Lamborghini Asterion concept: 910 hp, with the mileage of a Prius

Lamborghinis have a proper reputation for the supercars of the rich and wild, but mechanically they have been somewhat conservative — in the original William F. Buckley sense of standing athwart history yelling "stop!" While Ferrari, Porsche and McLaren turned to hybrids and turbocharging, Lamborghinis have remained refreshingly powered by 10- or 12-cylinder engines that never feared of wasting a little power in the cause of driving enjoyment.

That changed today at the Paris Motor Show, where Lamborghini showed off a concept it labeled the Asterion LPI 910-4, a graceful coupe that suggests how Lamborghini might build its first plug-in hybrid and not lose its soul in the process.