Lamborghini Aventador S 2017 review
Content
- Does it represent good value for money? What functions does it have? 6/10
- Is there anything interesting about its design? 9/10
- How practical is the interior space? 6/10
- What are the main characteristics of the engine and transmission? 9/10
- How much fuel does it consume? 6/10
- What safety equipment is installed? What is the safety rating? 6/10
- How much does it cost to own? What kind of guarantee is provided? 7/10
- What is it like to drive? 9/10
- Verdict
- Do you want your ashes to be scattered in Sant'Agata or in Maranello, where do you want your remains to be interred? Tell us what you think in the comments below.
Aventador S from Lamborghini is the last living link of the old supercars. Wild looking bedroom stuff, a gigantic anti-social loud V12 that actually spews flames, and a performance that will thrill even a seasoned supercar driver.
It takes us back to when supercars sucked but it didn't matter because they were proof that you have both the money and the patience to grow them and then wring their necks because that was the only the way it made sense. While the Huracan is a thoroughly modern supercar, the Aventador is a shameless, unabashed, hairy-chested, head-shaking rock monkey.
| Lamborghini Aventador 2017: WILL | |
|---|---|
| Safety Rating | - |
| engine's type | 6.5L |
| fuel type | Premium unleaded gasoline |
| Fuel efficiency | 16.91l / 100km |
| Landing | 2 Places |
| Price from | No recent ads |
Does it represent good value for money? What functions does it have? 6/10
As is the case with any Italian supercar, the price-performance ratio is much higher than that of an ordinary everyday hatchback. The "naked" Aventador S starts at a frightening $789,425 and has virtually no direct competition. The Ferrari F12 has a mid-front engine, and any other V12 is either a completely different car like Rolls Royce or a super-expensive niche manufacturer (yes, niche compared to Lamborghini) like Pagani. This is a very rare breed, Lambo knows it, and here we are in a sneeze on specs from $800,000.
Your eight hundred gets 20" front wheels (pictured) and 21" rear wheels. (Image caption: Rhys Wonderside)
So you have to keep two things in mind when evaluating the value for money of a car at this level. Firstly, there is no real competitor in its pure form, and if there was, then at the same price and with the same characteristics. By the way, this is not an excuse, this is an explanation.
Anyway.
For your eight hundred, you get 20" front wheels and 21" rear wheels, climate control, cruise control, a 7.0" screen (supported by an older version of the Audi MMI), a quad-speaker stereo system with Bluetooth and USB, a car cover, bi-xenon headlights, carbon ceramic brakes, power seats, windows and mirrors, leather trim, satellite navigation, keyless entry and start, four-wheel steering, leather trim, digital instrument cluster, power folding and heated mirrors, active rear wing and active suspension. .
The amount of options out there is staggering, and if you really want to make it big, you can order your own options when it comes to trim, paint, and wheels. Let's just say, as far as the interior is concerned, our car had almost $29,000 in Alcantara, steering wheel and yellow. The telemetry system, heated seats, extra branding, front and rear cameras (uh huh) cost $24,000 and the cameras are almost half the price.
With all the minutiae, the test car we had cost a sobering $910,825 to the road.
Is there anything interesting about its design? 9/10
Asking if there's anything interesting about Lamborghini design is like asking if the sun is warm.
You can see the V12 engine through the extra glass cover. (Image caption: Rhys Wonderside)
While there are a few geese in the corners of the internet who think Audi has ruined Lamborghini styling, the Aventador is absolutely shy about nothing. It's an amazing looking car, and if I may say so, it shouldn't be done in black because you're missing out on a lot of crazy details.
This car is all about experience.
It may look close to the deck in the photos, but as low as you might think, it is shorter. The roofline barely reaches the bottom of the Mazda CX-5 windows - you need to be smart in this car because people just can't see you.
It's absolutely impressive - people stop and point, one guy ran 200 meters to take a picture of him in Sydney's CBD. Hello if you are reading.
The telemetry system, heated seats, additional branding, and front and rear cameras cost $24,000. (Image caption: Rhys Wonderside)
It's really cramped inside. It's amazing to think that a 4.8 meter long car (Hyundai Santa Fe is 4.7 meters) can hardly accommodate two people taller than six feet. My six-foot photographer's head left an imprint on the title. This is a tiny cabin. While not bad, it even has a cup holder on the rear bulkhead behind the seats.
The center console is covered in an Audi-based switchgear, and it's even better, even if it's starting to look a little old (those bits are from the pre-facelift B8 A4). Alloy paddles are attached to the column and look and feel brilliant, while the digital instrument cluster that changes with driving mode is fantastic, even if the rearview camera is terrible.
