Giallo Midas Pearl Clean Carfax 6-speed Manual Asanti Wheels on 2040-cars

Auto blog

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.

Like an iPhone S, the 2017 Lamborghini Aventador S adds speed and features

When most automakers introduce a new generation of vehicle, it represents a dramatic change in performance or design. Don't tell Lamborghini that – while the company calls its new Aventador S a new generation, the reality is that this is Sant'Agata's facelifted flagship, complete with some modest visual tweaks and a couple of new pieces of technology. In fact, it's closer to Apple's product cadence of introducing an S model of the iPhone before an all-new model. Those aesthetic changes include a new fascia that Lamborghini claims is more aerodynamic, while the vertical ducts on the outside of the lower intake optimize airflow around the front tires and those huge front wheels, while channeling more air toward the rear radiators. In back, there's a restyled diffuser, and a neat hexagonal exhaust outlet. Above that, there's a three-position active rear wing. All told, Lamborghini claims front downforce is up 130 percent while "overall efficiency" in high-downforce mode increases 50 percent and low-downforce mode improves 400 percent. New for the Aventador is a trick four-wheel steering system, a first for a series production Lamborghini. The idea with the system is like other four-wheel-steering. At low speeds it turns the rear wheels in the opposite direction of the fronts, tightening the Lambo's giant turning radius. At high speeds, the system works in reverse by turning the rear wheels in the same direction as the fronts and providing improved stability. But none of these style and tech changes are worth a damn without that big lump of fury in the Aventador S' middle. Like previous versions, there's a 6.5-liter V12, but its output is up to an SV-matching 740 ponies – torque is unchanged from the LP700-4 we tested in 2015, at 509 pound-feet. Max engine speed is up from 8,350 rpm to a wild 8,500 rpm. The result? Zero to 62 miles per hour in 2.9 seconds and a top speed of 217. Prices for the 2017 Aventador S start at an eye-watering $421,350 and – we're guessing – can creep up near $500,000 with a few carefully selected carbon-fiber accents and Ad Personam options. Lamborghini is planning to start deliveries in spring 2017. Related Video:

Lamborghini close to joining premier LMDh class in IMSA

According to Racer magazine, Lamborghini hasn't officially said yes to joining the LMDh class in global endurance racing, but folks behind the scenes have green-lit the project and an announcement could come next month. Publicly, the brand's head of motorsport for the U.S. said work on a factory endurance program is "90% of the way there," the remainder to be sorted out by finding the right customer teams to lead the charge. Assuming this is what happens, Lamborghini will join Volkswagen Group siblings Audi and Porsche in the class, plus Acura and BMW. Cadillac hasn't made its intentions public, but observers expect the American luxury brand to come clean during this month's 24 Hours of Le Mans and show its LMDh challenger. Hyundai's apparently on the sidelines and leaning in, too. If all are counted, this would give the premier class for the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship seven entries come 2024, and potentially add to the top-class LMH field in the FIA World Endurance Championship . As a refresher, there are two top-tier classes coming to global endurance racing. There's Le Mans Daytona hybrid (LMDh) that begins in IMSA next year, and Le Mans Hypercar (LMH) that started competing in the WEC on May 1 this year. LMDh cars use a spec chassis provided by one of four suppliers, Dallara, Ligier, Multimatic, or Oreca. LMDh teams can use any engine and electronics they want, but they will all fit a spec hybrid unit supplied by Bosch, a spec lithium-ion battery from Williams Engineering and a spec gearbox from Xtrac. Max horsepower will be limited to about 680. Audi and Porsche opted for a Multimatic chassis powered by a turbocharged V8, and Lamborghini is expected to follow its family members. Every team can create its own bodywork, the limit being a 4:1 ratio of drag to downforce and a single aero package for the year to keep costs down. The LMH class is based on roadgoing hypercars, a manufacturer required to sell 20 of the retail hypercars over a two-year period to qualify. Although output's capped to around 680 hp as with LMDh, manufacturers can develop their own engines, gearboxes and hybrid systems. Discrete bodywork is allowed with the same drag-to-downforce ratio limit. There will be balance-of-performance restrictions imposed on LMDh and LMH fields, and measures such as torque meters mounted on driveshafts to monitor overall output of each powertrain.