Lamborghini joined its Volkswagen Group cousins at the traditional Geneva Motor Show eve preview event this evening (March 2, 2015) with something rather fast to show off.
It's the Aventador LP 750-4 Superveloce - or SV. It doesn't take a language genius to work out that Superveloce means 'superfast' in Italian and given that the '750' part refers to this car's power output, you can be sure it'll live up to expectations.
Exterior
No Lamborghini is what you'd call subtle, but this Aventador is particularly attention grabbing. That's partly down to the huge - and adjustable - rear wing. Below that is a lot of black mesh and carbon fibre to help with engine cooling and weight reduction. The aerodynamic diffuser is new, as is a lightweight four-outlet exhaust system. Lamborghini has redesigned the Aventador's nose too, in a bid to increase downforce and cooling capacity. Apparently, the LP 750-4 is 150 per cent more aerodynamically efficient with 170 per cent more downforce than the standard Aventador.
In case you were wondering about the eye-catching ruby colour, it's called Rossa Bia. Five other hues will be offered as standard, though many buyers are likely to specify their own choice of finish via Lamborghini's Ad Personam personalisation division. The dramatic wheels are 20-inch in diameter up front with 21-inch items at the back.
Interior
Changes to the Aventador's cabin, other than the all-new TFT instrument cluster, were focussed on weight reduction and indeed the carbon structure has been revealed in places. The shells of the new seats are made from carbon fibre, while they're upholstered in Alcantara and leather; the door panels are made of carbon; and there are no carpets, no infotainment (unless the buyer really wants it...) and reduced sound deadening material. Additionally, the SV debuts a soft new material Lamborghini calls Carbon Skin. Lamborghini says that 50kg has been trimmed from the car, bringing the weight down to 1,525kg.
Mechanicals
Lamborghini's engineers have gone to work on the Aventador's 6.5-litre V12 engine, which now produces up to 750hp at 8,400rpm. Torque peaks at 690Nm at 5,500rpm. Revisions include a completely new lightweight exhaust and tweaks to the variable valve timing and variable inlet systems. The Aventador's ISR automated manual gearbox is retained, as is its Haldex four-wheel drive system. Lamborghini quotes 0-100km/h in 2.8 seconds and a top speed of 'over 350km/h'.
New to the SV is adaptive Magneto Rheological Suspension (MRS), which alters the damping on a per-wheel basis by using a magnetorheological fluid that reacts to a variable magnetic force. Theoretically, this could make the Lambo more comfortable yet also firmer and more controlled when needs be. On top of that there's a new variable ratio power steering system called Lamborghini Dynamic Steering.
Anything else?
We don't expect to ever see an LP 750-4 SV in Ireland, but it's fun to work out how much it'll cost here. It's on sale in Europe for €327,190, but that doesn't include VAT or VRT... With emissions of 370g/km it's clearly in Band G, which attracts 36 per cent VRT on top of the VAT-inclusive price. Our calculator prodding suggests that means a price of about €550,000. Bargain.