2012 Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera on 2040-cars

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Maurizio Reggiani talks racing, forced induction, and Lamborghini V12s

Maurizio Reggiani deserves his own chapter in Lamborghini's history. He joined the Italian company in 1995 and rose to the position of chief technical officer in 2006; he notably led the development of some of Lamborghini's greatest modern-day engines, including the 6.5-liter V12 that powers the Aventador. His time as the head of Lamborghini's research and development department ended earlier in 2022 and he now serves as vice president of motorsport. His successor, Rouven Mohr, is tasked with implementing an ambitious and far-reaching electrification strategy called Direzione Cor Tauri and outlined in 2021. As Lamborghini prepares to enter a new era, I sat down with Reggiani for a behind-the-scenes look at nearly 30 years of V12 development. [The following has been edited for clarity.] RG: Lamborghini has made other engines and other companies have made V12s. Why is the V12 so often associated with Lamborghini? MR: In a time when everybody started talking about downsizing and reducing cylinder count, we continued to say that the V12 is the flagship of the super-sports car. We were born with this: Lamborghini has made a V12 during every year of its history. We also did V8s in the time of the Jalpa, for example, but the V12 was every time the main pillar of this company. If you want to be considered the pinnacle of super-sports cars, no other engine can really speak to purists like a naturally-aspirated V12 can. In terms of power, in terms of sound, in terms of emotion, and in terms of, let me say, the coolest engine that's possible in terms of engineering definition. RG: What projects have stood out to you during your time at the head of Lamborghini's R&D department? MR: When I started my career, 40 years ago at Maserati, I worked in engine development. At Bugatti, I was responsible for powertrain, which of course includes the engine. For me, an engine is kind of like a first love, and you remain in love for all of your life. To look at an engine, to look inside, to discuss the components, to have an opinion, and to give a suggestion was my way of working every time. One of the projects that excited me the most was the Diablo GT. For the first time, we decided to put a single throttle per cylinder, and it was a level of sophistication that was more or less never used before by Lamborghini. You take experience from the past and try to apply it to [the present]. This improved a lot the performance, and it was really super exciting.

Are supercars becoming less special?

There's little doubt that we are currently enjoying the golden age of automotive performance. Dozens of different models on sale today make over 500 horsepower, and seven boast output in excess of 700 hp. Not long ago, that kind of capability was exclusive to supercars – vehicles whose rarity, performance focus, and requisite expense made them aspirational objects of desire to us mortals. But more than that, supercars have historically offered a unique driving experience, one which was bespoke to a particular model and could not be replicated elsewhere. But in recent years, even the low-volume players have been forced to find the efficiencies and economies of scale that formerly hadn't been a concern for them, and in turn the concept of the supercar as a unique entity unto itself is fading fast. The blame doesn't fall on one particular manufacturer nor a specific production technique. Instead, it's a confluence of different factors that are chipping away at the distinction of these vehicles. It's not all bad news – Lamborghini's platform sharing with Audi for the Gallardo and the R8 yielded a raging bull that was more reliable and easier to live with on a day-to-day basis, and as a result it went on to become the best-selling Lambo in the company's history. But it also came at the cost of some of the Italian's exclusivity when eerily familiar sights and sounds suddenly became available wearing an Audi badge. Even low-volume players have been forced to find economies of scale. Much of this comes out of necessity, of course. Aston Martin's recent deal with Mercedes-AMG points toward German hardware going under the hood and into the cabin of the upcoming DB11, and it's safe to assume that this was not a decision made lightly by the Brits, as the brand has built a reputation for the bespoke craftsmanship of its vehicles. There's little doubt that the DB11 will be a fine automobile, but the move does jeopardize some of the characteristic "specialness" that Astons are known for. Yet the world is certainly better off with new Aston Martins spliced with DNA from Mercedes-AMG rather than no new Astons at all, and the costs of developing cutting-edge drivetrains and user interfaces is a burden that's becoming increasingly difficult for smaller manufacturers to bear. Even Ferrari is poised to make some dramatic changes in the way it designs cars.

Lamborghini Aventador SVJ Roadster removes roof for added sound and fury

In his first drive review for Autoblog, contributing writer Jason Harper described the sound of the Lamborghini Aventador SVJ as a "GT3 race car married to a Learjet crossed with a Valkyrie warrior screaming at her husband. At full flog it's loud enough to make you wince and eradicate all conversation. It is the sound of a non-turbo V12 doing exactly what it's made for." Now, imagine hearing all that without a pesky roof in the way. That's what you'll get with the Lamborghini Aventador SVJ Roadster unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show. It is the convertible version of the SVJ, which replaces the coupe's fixed roof with a carbon fiber panel that must be physically removed and stored under the hood. There is a not-insignificant weight penalty of 110 pounds for going topless, which certainly stands in contrast to the SVJ's various weight-saving measures. Otherwise, the Roadster is business as usual for the SVJ. As a refresher, this Aventador would be the latest-and-greatest version with a track focus. Besides weighing less than the 730-horsepower Aventador S Roadster, it boasts 759 horsepower and 531 pound-feet of torque from its naturally aspirated V12. Lamborghini says the SVJ Roadster will accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 2.9 seconds, which is 0.1 second slower than the coupe. It has a seven-speed automated manual transmission and all-wheel drive. The SVJ features the second-generation Aerodynamica Lamborghini Attiva system (ATA), which basically adds an abundance of active aero elements designed to reduce drag and dramatically increase downforce. Those elements manage to selectively channel air away from the prominent rear wing to reduce drag (and therefore increase speed) on a straightaway, while allowing the wing to do its job and increase downforce when braking. It also effectively "stalls" air away from one half of the wing during cornering to provide extra downforce on the inside wheels during cornering and therefore increase grip. For the roadster, airflow is uninterrupted regardless of whether the roof is in place or removed, and Lamborghini says the SVJ sees a 40 percent improvement in downforce compared to the old SV Roadster. Other SVJ elements include a special rear-wheel steering system, while the Haldex fourth-generation all-wheel-drive system and magnetically controlled adaptive suspension have been specially tuned. For the latter, anti-roll stiffness has been improved by 50 percent compared to the SV Roadster.