Lamborghini has dropped the cover off the Fenomeno Roadster, the open-top version of its Fenomeno hypercar reveal from last year. It is a stupendously rare car. Just 15 will be built worldwide, and one of them is already accounted for in Australia. The price tag, depending on who you believe, is north of $8 million. That is more than many Sydney terrace houses, for a car you cannot drive in the rain.
It is also one of the most technically interesting Lamborghinis the brand has ever built, and the kind of halo product that justifies the rest of the lineup. Even if you will never sit in one, the engineering decisions here filter down through the Revuelto and Temerario, the cars Carseekers shoppers might actually meet at a dealer.
A V12 hybrid that ignores efficiency targets
Under the carbon-fibre body sits a 6.5-litre V12 plug-in hybrid powertrain producing 794kW and 1075Nm. There are three electric motors and an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission sending drive to all four wheels. The 0-100km/h dash is dispatched in 2.4 seconds. 0-200km/h takes just 6.8 seconds.
Top speed sits over 340km/h, which is the kind of number that exists more as a spec-sheet boast than a real-world destination. A 7.4kWh battery offers up to 20km of pure-electric driving, enough to crawl out of a residential street without waking the neighbours.
This is the same drivetrain shared with the Fenomeno coupe and the Revuelto on which both cars are based. Lamborghini's broader strategy is clear here. The brand is using hybridisation to keep the V12 alive, not to apologise for it. The electric motors add launch performance and tighten torque delivery rather than swap combustion power out.
No roof, not even an emergency one
The Fenomeno Roadster is properly topless. There is no folding hard top. There is no fabric backup. If it rains, you are wet. Lamborghini's engineers redesigned the induction system and engine cover for better cooling, then added a longer windscreen rail to channel air to the engine and a new pair of roll hoops.
That redesign sounds like a downside but it delivers a serious win. Downforce is up 30 per cent over the coupe, without compromising cooling. The Fenomeno Roadster generates more aerodynamic load than the closed car, which is rare for a topless conversion.
Weight is held in check too. At 1780kg, the Roadster is just 8kg heavier than the Revuelto on which it is based. That number is partly down to extensive carbon fibre, including the body, a new carbon wheel design that saves 3kg at each corner, and Lamborghini's new CCM-R carbon-ceramic brakes.
Bespoke tyres and manual dampers
The Roadster gets manually adjustable dampers, letting owners tune the suspension to their own preferences. That is unusual at this price point, where most hypercars run electronic adaptive setups. Braking and steering hardware carries over from the coupe.
Bridgestone has developed bespoke tyres specifically for the Roadster's 21-inch front and 22-inch rear staggered wheel sizes. That kind of tyre development is essentially a financial decision: you build a tyre this specific only when you can guarantee you will sell every car in the run, which Lamborghini already has.
Interior is mostly Fenomeno coupe, with options
The cabin is largely identical to the closed Fenomeno, but Lamborghini will offer a wider range of interior colour options for the Roadster, plus a fully naked carbon body on the options list for owners who want to show off the construction.
Each car is being specified individually for its buyer. That is how this end of the market works. The base price is just the starting point, with options and personalisation routinely adding hundreds of thousands more.
What the Australian allocation actually means
Getting one of the 15 cars is not about walking into a dealership. Lamborghini allocates its halo cars based on relationships, ownership history, and what the brand calls customer loyalty. The Australian buyer who has secured this allocation will already own multiple Lamborghinis, and will likely have skipped the queue on previous limited-run models like the Sian or Countach revival.
This is also why Lamborghini does not really discount halo cars. There is no "end of stock" deal on a Fenomeno. The waiting list is the product. By the time the first Australian car is delivered later this year or in 2027, the secondary market value will already be well above sticker.
How this fits Lamborghini's wider strategy
The Fenomeno and Fenomeno Roadster sit at the very top of Lamborghini's pyramid, above the Revuelto V12 PHEV, the new Temerario V8 PHEV, and the Urus SUV range. The brand has consistently maintained the V12 as a flagship engine layout even as rivals like Ferrari moved to V6 and V8 hybrid configurations.
Lamborghini's leadership has explicitly said customers favour plug-in hybrid technology over battery-only models, with EV demand described as limited. The first electric Lamborghini, the Lanzador, has been pushed back. The brand is reading the same room AMG is reading: enthusiast buyers want noise, response, and combustion.
What it means for buyers further down the range
For the vast majority of Australian Lamborghini buyers, the relevant cars are the Urus Performante, the Revuelto, and the new Temerario. The Fenomeno Roadster's value to those buyers is indirect. It validates the V12, it props up the brand's racing and motorsport credibility, and it justifies the engineering investment that filters into lower-volume cars.
It also serves as a reminder that Lamborghini's order books are full, its halo cars are presold, and dealers have no pressure to discount the regular models. Anyone walking into a Lamborghini showroom in Sydney or Melbourne over the next 12 months should expect very limited movement on price.
The Fenomeno Roadster is, in the most literal sense, a car for someone else. But it tells you exactly where Lamborghini is heading, and how confident the brand is that it can sell a roofless, $8 million V12 hybrid with no compromises and no apologies.
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The finer details
Your questions answered.
How many Lamborghini Fenomeno Roadsters will be built?
Just 15 units worldwide. One has been allocated to an Australian buyer. The rest will be split between European, Middle Eastern and Asian markets, with each car specified individually for its owner.
How much does the Lamborghini Fenomeno Roadster cost in Australia?
The price is reportedly above $8 million before luxury car tax, on-road costs, and personalisation options. Once those are added, the final landed price for the Australian car will likely sit well over $9 million.
How fast is the Fenomeno Roadster?
Top speed exceeds 340km/h, with 0-100km/h in 2.4 seconds and 0-200km/h in just 6.8 seconds. The 6.5-litre V12 produces 794kW with help from three electric motors, all delivered through an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission.
Does the Fenomeno Roadster have a roof?
No. There is no roof at all, not even an emergency cloth top. Lamborghini's engineers redesigned the engine cover and induction system to optimise cooling without a roof, which actually boosted downforce by 30 per cent over the coupe.
Can the Fenomeno Roadster be driven on electric power alone?
Yes, for short distances. The 7.4kWh battery supports up to 20km of pure-electric driving, useful for leaving residential streets quietly before the V12 fires up. Realistically, owners will use combustion for nearly all driving.
Why is Lamborghini still building V12 hypercars when rivals are going electric?
Lamborghini's own customer research shows demand for plug-in hybrid V12s outweighs EV demand at this end of the market. The brand has delayed its first all-electric model, the Lanzador, and is doubling down on combustion-led halo cars while rivals like Ferrari shift to smaller hybrid engines.
