What does McLaren P1 designer Frank Stephenson think of the Lambo Temerario?

Frank Stephenson is a car designer with more hits than the Beatles, including the Escort RS Cossie, first BMW Mini, Maser MC12, numerous Ferraris and the McLaren P1. These days he runs his own consultancy – Frank Stephenson Design. Here he shares his views on the Lamborghini Temerario.

The Temerario arrived carrying a difficult design and engineering brief. It replaces a dynasty car – the Huracán – while bringing Lamborghini into the new hybrid era. The danger, always, is dilution. Yet a first glance says otherwise. There’s no retro cosplay here. It’s recognisably Lamborghini, but not beholden to any one of its memorable predecessors.

At the front, slim, technical headlights look designed to slice the air. The surfaces are taut and disciplined with creases pulled tight over functional intakes. In typical Lambo fashion the side profile does the heavy lifting – cab forward, shoulders bent inwards tightly and the glasshouse pinched just enough to make the body feel coiled.

Moving to the rear, the exhaust sits high, like a visual exclamation mark. It’s framed by vents and aero blades that look engineered first and styled second. Busy, yes, but not chaotic. Lamborghini understands that drama is part of its identity and the trick is to make it always feel credible.

Inside, the Temerario marks a quiet but significant shift. This is not the sporty minimalism of old nor the sci-fi of some its contemporaries. The cockpit is layered, driver centric, and refreshingly legible. Screens are plentiful, but they’re disciplined – embedded rather than slapped on.

The steering wheel still looks like an instrument, not a remote control unit. Materials are robust, technical and tactile. Sightlines matter. The cowl height, the windshield angle, the way the dashboard recedes – these are decisions made by people who understand ergonomics.

The Temerario is honest about where Lamborghini is going, and confident enough not to look back over its shoulder. That, in today’s landscape of eccentric design and retro bait, is a welcome kind of courage. The Temerario continues to proudly carry Lambo’s flame.

Verdict: Hot