Lamborghini awed us all when it debuted the brand-new Huracan EVO Spyder. Little did we know, the raging bull had another, bigger surprise in store for us. At the ongoing Geneva Motor Show, the surprise was unveiled in all its drop-top glory. Meet the Lamborghini Aventador SVJ Roadster.
Design
There is no faulting a Lamborghini when it comes to design. The super-low and sleek profile is instantly recognizable. So are the huge vents just behind the doors. The front fascia features massive air dams under aggressively-designed headlamps. The monstrous engine is recessed beneath an engine panel that would look more at home as a slit window of an exquisite banquet hall. The rear portion of the car contains a lot of mesh for all the heat to be let off. Then there's the single centre-mounted exhaust poking out of the massive diffuser.Achingly beautiful from any angle you choose.
This was just about the stock Aventador. The SVJ Roadster takes matters to another level altogether. SVJ stands for Super Veloce Jota (Super Fast Unique), and there couldn't be a more fitting label to a car that looks as exquisitely savage as the Lamborghini Aventador SVJ Roadster. The name's quite a mouthful, but the car is also quite a handful.
There is a key difference between drop-tops out of Sant'Agata Bolognese. If Lamborghini labels a car 'Spyder', that means the car has an electronically-folding roof. If you read 'Roadster' at the end of a Lambo's name, you are looking at a car with a roof that comes off manually. The Aventador SVJ Roadster, then, is a hard-top supercar that converts to an open-top automobile as soon as you stow away the roof panels.
Technology
It's no secret that Lamborghini is one of the last bastions of good old naturally aspirated engines. Emissions norms do not affect manufacturers whose annual production is less than 10,000 units. Aboard the Aventador SVJ is the legendary naturally-aspirated 6.5-litre V12. In stock guise about six years ago, the engine used to pump out 700hp. Today, it is good for 759hp under the Aventador SVJ Roadster's hood.As visceral as it is beautiful, the Aventador SVJ Roadster is just a few pounds of explosives away from being a ballistic missile.
Transferring all that power to the ground is a web of sophisticated aerodynamics that helps maximize grip and stability, keeping the Roadster glued to the road as much as possible. The massive spoiler, active aerodynamics, and that sleek design all help the Aventador SVJ Roadster cut through the air so efficiently, a hot knife would think it isn't cutting fast enough through butter. The end result? Zero to 100kph comes up in 2.9 seconds, and top speed is well north of 350kph.
Thoroughbred Lamborghini
Performance, drag times, top speed, aero- everything else should play second fiddle to the driving experience. A Lamborghini is not about performance, specifications, lap times, or anything remotely close. It is about soaking in the V12's glorious soundtrack over varying speeds, all the while wrapped in a sumptuous, futuristic interior. Everything about a Lamborghini makes you feel special. Everything about an Aventador SVJ Roadster makes you feel like a king. Especially when you stow the panels away and sing with the wind.Of course it has scissor doors. It is a V12 Lamborghini after all.
Lamborghini sure knows how to knock our jaws out of joint with every launch. The SVJ Roadster just goes to substantiate that habit of the wicked minds at Sant'Agata Bolognese. And as it stands, the LaFerrari Aperta is no longer unchallenged in the drop-top roadster segment. One look at the Lamborghini Aventador SVJ Roadster, and you know the Aperta doesn't even come close.
