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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.

All 12 Lamborghini Venenos have been recalled for risk of fire

From time to time, the fiery personality of Italian cars becomes a bit too literal, and this is one of those times. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has acknowledged a recall for fire risk on the 2012–2017 Lamborghini Aventador, as well as all of its variants, including all three customer Veneno coupes and nine customer roadsters. We imagine the fourth non-production Veneno coupe is also affected. The recall involves 1,453 cars in the US, and Bloomberg reports that it also affects cars in other markets, for a total of 5,900. The report Lamborghini submitted to NHTSA says the issue lies with the gas tank's EVAP system. Liquid fuel can get into the EVAP system if an owner overfills it or in "particular handling situations," which we assume includes hard acceleration and cornering that sloshes the fuel around. If the fuel gets into the EVAP system, flammable vapors can escape. These vapors could potentially ignite, and the report states that high revving at a stop or using an aftermarket exhaust increases the danger due to the possibility of flames coming from the exhaust. According to NHTSA documentation, owners of affected vehicles will be notified of the issue by Lamborghini, and they will be able to schedule a time at the dealer to have the EVAP system fixed. The remedy includes a new type of purge valve, and the change will be done for free. Also, owners of the new Aventador S and the latest versions of the Aventador SV have nothing to worry about, since their cars already have the new parts. As for other Aventador and Veneno owners, we'd recommend not filling up your cars quite so full, and maybe don't show off at stop lights too much until the car is fixed. Related Video:

Lego Technic's first Lamborghini is a 1/8-scale, 3,696-piece Sian

Autoblog may receive a share from purchases made via links on this page. Pricing and availability are subject to change. The sold-out Lamborghini Sian FKP 37 represents a milestone in the company's history — its first production-bound hybrid, its most powerful street-legal car, and the first Raging Bull added to the Lego Technic catalog. Denmark's best-known brick builder turned the Sian into a monster of a kit made up of 3,696 pieces. They come together to form a 1/8-scale model that's over 23 inches long, five inches tall, and nine inches wide. We hope you have a big enough desk (or shelf) to display it on. Going big allowed designers to make the plastic Sian surprisingly realistic. Opening the scissor doors reveals a detailed cockpit with a steering wheel that turns the front wheels and a pair of shift paddles connected to a fully functional eight-speed sequential gearbox. Up front, there's a frunk containing a Lamborghini-branded bag and a unique serial number that unlocks special content, though neither Lego nor Lamborghini has shed light on what buyers will be able to access with it. Most of the space behind the passenger compartment is hogged by a naturally-aspirated V12 engine with movable pistons, carbon fiber-like trim, and a plaque showing its hypothetical firing order. Builders will also need to mount Lamborghini-branded calipers onto the discs and assemble a movable suspension system on both ends. Lego's version of the Lamborghini Sian FKP 37 will be available on its website and in its stores on June 1. Other retailers (like toy stores) will begin receiving the model on August 1. Lamborghini told us it will cost $380. For context, the life-sized, 819-horsepower Sian is strictly limited to 63 examples worldwide and every example was spoken for before the model made its public debut at the 2019 Frankfurt auto show. Lamborghini hasn't revealed pricing for it, either, but it's reasonable to assume that it landed well into seven-digit territory. 2020 has been a good year for fans of scaled-down Italian cars sold with some assembly required. Lego Technic's first Ducati, a Panigale V4 R, made its debut in April as a 12.6-inch long, 646-piece kit with a two-speed transmission. In March, the rear-engined Fiat 500 joined Lego's Creator Expert catalog in a box with 960 pieces. Related Video: