Driving from Umhlanga to Ladysmith, I learned some things about the Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4 Roadster. But mostly I learned about what it is not.
It is not, for example…
… subtle
While its stealth-fighter design means it will not register on any radar, it will certainly register on the human retina. From any angle, the Aventador is an arresting sight. Even by supercar standards. All those low-slung, flat planes, crisp creases, sharp vectors and steeply-angled glass panes create a sense of menace that involuntarily whips heads ’round and raises eyebrows. Even when finished in a calming light blue – Azzuro Thetis is the official name – the Aventador is an attention-demander.
Sheer speed aside, this unashamed lack of subtlety is reinforced by the 7-speed automated transmission. At low speeds, gear changes are reasonably soft, but send the rev counter up past 7 000 r/min before swapping cogs in manual paddleshift mode and it becomes a brutal affair. The ’box slams the ratios into position with the subtlety of a steampunk pile-driver. Under heavy acceleration you have to brace yourself for the upshifts.
… slow
Not by a long shot. Thanks to exactly the same drivetrain as found in the coupe, the Roadster has a naturally-aspirated 515 kW V12 motor that the Sant’Agata company claims is good for a zero to 100 km/h time of 2,9 seconds and a top speed of 350 km/h. Ironically, given that the Aventador is produced by a bunch of passionate Italians, the top speed appears to be something of a conservative claim and there are Aventador owners who have documented speeds of closer to 370.
… sensible
The Lambo tries to be sensible, but not very hard. There are three buttons on the centre console labeled “Strada”, “Sport”, and “Corsa”. Each button gives you different throttle response, steering, suspension, and traction settings – the theory being that you can toggle between highway cruising and track-day heroics. As ever though, the gap between theory and practice remains wide and the reality is a car that’s brutally quick and as far removed from sensible as it gets no matter which button you press.
… all that intimidating
Which was a surprise, given the above observations. Piloting a V12 supercar should be an intimidating prospect with an Azzuro Thetis-coloured smear on a highway armco an all too real possibility. It’s an unsettling feeling that doesn’t go away when you start the car either. Press that starter button and, behind your head, the engine immediately fires with a loud banshee scream. I’ll be honest, that initial sphincter-clench of fear doesn’t dissipate for the first 45 minutes, but thereafter, once used to the aural assault, one grows accustomed to the car’s broad dimensions and the Aventador inspires the confidence to apply more pressure on the right-hand pedal. And when you do that, the Lambo really comes into its own.
Give the Aventador a chance to stretch its legs and the car’s prodigious grip mechanical and aero grip become evident. The former comes courtesy of 255/35R19 (front) and 335/30R20 (rear) Pirellis shod upon massive 20 and 21-inch rims, as well as double wishbone suspension with in-board dampers both front and rear; and the latter thanks to airflow managed over a large rear spoiler that deploys at speeds of around 100 km/h.
You could – though you wouldn’t because it would flout the laws of the land and you’d end up having to pay a bribe larger than you’re accustomed – but you could confidently cruise at 200 km/h plus in the fast lane and not feel like you were going too much faster than 120km/h. The Aventador genuinely feels that stable, easy to drive, and downright comfortable at those speeds.
… cheap
It is in fact the very opposite of cheap. The Roadster will set you back about R7,5-million. One could argue that you’re actually getting two cars for that price: a convertible that will allow the wind to ruffle your expensively coiffure’d hair; and, once the two carbon-fibre roof panels are clicked into place, a coupe to shield you from the rest of the hoi polloi on the roads. But, you’re right, that’s not much of an argument.
One argument that does hold up, though, is this… the Lamborghini Aventador Roadster is one of the finest examples of automotive engineering endeavour that you can purchase. Which is another way of saying it’s one of the world’s great cars.
That is what it is.
Specifications:*
Model: Lamborghini Aventador LP 700-4 Roadster
Engine: 6,5L V12, petrol
Power: 515 kW at 8 250 r/min
Torque: 690 N.m at 5 500 r/min
0-100 km/h: 3,0 seconds
Fuel consumption: 16 l/100 km
Fuel tank capacity: 90 litres
CO2: 370 g/km
Top speed: 350 km/h
Price: R7,5-million
*According to the manufacturer
