Auto Buzz: Raging Bull
{ written by Sean Litteljohn}
In Lamborghini’s 50th anniversary year, car guy Sean Litteljohn takes the new Aventador out for a spin.
I’ve been waiting to write this review since I was an 18-year-old kid working as a valet at Centro in North Toronto. It was during these halcyon days of youth that I saw my first Lamborghini. I remember standing motionless, in complete awe, as investment banker Michael Wekerle piloted his purple Lamborghini Diablo to the
curb. What ensued was a complete free-for-all as I and two other valets clamoured over each other to be the first to reach the driver’s side door. (Of course, after seeing this melee, Wekerle paid us $50 to not touch his car.)
Many moons have passed since my Ferris Bueller days but I’ve always maintained a strong affinity for luxury cars. Most recently, what’s caught my interest is the Aventador LP 700-4, which I had the good fortune of test-driving with Mike Gallo, After Sales Manager at Lamborghini Uptown. Our brand new, fully loaded Aventador arrived, one of only six roadsters that have been delivered to Toronto since the car’s launch in 2012. It’s a long, low and wide car that captures every eye on the road.
Named after a legendary Spanish bull, the Lamborghini Aventador features a bright red start button that’s keenly reminiscent of George Barris’ 1966 Batmobile. Once you press start, you immediately notice the acoustics Lamborghini is known for, a twelve-cylinder symphony brought on by two separate mufflers.You get all of this roar with less fuel consumption; but lets face it, you don’t buy a Lamborghini to save the whales.
We begin with the new generation twelve-cylinder (V12) power unit, cranking out an astounding 700 hp of untamed bull power with 6.5 litres’ displacement and capable of hurtling this all-wheel-drive spaceship from 0 to 100 km/h in an astonishing 2.9 seconds. At flat-out top speed it can reach 350 km/h at 8,250 rpm. It literally blasts off the line, jumping like an angry bull, accompanied by a yowling exhaust.
What’s most exciting about driving a Lambo is the lightning-fast shifting. Like the crack of a very loud whip, the Aventador vaults through its single-clutch, seven-speed, semi-automatic transmission, accomplishing gear shifts in an astounding 50 milliseconds. Its patented Independent Shifting Rods (ISR) transmission gives it the fastest time of any road-going vehicle. The ISR makes the shifting 140% faster than that of its predecessor, the Lamborghini Gallardo, already one of the fastest boxes in the business.
The superior handling that we have come to expect from Lamborghini is elevated by a new highly sophisticated suspension concept inspired by its older brother, Formula 1. Aluminum double wishbone suspension and a carbonfiber ceramic brake system produce superior performance and an unmatched driving feel in
all conditions. Another nice feature is the ability to lift the nose of the machine 40 mm in the event of rough pavement.
I like choice, which is why one of the Aventador’s standout features for me is the Drive Select Mode System. It enables drivers to choose their favourite vehicle characteristics, including preferences for the engine, transmission, differential,
steering and dynamic controls. Trust me, these are vastly different settings and can
greatly affect your level of enjoyment.
If you don’t believe me, surely you can take the word of Stephan Winkelmann, President and CEO of Lamborghini, who sums it up nicely: “Overall, the dynamics and technical excellence of the Aventador LP 700-4 makes it unrivalled
in the worldwide super sports car arena.” One can argue this statement is a direct challenge to long-time rival Ferrari. We will see if Winkelmann’s call is answered.
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