2012 Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4

Exterior

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see that the new Aventador LP700-4 follows the same design language as with the latest Reventon and Sesto Elemento concept. The model has been designed at the Centro Stile Lamborghini in Sant’Agata Bolognese and takes its inspiration from modern aeronautics and from the world’s fastest and most agile aircraft.

The supercar is 4.78 meters long, 2.26 meters wide, and only 1.136 meters high. The proportions and body parts have been calculated to improve the car’s aerodynamics as much as possible. All of the aerodynamic elements are integrated into the body shell form, from the front spoiler to the rear diffuser, while the rear spoiler is deployable and controlled electronically. The 4 degree approach angle is optimized for high speed and assists directional stability at the very top end of the spectrum. The 11 degree tilt, on the other hand, delivers considerably greater downforce at mid-range speeds, helping to optimize handling and stability.

Up front the Aventador gets an air guide further emphasized by glossy, black frames, and bi-xenon headlamps. These headlights are more than just a simple bulb behind a casing, they are an exercise in further design. The Y shaped lights spread out from the middle and a different set of LED lights within creates the turn signal. The side of the car have two sweeping strokes – the first emphasizes the front wheel arch; the second is a very sharply drawn line beginning at the front wheel arch. Lamborghini describes it as a tensed muscle running along the entire side of the car and over the rear wheel. Also, two large air intakes behind the upward-opening doors are used for a better cooling engine. Finally the rear gets a lower diffuser and rear LED lights that create the same shape as the ones out front.

In what has become one of the most distinctive features for any Lamborghini, the passenger doors will open upwards towards the sky. This feature has been used on every major Lamborghini supercar since the Countach. Few companies have been able to create a specific design element that they are able to carry through various decades with such poise. The nearest competitor may be Mercedes Benz and the 300SL Gullwing of the past and SLS AMG of today.

Customers will have the ability to choose from 13 exterior colors in pastel metallic, pearlescent, or matte. These include the newest shades of Grigio Estoque, Arancio Argos, AD Personam, Nero Nemesis, Bianco Canopus, and Marrone Apus. Automobili Lamborghini has really taken notice of the aftermarket world with their new paint options. Matte paint has become all the rage in high-end cars and can look especially striking on something as svelte as a Lamborghini. Three specific Matte tones will be available from the factory and should increase the curb appeal of these machines even further.

Installing the Lamborghini Aventador LP 700-4 within a museum in Rome

Interior

If you are one of the lucky few to have sat in a Reventon than you would know how Lamborghini was attempting to create a cockpit out of a dashboard. The revolutionary gauges that acted like the instruments of a jet plane were the first in a line of new technologies that would evolve into the Aventador. Instrumentation for the Aventador is displayed on a large LCD screen while a completely independent system and LCD screen controls stereo and navigation functions. The press release makes the center console of the car sound like your car is a robot by calling it the, “Human-Machine Interface.”

The full leather single-color interior is available in either Nero Alde (black) or in Marrone Elpis, with the contrasting stitching offered in a range of colors. The two-tone leather interiors are offered in two style lines. For Bicolor Sportivo, the base color is black, with the contrast in orange, white, yellow or green, while Bicolor Elegante presents a harmonious blend of brown tones. A virtually inexhaustible array of variants is also offered by the Ad Personam individualization program.

The Aventador will be offered with ABS, electronic brake distribution, anti-slip control, speed-dependent servo-tronic steering, hill start assist and, of course, ESP stability control. The rear spoiler and the side air intakes are electronically controlled. The Drive Select System enables vehicle characteristics (engine, transmission, differential, stability control, steering) to be set in accordance with individual driver preferences in one of three modes – Strada (road), Sport and Corsa (track).

Interior Shots

Performance

Lamborghini has made it clear that a V12 engine will be the only thing to ever power their supercar, but it was time to develop a new and modern version of the legendary V12 of yesteryear. The Aventador will come with a new 6.5-liter V12 engine with an AWD layout that produces 700 HP 8,250 rpm and 509 lb-ft at 5,500 rpm. It is the first all-new Lamborghini developed engine since the Countach. This engine will be able to get from 0-60 mph in just 2.9 seconds while blasting off a top speed of 217 mph. With a total weight of 1,575 kilograms (3,472 lb) it will deliver a power to weight ratio of 2.25 Kg/hp. These figures are astounding, but not out of this world. Lamborghini has surely created a super car, but until we can get it on a track with its competition we will not know if the Bull can reign King.

Design of the engine was simple in theory. The car needed a powerplant that was lighter than the old one and more powerful. That tends to be the problem with just about every iteration of a new sports car, but Lamborghini was able to develop several new ways of solving it. They made the engine lighter by using an aluminum-silicon alloy to lower the overall weight to just 235kg. Parts that are more readily exposed to high heat were still forged from steel, but the overall engine weight is equal to 3.0hp per kilogram.

