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Lamborghini Aventador SVJ First Drive Review | Worth its weight in carbon fiber

Relentless. If we were to define Lamborghini in 2018, this is the word we'd choose. Led by the indefatigable head of research and development, Maurizio Reggiani, the engineering team at Sant'Agata Bolognese are constantly iterating current models — futzing, enhancing, testing. Give them a problem and they'll hammer away at it. The Aventador has been one of those problems. The V12 flagship was released in 2011 and shone far more for its sharp-edged Lambo-tastic design than its sharp handling. If we were looking for a word to describe that first iteration, we'd say ... wanting. Which brings us to the Autodromo do Estoril in Portugal on a sunny day in September. We're here to drive the new Aventador SVJ, first shown this year at Pebble Beach. It is the fourth major non-roadster model, following the SV and the S. Lamborghini promises that the SVJ is the ultimate Aventador. The fixed Aventador. Or mostly, says Reggiani. "I'm not that arrogant to say that everything is perfect. There's always something that could be better." He shrugs, then smiles. "But our goal is to synchronize all the improvements and create something unique, something special." The SVJ's naturally breathing V12 makes 759 horsepower and 531 pound-feet of torque. Top speed is 217 mph, and 62 mph arrives in 2.8 seconds. The price, without taxes or extra bits of carbon fiber or seats in novel shades of purple, starts at $517,770. Reggiani and friends have come to the conclusion that the obvious formula of shedding weight while adding power can only take you so far. (That's what they did with the SV and it's only middling.) Hence the SVJ gets every new trick that the company has engineered as of late, including aero vectoring, rear-wheel-steer and all-wheel-drive. And it's already netted results. The SVJ snatched the production-car 'Ring record from the Porsche 911 GT2 RS with a time of 6:44.97. The track surface at Estoril was resurfaced only weeks ago, and oils from the asphalt are weeping out onto the surface. This has caused great consternation among the Lamborghini camp, as grip is closer to driving on glass than nice stubbly tarmac. On my first set of laps, a pro driver suggests that I leave the car in sport mode, which sends more power to the rear wheels. "Easier to turn in," he suggests, as the front wheels are having trouble gaining traction on the slick surface.

Lamborghini sends off the Aventador with a stunning grand finale

Lamborghini created a 770-horsepower swan song to celebrate the end of the Aventador's production run. Known as the LP 780-4 Ultimae, the final evolution of the firm's flagship will arrive as a limited-edition model offered as a coupe and as a roadster. It's also presented as Lamborghini's last non-electrified V12-powered supercar. The roaring, naturally-aspirated V12 engine has played a significant role in shaping Lamborghini's image since the brand's inception in 1963. It's not completely going away, and it's certainly not about to adopt forced induction, but staying on the legal side of looming emissions regulations requires adding an electrified component. In the future, the V12 will be part of a hybrid system that hasn't been detailed yet. In the meantime, it carries on as a high-octane masterpiece with 6.5 liters of displacement and an output bumped to 770 horsepower at a screaming 8,500 rpm and 531 pound-feet of torque at 6,750 rpm. For context, the same basic engine develops 730 and 759 horsepower in the Aventador S and the Aventador SVJ, respectively. It still spins the four wheels via a seven-speed Independent Shift Rod (ISR) automatic transmission linked to a pair of shift paddles and a Haldex-type four-wheel-drive system. Lamborghini quotes a 0-to-62-mph time of 2.8 seconds and a top speed of 220 mph. With more power comes less weight: The Aventador lost 55 pounds in its transition from the S to the Ultimae. Like its predecessor, it offers enthusiasts a trick four-wheel steering system, huge carbon ceramic brakes, and four different driving profiles. 2022 Lamborghini Aventador Ultimae View 15 Photos Stylists and engineers worked together to update the Aventador's exterior design. Up front, the changes are relatively subtle and made largely to optimize aerodynamic efficiency. Out back, the tweaks are more noticeable. The two round exhaust outlets notably move up to echo the design seen on the aforementioned SVJ and on the smaller Huracan Evo. Buyers can choose from a palette of 18 paint colors, and they can customize accents like the red accents on the diffuser. Alternatively, a 300-color palette is offered by Lamborghini's Ad Personam division. Lamborghini will present the Aventador LP 780-4 Ultimae to the public for the first time during the 2021 edition of the Goodwood Festival of Speed opening tomorrow, July 8. Production will be limited to 350 coupes and 250 roadsters, and each one will wear a numbered plaque on dashboard.

Porsche Taycan is here, Lamborghini Sian is near | Autoblog Podcast #594

In this week's Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by Senior Editor Alex Kierstein and Senior Editor, Green, John Beltz Snyder. They start the conversation with the cars they've been driving, including the Subaru Forester, Lincoln Navigator, Mercedes-AMG C 43 and Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid. Then they talk about the biggest news of the week: the reveal of the all-electric Porsche Taycan. After that, they sweep up other news, like the Lamborghini Sian, new Nissan Juke and the Aston Martin Vanquish 25 by Ian Callum. Next, Autoblog's Erik Meier, who both produces this very podcast and also hosts our Twitch livestream, joins the chat with his impressions of the latest racing game, "WRC 8." Finally, our editors try to provide some helpful guidance in the "Spend My Money" segment. Autoblog Podcast #594 Get The Podcast iTunes – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes RSS – Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator MP3 – Download the MP3 directly Rundown Cars we're driving 2019 Subaru Forester 2019 Lincoln Navigator 2019 Mercedes-AMG C 43 Coupe 2019 Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid Porsche unveils 2020 Taycan Turbo and Turbo S 2020 Lamborghini Sian Next-generation Nissan Juke Aston Martin Vanquish 25 by Ian Callum Autoblog plays "WRC 8" Spend My Money Feedback Email – Podcast@Autoblog.com Review the show on iTunes Related Video:     Green Podcasts Toys/Games Aston Martin Lamborghini Lincoln Mercedes-Benz Nissan Porsche Subaru Used Car Buying Coupe Crossover SUV Electric Hybrid Performance