2012 Lamborghini LP700-4 first drive Aventador

It took an upshift at full speed in 4th gear, while tracking a vertex outside to remind us that the 2012 Lamborghini LP700-4 Aventador is a monster. The team opens at home with such authority that the final shake ass next instant a few feet before the Aventador can mix appropriate countermeasures to prevent avalanches of its V12 power have their way with the carbon fiber chassis the car, big tires and around the field.

With the Aventador, Lamborghini has a completely new top end to replace its aging Murcielago supercar. It's big, extravagant and powerful. In other words, it is a typical Italian supercar.

There is a new wrinkle here, though - the Aventador is a kitten. A kitten from 690 horsepower to break at 62 mph (100 km / h) in 2.9 seconds, reaching 124 mph (200 km / h) 6 seconds later and cheat to 10.5 seconds quarter mile .

A new 12-cylinder engine
Italian supercar and V12 go together like grappa and eat food, so naturally the Aventador (ie ah-ah-vent-DOR) assembles a hand-built normally aspirated folded longitudinally-12 between the rear wheels and the cabin. That's where the Aventador get your LP (posterior longitudinal) designation.

Known internally as L539 is a clean-sheet output unit that shares nothing with the power plant output beyond its 6.5 liters. Cam phase variable intake and exhaust facilitates a compression ratio of 11.8:1, quite high for an engine that uses direct injection (DI). Engineers say DI was discarded due to upcoming European regulations on particulate emissions, which would have required a particulate filter and a backpressure penalty associated. In addition, performance objectives were met without ID, so why bother?

L539 is a conventional engine, apparently elsewhere too, with forged steel bar connection instead of the titanium that is fashionable and steel sleeves instead of the unicorn's tears are sprayed on the walls of cylinder other modern engines. However, it is hard to argue with the results.

Their numbers are staggering - maximum power of 690 hp is reached at 8,250 rpm and its maximum 509 pounds-feet of torque arrives at 5,500 rpm. Dry sump short distance of 12 cylinder design lends itself to high speed and breathing - 48 valves provide a huge area of ​​the valve curtain, and each piston and rod can be relatively weak, reducing piston forces at the end inferior.

Despite its absurd power, the engine is said to weigh only 518 pounds and is about 3 inches lower than the old V12 to keep the center of gravity control.

Sharp and manageable at low speeds, but devastatingly powerful, is a jewel of an engine. The combination of flat torque curve wide and achieve excellent results in the speed that the batteries in the seemingly fast. The lazy sound engine is also difficult. Sounds of three thousand revolutions per minute as inactive, and the 8500 rpm redline - which comes in a hurry - no emergency hearing, a tenor whine a little flat-6 drones. As a result, you are traveling much faster than expected when it comes time to visit the carbon-ceramic brake department, which, fortunately, offers a broad resistance to fading.

Seven-speed gearbox and AWD system
Appropriately, the new engine is mated to a new transmission and all wheel drive. The exchange with a new single-clutch seven-speed automated manual gearbox and a Haldex clutch pack differential IV which replaces the central viscous coupling of the Murcielago.

The gear shift firmness varies from mild to where's brutal-the-ibuprofen.

At 154, one 2012 Lamborghini Aventador clutch gearbox - called ISR or Independent Rod Change - is said to be lighter than a dual-clutch unit provides gear speeds as fast as 50 milliseconds. The result is that while SRI may disconnect a computer, while the involvement of the following, shaving precious time. The smallest of Gallardo e-gear transmission requires more than double the time between shifts (120 ms).

The pressure unit handling Haldex clutch to actively adjust the amount of torque is sent to the front differential, which is the variety of locking brake. Springing from the passenger side of the transaxle is a driving force in making a mechanical limited-slip rear differential.

Carbon fiber-Bones
Fanning is carbon fiber-intensive construction is much more sophisticated than the outgoing car welded steel chassis, and points the way to the future of Lamborghini.

Produced in the Lamborghini factory in Sant'Agata, the car begins life as large spools of carbon fiber cloth in a room with controlled temperature. The fabric is cut into pieces with a knife guided by ultrasound and manual CNC molds set in carbon fiber before being sent to expensive ovens known as an autoclave for curing. All this forms the base of the bathtub Aventador and roof sections.

Other parts are molded in place until the two halves of the clam fuse, forming a single rigid monocoque central subframe that bolted aluminum front and rear.