The Aventador’s engine is mated to an all-new “Lamborghini ISR” – the ISR stands for Independent Shifting Rod - seven-speed single clutch automated manual gearbox that combines quick shift time with manual shifting, which proves to be quite useful when a car has a low weight and compact dimensions.

the new Lamborghini powertrain is a revolutionary new technology that will set apart the Aventador – and all its future models - from its supercar contemporaries.

The ISR gearbox allows the Aventador to shift gears almost simultaneously. It comes with two modes and 50 millisecond shifts that works in such fashion that when one of the shifting rods is moving out of one gear, the second rod is already shifting on to the next. Another important aspect of the new Lamborghini transmission fits perfectly with the company’s new goal of making its supercars more lightweight: the ISR transmission weighs in at only 79 kilos – about 174 pounds – significantly lighter than any other DSG transmission out on the market.

Lamborghini president and CEO Stephan Winkelmann explains that the new Lamborghini powertrain is a revolutionary new technology that will set apart the Aventador – and all its future models - from it’s supercar contemporaries. “This new power unit is not only the crowning glory of our product range, it is also part of our enormous investment in the future of the Lamborghini brand,” he said.

The Aventador’s monocoque will also be made solely of carbon fiber. When using this lightweight material it is possible to create structures that are much stronger than steel and also many times lighter. Until recently this material was used very little and few companies had the technology to create entire tubs out of it. Ferrari was one of the first manufacturers to take its carbon-fiber technology from the racetrack and incorporate it into theFerrari F50 road car which had an entirely carbon-fiber tub. The newest one, designed by Lamborghini, puts the entire shell of the car from roof to floor in one component. Overall the part of the car where you will be sitting while hurtling over 200mph will only weigh 325.18lbs.

The body and chassis will be entirely constructed from carbon fiber. In collaboration with Boeing Corp. and the University of Washington, The tub and body that boasts stiffness calculated as 35,000 Newton-meters per degree of deflection. By comparison of stiffness, the Koenigsegg CCR is 28,100 Nm, the Ferrari F50 is 34,600 Nm, and the existing Murcielago is 20,000 Nm.

"Systematic lightweight engineering and an optimum power-to-weight ratio are absolutely crucial to the super sports cars of the future, for both the highest levels of driving pleasure and lower emissions," says Stephan Winkelmann, President and CEO of Automobili Lamborghini. "Lamborghini has put a lot of hard work into growing its expertise in the application of CFRP, attaining the leadership position we hold today. With its innovative carbon-fiber monocoque, the successor to the Murciélago displays the full competence of our brand and starts a new chapter in the history of Lamborghini."

It is clear to see that Lamborghini engineers and designers truly started from scratch when creating the Aventador. This car will have an entirely new suspension concept that comes straight from Formula 1 racing. It will also utilize a more typical double-wishbone setup and a supercar standard carbon-ceramic brake system. Also at the front axle are shock absorbers that come equipped with a hydraulic lifting system enabling the front end of the super sports car to be lifted by 40 millimeters at the touch of a button. When driving a Lamborghini through any parking lot with speed-bumps you will immediately recognize the convenience and need for a system that lifts the front end.

A new and innovative steering wheel system will also make it into the Aventador. The system has the ability to think its way through a bend adhering to the perfect line. This could be similar to the McLaren MP 4-12C brake steer system that will debut this month. It, in conjunction with a dozen computer systems, analyzes how the driver has entered a curve and adjusts steering inputs and braking to help the car maintain a more efficient line.

Engine Sounds

Drivetrain

Next to the impressive 700 HP V12 engine, the new supercar will also feature an innovative and highly sophisticated suspension concept. The first details of the concept reveal that the pushrod spring and damper was inspired by Formula 1 and adapted to a high-performance road-going vehicle, allowing it to handle better and be much more responsive. Next to this, the Aventador will also get an aluminum double wishbone suspension and a carbon ceramic brake system. The spring elements are not located on the wheel mounts, but connected inboard to the bodyshell structure. They are transversely positioned: under the windscreen in the front and close to the engine in the rear. Also at the front axle are shock absorbers that come equipped with a hydraulic lifting system enabling the front end of the super sports car to be lifted by 40 millimeters at the touch of a button. When driving a Lamborghini through any parking lot with speed-bumps you will immediately recognize the convenience and need for a system that lifts the front end.

A new and innovative steering wheel system will also make it into the Aventador. The system has the ability to think its way through a bend adhering to the perfect line. This could be similar to the McLaren MP 4-12C brake steer system that will debut this month. It, in conjunction with a dozen computer systems, analyzes how the driver has entered a curve and adjusts steering inputs and braking to help the car maintain a more efficient line.

2013 Aventador Additions

Lamborghini went into great lengths about the newest additions to the Aventador’s drivetrain for the 2013 model year: the Cylinder Deactivation System (CDS) and the start-stop technology.

