The long-awaited Lamborghini Aventador LP 700-4 makes its Geneva debut.
Lamborghini is bull-ish about its new supercar, the Aventador, and for good reason. In keeping with tradition, the Italian maker has named its latest offering after a legendary bull that kept even the bravest of matadors at bay.
If looks are any indication, the new Lamborghini Aventador LP 700-4will do a good job sending chills through the competition. Impossibly low and sleek, with an arrow-like body that is one of the sleekest on the road, the new Lambo flagship was developed with twin purposes.
“It’s all about design and performance,” explained Lamborghini CEO Stephan Winklemann, during the new car’s debut at the Geneva Motor Show. “Our inspiration,” he added, “comes from fighter jets.”
When it comes to muscle, there’s no bull. The 700 refers to the horsepower rating of the Aventador’s 6.5-liter V12. That’s pumped through a new electro-mechanical gearbox that can shift in barely 50 milliseconds. As with previous Lamborghini flagships, the new model features high-traction all-wheel-drive to ensure all that torque reaches the pavement.
The Aventador LP 700-4's engine, appropriately, makes 700 horsepower driving all four wheels.
The Formula One-derived pushrod spring and damper suspension increases stiffness in a way that actually permitted engineers to improve ride quality – always a trade-off with past Lambo offerings.
Meanwhile, the maker says it has developed a new steering system that can “think its way through a bend,” again balancing handling and comfort.
Like so many of the latest supercar offerings, Lamborghini has made a number of concessions to practicality. The front axle, for example, uses a hydraulic lifting system that can add an extra 40 mm ground clearance for the front end, a definite relief to owners of older Lambos who have scraped up their front spoilers going over speed bumps and parking ramps.
The new Lamborghini Aventador makes notably more concessions to creature comfort than Lambos past.
The high tech edge extends to the carbon fiber monocoque of the new Lamborghini Aventador. The use of the super-light material helped shave more than 100 pounds off the new model, despite additional content. And that will make itself obvious when you slam the throttle.
Living up to the most eager rumors, Winkelmann confirmed the Aventador will launch from 0 to 100 kmh (62.5 mph) in just 2.9 seconds, “equal to what you do when you go bungee jumping or skydiving.”
The top speed, he added, is 350 kmh, or just short of 220 mph.