Lamborghini Fenomeno: Hyper Elegance with 1,000+ PS of Fury

Marking 20 years of Centro Stile, this Few-Off masterpiece pairs the most powerful V12 in Lamborghini history with a design brief that aims to outlast trends. 

A milestone at Pebble Beach
Pebble Beach has seen its fair share of rare Lamborghinis, but this year's Quail Lodge presentation has a particularly sharp edge. The Fenomeno - the tenth in the brand's lineage of Few-Off models - is here to celebrate two decades of Centro Stile Lamborghini, the in-house design powerhouse in Sant'Agata Bolognese. Limited to just 29 units, it follows icons like the Reventón, Veneno, Centenario, Sián and Countach LPI 800-4, each of which broke the mould in its own way.

Even the name has a story. "Fenomeno" was a bull of exceptional skill and bravery, pardoned after a legendary fight in Mexico in 2002. In both Italian and Spanish, it translates to "phenomenal" - a suitably un-subtle badge for a car that redefines the boundaries of Lamborghini's V12 flagship.

Power, dialled to 11 (and then some)
The headline number is 1,065 PS - the most powerful Lamborghini ever. At its heart sits a mid-mounted, naturally aspirated 6.5-litre V12 producing 824 PS at 9,250 rpm. That's bolstered by three electric motors delivering a further 242 PS, one of them integrated into the eight-speed dual-clutch gearbox. The result is a 0–100 km/h time of 2.4 seconds, 0–200 km/h in just 6.7 seconds, and a top speed north of 350 km/h.

The Fenomeno also posts the best weight-to-power ratio of any Lamborghini to date - 1.64 kg per PS - and features track-derived hardware like CCM-R Plus carbon-ceramic brakes, a 6D sensor for predictive vehicle dynamics, and Bridgestone Potenza Sport tyres engineered specifically for this model.

Hyper Elegant by design
Mitja Borkert, Lamborghini's Director of Design, calls the Fenomeno "hyper elegant" - not a phrase you often hear in the same breath as a 9,500 rpm V12. "For us, it's always important that every new Lamborghini has its own character," he told me. "This one plays with large surfaces, extended shoulders and very puristic lines - full of tension and full of beauty."

The long-tail proportions are inspired by the Essenza SCV12, with a clean silhouette running in a single sweep from nose to tail. Y-shape lighting signatures have been reinterpreted vertically at the rear, framing a dramatic carbon-fibre diffuser and high-mounted hexagonal exhausts. The S-Duct at the nose channels air over the concave roof to the 'omega' wing, maximising stability at speed, while the door design integrates a reimagined NACA duct for 30% more efficient side cooling.

Borkert describes the upper body as "like a spaceship" and the lower section as "the technical, aerodynamic part," creating a deliberate visual duality. "We give adrenaline a shape," he says. "That's the philosophy when I design a Lamborghini."

Balancing drama and precision
When I asked how Lamborghini balances the brand's analogue drama with the creeping digital sterility of modern hypercars, Borkert was clear: "We would not go back to pure mechanical things - that's too much yesterday - but we always combine digital experience with mechanical elements. Our customers want to open the flap and start the engine. They want to push a button for the lift system or the driving modes. That's their Lamborghini feeling."

Inside, the Fenomeno reflects the brand's "Feel like a pilot" mantra, with a new lightweight monoshell racing seat, carbon-fibre doors, and an interior stripped of most physical buttons but retaining key tactile controls. Three digital screens keep the layout clean, while 3D-printed air vents and ambient lighting reinforce the spaceship aesthetic.

Exclusivity, personalised
Of the 29 cars to be built, no two will be alike. Through the Ad Personam programme, buyers can choose from over 400 exterior colours and countless interior combinations, with categories like Sportiva, Lifestyle, Tecnica, Eclectica and Stardust offering curated starting points. Launch cars will wear a new shade of yellow, echoed in subtle cabin accents.

Designed for today - and 2040
For all its contemporary aggression, the Fenomeno is also aimed at future concours lawns. "Such a car must look beautiful not just in 2025, but in 2030 and 2040," says Borkert. "It's for Pebble Beach, for Goodwood, for the best events on the planet."

That timeless intent shows in the proportions and in the restraint of its surfacing. Lamborghini could have gone full science fiction, but instead chose to make its most powerful car a design statement as much as an engineering one. In the process, they've created a Few-Off that stands apart not only from the Revuelto and its kin, but from the whole lineage that began with the Reventón.