Nine years is a lifetime in sportscar production. So the unveiling of Lamborghini’s eagerly-awaited successor to its legendary Murcielago supercar couldn’t come a day too soon.
But the new-from-the-tires-up Aventador LP700-4, which arrives in the US this summer, should be worth every second of the long wait.
It’s named after a particularly courageous bull that fought – and presumably died – in Spain back in 1993. I suppose we should be thankful the bull wasn’t called Pepe. Lamborghini Pepe? Hmm, not quite so catchy.
That said, with a brand new 6.5-liter 691-horsepower V12 spinning all four wheels, this new Aventador should certainly be ‘peppy’ in the performance department. Expect zero-to-62mph sprinting in 2.9 seconds and a top speed of 217mph.
Compared to the old Murcielago, this newcomer is a true technical tour de force. In place of its old-school welded alloy tube-frame chassis, there’s a brand new, super-stiff, carbon-fiber monocoque that’s far better suited to handing the ferocious power of the new V12.
The amazing benefits of carbon fiber mean that the entire chassis tips the scales at a featherweight 325 pounds, but offers more than twice the stiffness of the Murcielago’s frame. That’s impressive.
To ensure the Aventador spears around corners as quickly as it goes down the straightaway, there’s new racecar-inspired pushrod suspension, plus massive carbon-ceramic brakes that could probably stop time.
Mildly disappointing is that despite the radical changes beneath the skin, the body itself appears to have the same old design-by-Zorro slashes and sharp edges. The last thing owners want is for onlookers not to instantly recognize the car as the new model.
That said, any Lamborghini looks truly sensational and this new Aventador certainly falls into that category.
There’s no word on pricing yet, but I’m guessing it’ll be around the $370,000 mark. At that price, Lamborghini must be feeling pretty bullish.
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