At last week’s prestigious Quail event, Lamborghini unveiled its most powerful road-legal model to date—the Fenomeno. Created to celebrate 20 years of Sant’Agata’s Centro Stile design studio, the Fenomeno is an exclusive “few-off” production, limited to just 29 units. Its aggressive, angular styling, however, draws inspiration from a hidden project within Lamborghini—a “sculpture car,” as described by the brand’s design chief, Mitja Borkert, that has quietly defined the future direction of Lamborghini’s design language.
Speaking with The Drive at Monterey Car Week, Borkert shared exclusive insights into Lamborghini’s latest powerhouse, which combines a naturally aspirated V12 engine with three electric motors, delivering a staggering 1,065 horsepower. Borkert joined Lamborghini shortly before the unveiling of the Terzo Millennio concept in 2017—a visionary project developed in partnership with MIT that pushed the boundaries of automotive innovation.
Borkert explained that the Terzo Millennio concept heavily influenced the design of the Temerario, Lamborghini’s upcoming replacement for the Huracán. Signature design elements like the Y-shaped front, hexagonal side air intakes, and muscular rear shoulders all trace their roots back to that futuristic concept. But when it comes to the Fenomeno, Borkert revealed it is based on a different, still-unseen “sculpture” created after Stephan Winkelmann returned as Lamborghini’s CEO in late 2020.
“This design hasn’t been shared yet,” Borkert said of the secret sculpture. “The Fenomeno is built on these design principles. Whether or not we show this design sculpture publicly is still undecided, but it represents a new starting point for us.”
Despite the excitement around the Fenomeno’s bold design, Borkert was careful to avoid labeling it as the definitive future of Lamborghini’s style. “Whenever we launch a new car, people ask if this is the new design language. I won’t confirm that,” he said. “I constantly challenge myself to find something unexpected. Our future designs might be sharper, softer, or something completely different. We’ll see.”
So, if Lamborghini ever reveals this mysterious sculpture car, it may come at a time when the brand’s design language has evolved once again. That’s a good thing—Lamborghini’s strength lies in its ability to constantly reinvent and surprise. Brands like Porsche have offered glimpses into their design studios through initiatives like Porsche Unseen, showing concepts such as a reimagined Renndienst van and a theoretical road version of their Le Mans-winning 919 LMP1. Audi and BMW have also recently revealed canceled flagship supercar projects.
Borkert’s approach ensures Lamborghini’s designers and fans remain engaged and excited, always pushing boundaries rather than resting on past successes. Whether fans love every new design or not, Lamborghini’s legacy of radical innovation—from the Miura to the Countach—continues to define its identity.
Founder & Editor brings over a decade of expertise in ethics to mediajob.in. With a passion for integrity and a commitment to fostering ethical practices, Ayush shapes discourse and thought in the media industry.