GENEVA 2011: ALL-NEW LAMBORGHINI AVENTADOR SHOWS WINGS

Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome on stage, the all-new Lamborghini Aventador LP 700-4! Enthusiasts will forgive the average onlooker for not noticing that this is a completely new Lamborghini, not a facelift or another special edition model.

The Aventador replaces the Murcielago, which in turned had replaced the Diablo as Lambo’s flagship models. Placed behind the two seats is its throbbing heart, a 6.5-litre V12 engine whose drums beat to the sound of 515kW (700 galloping horses) at 8250rpm, and torques of 690Nm at 5500rpm.

Transmission is something called the ISR or Independent Shifting Rods system, which Lambo says is lighter than double-clutch systems used by some rivals and shifts at 50 milliseconds. All power and torque are sent to all four wheels – hence the 4 in 700-4 – thus ensuring maximum grip on take-off. Speaking of which, a 2.9 second sprint is claimed from 0 – 100km/h, which of course is not the quickest out there but is certainly one worth serious contemplation when making the decision to buy.

The car is very light in terms of body weight, with a dry mass (no fuel) of only 1575kg. Top speed is 350km/h. There is certainly room to improve on any of these figures, as previous Lambos have shown, with probable special editions planned over the car’s lifecycle.

“With the Aventador LP 700-4, the future of the super sports car is now part of the present. Its exceptional package of innovative technologies is unique, its performance simply overwhelming,” says Stephan Winkelmann, President and CEO of Automobili Lamborghini. “The Aventador is a jump of two generations in terms of design and technology, it's the result of an entirely new project, but at the same time it's a direct and consistent continuation of Lamborghini's brand values. It is extreme in its design and its performance, uncompromising in its standards and technology, and unmistakably Italian in its style and perfection. Overall, the dynamics and technical excellence of the Aventador LP 700-4 makes it unrivalled in the worldwide super sports car arena.”

We should have known that the super-limited Reventon would continue laying down the design foundation for some future Lambos. Dominating the interior space are fighter-jet like elements like the TFT LCD display screen and the centre console. Comfort gadgets include satellite navigation, climate control, an electro-magnetic handbrake, a powerful sound system, and function steering wheel controls. They’ll even throw in an optional reversing camera. Optional yes, in a car expected to cost over R3.5 million a pop! Gone are the days of the iconic Countach when people expected Lambos to be as basic as the tractors that brand founder Ferruccio Lamborghini used to build.

There are 13 exterior colours to choose from, including three which are matt-based. Individuals can accessories their interiors as well, to their utmost delights with a great spread of choice among colours, materials and other exclusive options.

Interested people – including the Motsepes, Kunenes, but excluding the Mbaus and Mthembus – can now place their orders at Lamborghini Johannesburg, the first of which should be fulfilled by December this year.