The stop-start system will shut the engine off when the car is stationary at a stop light and it will use supercaps – high-performance capacitors – to restart the engine just as soon as you press the gas pedal. Well, maybe not as soon as, but 180 milliseconds after touching the gas. Yeah, that’s faster than any human can ever notice. To boot, this system will also save the Aventador about 3 kg (6.6 lbs), as the supercar will now use only a small battery to power the vehicle electronics, since it is no longer needed to start the car.

Additionally, the CDS will shut down one bank of the V-12 engine under low loads at speeds less than 135 km/h (83.9 mph). This will leave the Aventador cruising around as an in-line 6-cylinder until you need the extra power. No need to worry if a 12berlinetta comes up on your tail, as a quick tap of the throttle and all 12 cylinders start pumping again like nothing happened.

All of this will decrease the 2013 Aventador’s combined fuel consumption to 16 l/100 km (14.7 mpg) and its CO2 emissions from 398 g/km to 370 g/km. Total emissions and fuel consumption at 130 km/h (80.77 mph) is estimated to drop by about 20 percent.

Engine and Drivetrain Specs:

Chassis and Handling

2013 Aventador Modifications

The Aventador has received rave reviews on its handling capabilities and it looks as if Lambo is ready to build onto its already stout handling for the 2013 model year. Lamborghini is adding in stiffer springs and optimized dampers to both improve handling and soften the ride that every critic has complained about.

Also added in are all-new forged alloy wheels in the Dione design.

We’ll update you with all of the official info on the suspension, brakes and chassis once we receive word from Lambo.

Pricing

2012 Aventador

The 2012 Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4 will go on sale in late summer 2011 at a price of $387,000. Don’t expect to see many of these exotic beauties at the nearest dealership. Lamborghini has been taking orders for years and will have to fill those sales requests before one just sits on a dealer’s lot. In total, only 4000 units of the supercar will be produced, which is 99 units less than the Murcielago. If any more than that were produced, the Aventador would not be profitable. According to Autocar, "the carbon fiber molds that are used to construct the car’s monocoque can be used as many as 500 times before they have to be replaced." The Aventador’s price is equivalent to eight sets of monocoque molds. If you are truly in the market for one, there are far too many bespoke options to choose from – we would certainly want to go through the design process ourselves and order one from the factory in Italy.

Shortly after the Aventador’s official debut at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show, Lamborghini was pleased to announce that the super car had been sold out for the 2011 model year. Now, the company can puff out its chest that much more since the Aventador is now sold out for the next 18 months!

2013 Aventador

Lamborghini did not offer up any pricing or release date information. We assume that we should see a slight bump in price to compensate for the extra technology in the start-stop system and the CDS. You can anticipate a price in the $390,000 to $395,000 range.

Competition

If and when the Lamborghini Aventador is released – teaser images have pointed to a 2012 launch date – it’s a pretty safe bet that it’s going to go head-to-head with a number of other new exotics, with the most notable of which being the Ferrari 599 GTO. Numbers aren’t too far from each other with the Aventador’s 700 horsepower, 2.9-second 0-60 mph time, and 217 mph top speed going up against the 599 GTO’s 670 horsepower, 3.3-second 0-60 mph time, and 208 mph top speed time.

With the specs of these two Italian thoroughbreds closely similar to each other, it should make for a nice comparison test between the two. Sure, we’re going to have to wait until Lamborghini officially introduces the Aventador for that to happen, but we’re pretty confident that at some point, it’s going to.

Lamborghinis and Ferraris will always be interlinked with each other so bragging rights between the 599 GTO and the soon-to-be-released Aventador LP700-4 should still make for a very interesting comparison test. Other companies will be having there chance to take a shot at this raging bull including Pagani and McLaren. Many people know little about these companies, but they produce some of the baddest sports cars on the planet. Their most recent models have pushed the limits of engineering and manufacturing and the newest models will be more than light competition for the Lamborghini. The McLaren already promises similar performance from a smaller and more economical twin-turbo V8 engine. The Pagani will be utilizing an AMG V12 like the past models and have a peak output close to the new Lamborghini. In a perfect world, we would love to see these four new cars on one track at the same time to duel it out for bragging rights.

Video Montage

A Tutorial on The Lamborghini Aventador’s Launch Control Technology

Jay Leno Reviews the Lamborghini Aventador

Lamborghini Aventador LP 700-4 test on Vallelunga racetrack - video 1

Lamborghini Aventador LP 700-4 test on Vallelunga racetrack - video 2

Lamborghini Aventador LP 700-4 test on Vallelunga racetrack - video 3

First Aventador out on the streets of Berlin; Jump to 1:55 to hear the revs!

• Love it
  • Carbon Fiber Richness
  • V12 with 700hp
  • Lamborghini Good Looks with Aggressive Edge
• Leave it
  • A little bit more expensive than expected
  • Sorry, at the first look we just love it