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Key Points
- KT&G will launch the lil Tonino Lamborghini heated tobacco device in Seoul on September 15.
- Flashwave Heating uses microwaves to heat tobacco sticks internally, with KT&G claiming a heat-up time of about three seconds.
- Korean media describe it as KT&G's first new heated tobacco platform since lil AIBLE in 2022.
- A new line of NAU tobacco sticks launches alongside the device and is incompatible with existing lil consumables.
- The device features an all-metal aluminum body, color display and dedicated GUI, with four exterior variants.
- Initial distribution will cover about 8,300 convenience stores in Seoul, alongside lil Store and three lil MINIMALIUM locations.
2Firsts
August 31, 2026
According to NewsPim and other South Korean media reports published on August 31, 2026, KT&G will launch the lil Tonino Lamborghini heated tobacco device in Seoul on September 15. The product uses what KT&G calls Flashwave Heating, a microwave-based heating technology that the company says delivers a heat-up time of about three seconds, and will launch alongside a new line of dedicated NAU tobacco sticks.
Public reports indicate that NAU sticks are incompatible with existing lil consumables, making the launch a separate device-and-consumables ecosystem built around new heating technology. South Korean media also describe lil Tonino Lamborghini as KT&G’s first new heated tobacco platform since lil AIBLE was introduced in 2022.
Flashwave Heating Uses Microwaves for Internal Heating
The key technical change in lil Tonino Lamborghini is Flashwave Heating.
KT&G says the technology uses microwaves to heat the inside of the tobacco stick. The company says this approach delivers a heat-up time of approximately three seconds, more than five times faster than its existing products.
KT&G also describes the device as having the fastest heat-up time among the heated tobacco devices it has introduced in South Korea.
The three-second figure is a manufacturer claim rather than an independent test result. KT&G notes that actual heat-up time may vary depending on environmental conditions, including humidity.
The company has not publicly disclosed more detailed technical specifications such as the operating frequency, power output or internal architecture of the Flashwave Heating system.
Parameter | Specification |
Company | KT&G |
Brand | lil |
Model | lil Tonino Lamborghini |
Product Category | Heated tobacco device |
Heating Technology | Flashwave Heating |
Heating Method | Microwave-based internal heating of tobacco sticks |
Claimed Heat-Up Time | Approx. 3 seconds* |
Dedicated Tobacco Stick | NAU |
Initial Tobacco Stick Range | 5 variants |
Existing lil Stick Compatibility | Not compatible |
Body | All-metal aluminum construction |
Display | Color display |
User Interface | Dedicated GUI |
Display Information | Heat-up status, battery level and remaining puffs |
Exterior Variants | Carbon Gray, Copper Brown, Wave Blue, Ruby Black SV |
Limited Edition | Ruby Black SV |
Launch Date | September 15, 2026 |
Initial Market | Seoul, South Korea |
Initial Channels | About 8,300 convenience stores; lil Store; three lil MINIMALIUM locations |
Device Price | Not officially disclosed; Korean media report an expected price in the upper KRW 110,000 range |
Launch Type | New HTP platform and dedicated tobacco-stick ecosystem |
Battery Capacity | Not disclosed |
Charging Time | Not disclosed |
Session Duration | Not disclosed |
*KT&G-rated figure. Actual heat-up time may vary depending on humidity and other environmental conditions.
New NAU Tobacco Sticks Are Incompatible With Existing lil Products
Alongside the new device, KT&G is establishing a new consumables line under the NAU name.
Five variants will initially be introduced:
● NAU Rust
● NAU Blue
● NAU Change
● NAU Yellow
● NAU Coral
Korean media report that the NAU name echoes the English word “now,” aligning with the new platform's emphasis on faster heat-up and reduced waiting time.
More significantly, the new device cannot use existing lil tobacco sticks and requires the dedicated NAU consumables.
From a portfolio perspective, lil Tonino Lamborghini is therefore more than a design update to existing devices such as lil AIBLE. It introduces both a different heating technology and a separate consumables system.
KT&G has not yet publicly disclosed pricing for the NAU sticks, nicotine-related specifications or full flavor descriptions for the five initial variants.
All-Metal Design Extends Tonino Lamborghini Collaboration
The Tonino Lamborghini name comes from the Italian lifestyle brand Tonino Lamborghini.
The lil Tonino Lamborghini uses an all-metal aluminum body alongside a color display and dedicated GUI. The screen provides information including heat-up progress, battery level and remaining puffs.
Four exterior variants will initially be offered:
Carbon Gray, Copper Brown, Wave Blue and Ruby Black SV.
Ruby Black SV will be offered as a limited edition.
This is not the first collaboration between KT&G and Tonino Lamborghini. Korean media report that the two companies previously worked together on a cigarette product in 2012. The latest partnership extends that relationship into heated tobacco devices.
The collaboration adds a premium and lifestyle-oriented layer to the new platform alongside its technical changes.
September 15 Seoul Launch With Differentiated Distribution
KT&G plans to begin sales on September 15, initially focusing on Seoul.
The Carbon Gray version will be distributed through approximately 8,300 convenience stores across the city.
All four variants will also be available through lil Store and three lil MINIMALIUM locations.
Public information does not yet specify when KT&G plans to expand distribution to other parts of South Korea.
KT&G has also not publicly confirmed the final recommended retail price. Korean media citing industry sources report that the device is expected to be priced in the upper KRW 110,000 range, while an introductory promotion could reduce the purchase price to around KRW 40,000.
Those figures should be treated as pre-launch market information rather than confirmed official pricing.
New Device and Dedicated Sticks Establish a Separate Ecosystem
The significance of lil Tonino Lamborghini extends beyond its three-second heat-up claim.
KT&G is combining:
Flashwave Heating + a new device platform + dedicated NAU tobacco sticks + Tonino Lamborghini branding.
Unlike a color refresh or co-branded edition of an existing device, this architecture requires KT&G to establish retail distribution for the NAU consumables alongside the hardware.
For existing lil users, the lack of stick compatibility also means moving to the new platform requires switching consumables.
Korean media describe the launch as KT&G's first new heated tobacco platform in roughly four years, following lil AIBLE in 2022. Once sales begin on September 15, the final device price, NAU stick pricing and the timing of a broader South Korean rollout will be key indicators to watch.
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Cover image source: NewsPim
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