Car Reviews > Lamborghini > Aventador > Lamborghini Aventador Car Review

Facts At A Glance
Prices: £242,200
Engine: 6.5-litre V12
Gearbox: 7-speed automated manual, 4-wheel drive
Power/torque: 690 bhp/ 690 Nm
0-62 mph: 2.9 seconds
Top Speed: 217 miles per hour
Equipment: 19-inch front alloys, 20-inch rear alloys, leather upholstery, hill-start assist, climate control, auto rear spoiler, iPod connection, GPS
On Sale: Now

The top speed is amazing, as this supercar stunner throws down an impressive gauntlet to its rivals.

For a vehicle that is named after a particularly courageous bull, bravery is the name of the game, with the Lamborghini Aventador able to relentlessly build speed even as it heads toward the magical 200 miles per hour mark, with its glorious V12 engine singing toward the rev limiter when in sixth gear. That leaves another gear still to go.

The new Lamborghini flagship is stunning; there is no other word for it. Following in the V12 supercar tradition that was begun by the Miura, solidified by the Countach and followed up on by the Murcielago and the Diablo, this is everything a large Lambo should be, bold, brash and brutal.

The firm however is also claiming that it is jumping two generations in terms of technology and design. Hiding underneath the impressive angular exterior is an all-new V12 engine and a carbon-fibre monocoque chassis. The whole of both the roof and the cabin area is one single carbon cell that has been designed to be able to deliver incredible stiffness as well as to reduce weight. Joining to this at the front and rear of the vehicle are aluminium sub-frames, onto which the engine, gearbox and suspension have all been mounted.

Racing cars have provided some inspiration here, resulting in the pushrod suspension being placed under the springs and the dampers transversely in the chassis, underneath the front windscreen and proudly on display behind the engine at the rear. Additionally, the suspension also incorporates forged aluminium double wishbones for precise handling, while all-wheel drive ensures that the car can make certain that performance can be safely transferred to the road.

At the heart of the vehicle is the brand new 12-cylinder engine, which has more torque and power than its predecessor has, but is also lighter, smaller and even has a lower centre of gravity. It is mated to a 7-speed automated manual box and, instead of a double-clutch system, has independent shifting rods that disengage one gear when the next ratio is selected independently. The company is claiming that gearshifts are now 40 per cent faster than they were with the outdated e-box from the Gallardo.

This makes the prospect of driving the thing pretty tantalising, and a two mile runway seemed the ideal place to test out the Aventador’s claimed top speed of 217 miles per hour.

Just getting in the car is an occasion in itself, with those traditional Lamborghini scissor doors. Once in the interior of the vehicle and at rest in the low-slung seating position, you can see that the cabin is beautifully trimmed with a bank of first class switchgear sourced from Audi.

When the red ‘rocket launch’ style cover that is situated on the central console is flicked open and the start button pressed, the V12 engine, capable of 690 bhp, barks into life.

When on the move, it can take a moment to adjust to the sheer size of the car and the offset pedals, but the freedom offered by a test track enables instant appreciation of the amazing grip and cornering forces generated. The ceramic brakes have amazing stopping power, the weighty steering is very precise and the straight-line performance is mind-blowing.

The Aventador is hard to beat.

by Autoweb