The monocoque carbon fiber stiffens the chassis extremely high, while cutting weight. The torsional rigidity of the vehicle, measured between the axles is 25,800 pounds-feet of torque per degree, about 150 percent more than the Murcielago. At 506 pounds, with subplots, all-white body is 30 percent lighter than the outgoing car.

On the sidewalk, 3472 pounds of Aventador means that there is a good flyweight, but at least resists the common tendency to swelling of the model. And the masses are centrally located, so when the point of throwing into a corner now becomes, like a shark missile lock on a meal.

Taming the beast
All of this level of sophistication of the newly discovered propulsion system is intended to exploit the power of the 2012 Lamborghini Aventador ridiculous in a controlled manner. Three driving modes - Strada, Sport and the Corsa - stupid rule can only be gradually loosen the belt permissible slip angle, reducing understeer and add weight to management. Similarly, the gear shift firmness varies from mild to the brutality Strada where's-the-ibuprofen Corsa.

In the Vallelunga racing circuit located just outside of Rome, which extended Aventador legs. Lamborghini forbade anyone from driving with the online stability control completely off, protection against the costly consequences of a car delivering 700 horsepower to over-confidence, jet-lagged journalists.

The steering is linear and well weighted, if a curtain of silence, as if as a result of the magic that is keeping the car on the straight and narrow. Exploring the limits of Aventador is child's play, and the car seems very large to reduce speed, feeling sharper the faster you go. This is a beast with good manners. Pour in power out of corners and pin Aventador excavations in the seat, absolutely yes scratching out a way that would be impossible with only two wheels.

Even in Corsa mode, the Aventador is infallible. Although this way allows one or two degrees of power oversteer, the car is still accessible even indulgent and full stroke. Its balance sheet is driving the nose aimed at low speed and you can feel the difference in braking and all-wheel drive system fine job of keeping his composure vehicle entering a curve at high speed. In this sense, less drivers look like heroes, but expert users will be looking for the "ESP Off" for a more absorbent.

The strength of the shock of shocks driven by bell crank Ohlins is fixed. Apparently, Lamborghini believes that there is only one level of damping required - correct. We did not drive the fan in the street, but absorbs the braking bumps without flinching FIA, however, stays flat in corners, making it a good omen. In addition, we all went Aventadors were fitted with Pirelli P Zero Corsa, sticky street-legal R-compound jobs to be offered as an option. Do not expect to get a lot of their lives.

A feast for the eyes
Fanning is undoubtedly a Lamborghini. Its scissor doors at the end of the subsequent imposition mass and the only plane formed by the hood and windshield, point to a super down the Countach.

Brutal rather than beautiful, however, has some organic adornments like roofline that makes it look like a snake emerging from a pile of irregular stones. Two panels on each side of the engine bay to the free speed, like the exoskeleton of an insect, the air supply for the transmission and oil coolers. When this happens as the rear spoiler increases the body, the Aventador seems eerily alive.

Its cabin is spacious modern and useful, wearing a hood and brightwork incredibly deep minimum. Headroom is decent, though the top of the windshield is a bit low for tall drivers, they will also learn to duck lower as the car turn to avoid a bump on the head.

An easy pull down the handle and the door closed with a whump. A manual release lets you take the wheel right to your chest if you like (and us). The seats are supportive without relying on overly intrusive reinforced. In fact, it worked so well that not even think of them as they attacked the Vallelunga circuit, which tells you all you need to know.

All hexagons of the trapezoid body and repeated elements in the interior, all the way to the buttons on the center console and seat panels. It's a bit much, especially the swing-cover fool the engine start button, which is also hexagonal. On the other hand, luxury cars are the theater and the occasion, and gives the Aventador.

An interesting feature is the switchable LCD screen on the dashboard. Hold down the button on the wiper stalk for 3 seconds to go from a big tachometer and digital display of speed to the opposite: a circular speedometer and tachometer numerical size.

It remains a Supercar
The 2012 Lamborghini Aventador really is a super easy to use, some might consider an oxymoron. While making sure the wheel is more or less command points directly to an upshift, the Aventador performance is docile and most easily accessible. Maybe a little too easy, because it can give you a beating, insane speeds and then jump from the cab as fresh as ever. This, then, is a supercar of the new school.

Affordable performance, however, is one thing. Really get your hands on one and another very different. Fanning is labeled $ 393,695 including destination and gas guzzler tax when it comes to U.S. shores in late summer. But even money can not buy time, as the first 18 months of production Aventador already talking about.