors to thrash out a combined 746kW and peak torque approaching 1500Nm.

Top speed is quoted at 350km/h-plus, while the 0-100km/h split is demolished in 2.5sec.

Needless to say, we won’t be threatening those stats on the tight, slippery courses that Lamborghini has carved out for us on the frozen lake where we find ourselves.

An immensely potent hypercar it may be, yet the Revuelto is surprisingly easy to manhandle – much more so than its Aventador predecessor – which means even drivers with less than superlative skill levels can tap into a healthy chunk of its dynamic envelope.

The hybrid powertrain is so smooth and seamless that, from behind the wheel, it’s impossible to discern that three electric motors are also contributing to the prodigious forward thrust.

Adding to the Revuelto’s suave demeanour is the silky-smooth eight-speed dual-clutch transmission, which is in a different universe to the spine-jarring ISR sequential gearbox that served the Aventador for its entire lifecycle. Super-fast and intuitive, the dual-clutch ’box responds virtually instantly to tugs on the elongated carbon-fibre flappy paddles.

That said, our biggest ally today is a redesigned 2.0 version of the Lamborghini Integrated Vehicle Dynamics (LDVI) system, which can predict the terrain grip and adjust the acceleration and braking power distribution to guarantee the best performance and control. Very handy, considering we’re on a frozen lake.

No less valuable is the Revuelto’s clever front e-axle, comprising a pair of axial flux motors that individually drive each of the front wheels, cranking out 350Nm each and a combined power output of 220kW.

These motors provide genuine torque vectoring to help get the car turned-in on corner entry, keep it balanced in mid-corner and launch away from the exit. As with latter versions of the Aventador, four-wheel steer is retained as a standard feature, further boosting agility.

With Lamborghini’s chief test and development driver, Mario Fasanetto, mounted up in the passenger seat, we head out to the first exercise, which consists of a large circle marked out by witches’ hats. The idea is a to maintain a smooth, continuous drift all the way around.

The first step is to get the Revuelto set up correctly for the exercise. Mario suggests the optimum set-up is to select Corsa drive mode, and then deactivate the stability control.

After a few failed attempts, I begin to get the hang of it. The trick is to first get the car turned-in and then use a healthy dose of throttle to induce a drift. Use too much throttle and the result is a graceful (if mildly embarrassing) pirouette.

Maintaining a smooth sliding arc all the way around the circle is best achieved by intermittently stabbing the throttle and applying just the right amount of counter-steering to maintain the desired trajectory.

The next exercise ups the level of difficulty as it’s a giant figure-eight and, once again, the aim is to maintain a smooth drift all the way around. The trick with this course is to take a leaf out of the rally driver’s textbook, employing the pendulum effect to get the car to swiftly change direction.

So, as you slide around the cone at one extremity of the figure-eight and power towards the opposite end, you need to abruptly lift off the throttle at just the right instant to yield an instant direction change, with the sudden transfer of weight away from the rear-end getting the car swinging like a pendulum.

It’s not easy to master, but I manage to halfway nail it, and Mario provides encouragement with a hearty “Well done!”

The grand finale is a circuit that’s approximately 2km in length, mimicking the layout of a racetrack with its mix of tight and sweeping corners snaking left and right.

Employing the skills learnt on the first two courses, we set out on the circuit. I adopt a measured approach for the first lap to familiarise with the layout of the circuit, and then progressively up the pace, using steering and throttle to get the car sliding smoothly (more or less) from one corner to the next.

I get things wrong on a couple of occasions, gently beaching the car on the snowbank that the marks the edge of track. No harm done though, as on both occasions we’re able to simply drive away and continue the sliding antics around the circuit.

Back in the warmth of the chalet after our icy escapades, the realisation dawns. The Lamborghini Revuelto isn’t merely a one-trick pony fit for racetracks and winding mountain roads.

It’s a genuine all-weather supercar that can be enjoyed in all seasons and environments – even Arjeplog at -37 degrees.

2024 Lamborghini Revuelto specs:
Engine: 6.5-litre V12 and three electric motors
Power: (V12 only) 607kW at 9250rpm
Torque: (V12 only) 725Nm at 6750rpm
Hybrid system: 3.8kWh lithium-ion battery, rear eMotor and front e-axle
Power (rear eMotor): 110kW at 10,000rpm
Power (front e-axle): 220kW at 3500rpm
Total output (V12 and hybrid system): 746kW and 1500Nm (approx)
Transmission: Eight-speed dual-clutch automatic
Length: 4947mm
Width: 2033mm
Height: 1160mm
Wheelbase: 2779mm
Dry weight: 1772kg
Weight distribution: 44:56 (front/rear)
0-100km/h: 2.5sec
Top speed: 350km/h-plus