The Lamborghini is back with new Aventador LP 700-4 Roadster, Despite other high-powered exotics on a variety of racing circuits, including nearly all of its Gallardo siblings, the all-wheel-drive, 700-horsepower flagship.
The Lamborghini Aventador LP 700-4 coupe was launched at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show as a replacement for the automaker's Murciélago flagship. But unlike its predecessor, which was built around a steel frame chassis with double-wishbone suspension, the all-new Aventador boasted a full carbon-fiber monocoque occupant cell and advanced push-rod suspension. We first drove Sant'Agata's latest V12 Coupe nearly two years ago, and our own Matt Davis dove into its technical wizardry during his First Drive review. But this time I was standing face-to-face with the new sun-serving Roadster, as it has its own set of tricks to show off.
It isn't as stiff as the coupe, torsional rigidity is down about 37 percent but it carries the Aventador's carbon-composite tub forward when constructing its new Roadster. But surgically cutting the roof off any coupe introduces the potential for turning the chassis into a wet noodle (take the lid off a shoebox and watch how flimsy the open container becomes), so the automaker called upon its extensive experience with carbon-fiber to reinforce the rocker sections of the monocoque (the tub and windshield surround are one piece) and lay down more composite on the tunnel and firewall behind the passengers. It isn't as stiff as the coupe (torsional rigidity is down about 37 percent), but without a laser sight you'd never know.
Inside the cabin, one of the most noticeable additions is a small, power-operated retractable rear window located just aft of the passenger's ears. When raised, it blocks the wind and acts as an effective acoustic barrier between the engine compartment and cabin. When retracted, the breezes resume and the full fury of the twelve-cylinder is more audibly enjoyed. The difference between the two settings is drastic. At the heart of the Aventador is a naturally aspirated dry sump 6.5-liter V12 that's mid-mounted in the chassis in an aluminum subframe. With variable valve timing, the 60-degree 12-cylinder delivers 700 horsepower and 509 pound-feet of torque, making it about the most powerful naturally aspirated engine on the consumer market. Despite its massive displacement, the engine's redline is a stratospheric 8,500 rpm - angels can't even sing that high.
The powerplant, mounted backwards with its output shaft pointing forward (as it has been since the Countach era), is mated to a seven-speed single-clutch automated gearbox (Lamborghini calls it the ISR, for Independent Shifting Rod). Power is sent to all four wheels through an electronically controlled fourth-generation Haldex clutch that varies torque from zero to 60 percent, based on speed and available grip. Using launch control, the 3,582-pound Aventador Roadster - slightly more than 100 pounds heavier than the coupe - will shatter the 60 mph benchmark in about 2.8 seconds as it is propelled towards a maximum velocity of 217 mph.
New for 2013, Lamborghini has configured the engine with cylinder deactivation. At speeds below 84 mph, and during light throttle, one bank of cylinders will lose their fuel supply and the powerplant becomes a smooth-running inline-six. The process is seamless, and it reportedly adds one mpg to the Lamborghini's EPA highway rating. The new Roadster also features start-stop, meaning 6.5-liters of goodness comes to a halt when the vehicle is stopped for more than a few seconds. No worries, says the automaker, as it will relight faster than you can move your foot off the brake and back to the accelerator.
Other features like fantastic cornering grip and intelligent all-wheel drive backed with prodigious power. After snapping off rapid manual upshifts just shy of its shorts-soiling redline on the straights, I would utilize the carbon-ceramic discs to brake very late while holding the flat-bottom steering wheel as steady as possible. During the deceleration, the trick was to downshift to no lower than second gear (full throttle in first would break the tires free mid-corner, resulting in a spin) and then hit the power hard just after clipping the apex. With constant and deliberate steering inputs, and one wallop of trust in the all-wheel-drive system, the 700-horsepower Roadster would hang its tail out ever so slightly as its four tires clawed out of the corner. With determination, speed and brute power, the Lambo vaulted from turn to turn like a panther chasing a doomed rabbit.
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