Lamborghini Aventador LP 700-4
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© Lamborghini
The Basics
- Price: $393,700 (with U.S. gas and destination tax)
- 0-60 time: 2.9 secs
- MPG / LPG: 10/14 (city/highway)
96 The AskMen Take
As with any Lamborghini, the new LP 700-4 Aventador offers a mix of angular beauty, impressive acceleration (a standing quarter mile in just 10.5 seconds) and mind-numbing top speed (217 mph at 8,250 rpm in seventh gear). Where it differs from predecessors -- most recently the Murcielago -- is that (surprise!) it handles impeccably.
You heard us right. Even when you push a little too far, as we did testing at a tight track in Italy last month, the car, with four-wheel drive and an advanced ESP (Electronic Stability Program), is extremely forgiving -- and almost impossible to break loose -- even in the hairpins. It doesn’t snap or snarl, like some older Lamborghini models (Countach, Diablo, Murcielago), but it does purr, and does so quite formidably.
Since we found it so manageable on a track, we can only imagine this thing out on the highway; there, it may ride smooth enough to lull a driver to sleep. Were that to happen, though, he would be awakened rudely by sirens, flashing lights and an angry policeman screaming that the car was traveling at twice the speed limit. The driver, of course, would argue vehemently that it was not because twice -- or even thrice -- the speed limit in this car feels like a Sunday drive.
On first glance, the price tag may seem high, but it’s not really. Compare other supercars capable of that kind of performance: the Bugatti Veyron Super Sport (268 mph, $2.4 million), the McLaren F-1 (240 mph, about $1 million), the Ferrari Enzo (217 mph, about $700,000), and the Pagani Zonda F (215 mph, $740,000).
94 Performance
A 6.5-liter V-12 mid-mounted engine generates a whopping 690 hp, which is able to push the Aventador from a dead start to 186 mph in 24 seconds. But the beast doesn’t stop accelerating there. If you have enough road, you can be scorching along at 217 mph in no time, the fastest top speed of any Lamborghini ever produced.
Last month, we didn't have that kind of space to test that, but we were on a track -- the 10-turn, 2.5-mile-long road course just outside of Rome called Vallelunga. Of seven gears available via Formula 1-type paddle shifts, we were only able to get up to fifth briefly, maxing out at 152 mph on one of just two short straights. But it was clear the beast was just yawning there. We weren’t, as we had to brake hard for the approaching right-hander. The 15.8-inch front ceramic discs with six-piston calipers (15-inch with four pistons in back) didn’t let us down; the thing goes from 152 mph to 0 mph in just seconds, providing a negative G-force that's downright scary.
The only drawback to this car, if it is one: Macho road types who prefer spinning wheels and fish-tailing (which give the appearance of high speed but, as we all know, don't) may be disappointed. Because the thing handles so well, it is difficult to abuse the tires. These old-schoolers, if they still want to fight with the road, should keep their Murcielagos for the occasional bout.
If you haven’t ordered yet, you’ll have to wait for a while. There’s an 18-month backlog on new Aventador orders, and first customers will only start receiving their cars at the end of the summer. Lamborghini expects to produce 4,000 total (at about 750 per year), so don't wait too long.
97 Design
In typical over-the-top Lamborghini fashion, the Aventador, four years in development, is a show-stopper when you see it for the first (or second or third) time. The upward-opening "wing" scissor doors, a trademark of Lamborghini, are still standard, but the body has been lengthened versus the Murcielago, making the car sleeker and more angular. The lines are simple, muscular and precise.
A good deal of aluminum in the body has been replaced by lighter, stronger carbon fiber. A new monocoque, made entirely of the space-age stuff, shaves about 200 pounds off of total weight. The car (dry) comes in at 3,472 lbs. Less weight and more power, of course, give the Aventador a better power-to-weight ratio (1:4.96), resulting in the higher top speed and better acceleration. Carbon fiber also increases the stiffness and strength of the chassis, making the car more responsive in the corners -- and safer in the event of a crash. In addition to automatic, there are three manual-driving modes available, depending on terrain: Strada (for the road), Sport and Corsa (for the track).
The interior has been revamped, too, making this two-seater surprisingly comfortable to sit in and drive. Headroom is good for the tall among us -- up to six feet, five inches. A 13.8-inch small-diameter steering wheel is easy to grip, with 2.9 turns lock-to-lock. The new dashboard resembles the sleek cockpit of a jet aircraft. A digital LCD screen changes from revs to speed (ours was in kph, but American models have an mph option) with a three-second push of a button on the wiper handle. The stereo and navigation features are handled by a separate in-car entertainment system.
First Impression I would drive this...
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