How practical is the interior space? 6/10
Yes OK. There's not a lot of room there because the V12 isn't just big on its own, all the accessories that support it take up a lot of the remaining space. At the same time, there is room for soft bags at the front with a 180-liter front boot, space for two people inside, a cup holder and a glove box.
And the doors open to the sky, not out, like a conventional car. Who cares if it's impractical is unlikely to stop someone from buying.
What are the main characteristics of the engine and transmission? 9/10
Aventador S is equipped with a 6.5-liter V12 engine from Automobili Lamborghini. You know it's a V12 because there's a plaque on top of the engine (which you can see through the optional glass cover) that says so and conveniently tells you the firing order of the cylinders. It's a gentle touch.
You can pretend to be a super man and switch to Corsa (race) mode, but Sport is the way to go if you want to have some fun. (Image caption: Rhys Wonderside)
This monster engine, hidden deep in the middle of the car, develops an incredible power of 544 kW (30 kW more than the standard Aventador) and 690 Nm. Its dry sump means the engine is located lower in the car. The gearbox is slung across the back between the rear wheels - the pushrod rear suspension is actually on top and across the gearbox - and it appears to be brand new.
The gearbox is known as ISR (Independent Shift Rod) and has seven forward speeds and still only one clutch. Power is transferred to the road through all four wheels, but it is clear that the rear wheels account for the lion's share.
The acceleration time to 0 km/h is the same as a standard car, which kind of tells you that 100 seconds is about as long as you can accelerate on road tires when you don't have four electric motors with torque at zero revolutions.
How much fuel does it consume? 6/10
It's funny, but the official figure is 16.9 l / 100 km. I doubled without trying. Just like that one. If you buy this car thinking it will be light, you are out of your mind.
Luckily, Lambo at least tried: the V12 goes silent when you hit a traffic light, and best of all, it springs to life when you let off the brake.
If you have time to spare, then 90 liters of premium unleaded gasoline will be required to fill the tank.
What safety equipment is installed? What is the safety rating? 6/10
The Aventador does not have an ANCAP safety rating, but the carbon chassis is also equipped with four airbags, ABS, stability control and traction control.
Warranty and safety rating
Basic Warranty
3 years / 100,000 km
guarantee
How much does it cost to own? What kind of guarantee is provided? 7/10
Unexpectedly, you get a three-year 100,000 km warranty and the option to upgrade it to four years ($11,600!) or five years ($22,200!) (!). Having recovered from putting this in, given the cost of something going wrong, it's probably money well spent.
What is it like to drive? 9/10
It's terrible in Strada or Street mode. Everything is slow and loose, especially the shifting, which is looking for a gear, like a dog looking for a stick that you did not throw, but instead hid behind your back. Low-speed riding is nothing short of dreadful, squirming over every bump and bump, and only marginally more appealing than dragging along.
The gearbox is the worst thing about it. Automotive history is littered with cars that worked alongside a single-clutch semi-automatic: the Alfa Romeo 156, the BMW E60 M5, and today the Citroen Cactus is stuck with the same crappy transmission.
However, like that old M5, there's a trick to making the gearbox work for you - show absolutely no mercy.
Switch the selector to the "Sport" position, get off the highway or the main highway and go to the mountains. Or, even better, a clean racing track. The Aventador then transforms from a thorn in the rear into a glorious, roaring, utterly out of tune and out of tune battlecruiser. It's all about experience in this car, from the moment you look at it to the moment you put it to bed.
This is no ordinary supercar, and it's absurd to think that Lamborghini thinks so.
First, there's an obvious entry point with those stupid doors. While it's hard to get in, if you're under six feet tall and agile enough, stick your ass in, keep your head down, and you're in. can see back, but the huge rear-view mirrors are surprisingly efficient.
Someone mindlessly parked a car in a narrow spot? No problem, four-wheel steering makes the car absurdly manoeuvrable given its extravagant length and width.
As we've already established, it's not much fun at low speeds, waiting until about 70 km/h before things start to make sense. This is no ordinary supercar, and it's absurd to think that Lamborghini thinks so. It just isn't.
The old Aventador was not the most capable of the machines, but it made up for it with its general militancy. The new S takes that aggression and amplifies it. When you switch the driving mode to "Sport", you are essentially unleashing hell. You can pretend to be a super man and switch to Corsa (race) mode, but it's all about leveling the car and driving around the track in the most efficient way possible. Sports are the way to go if you want to have fun.
Aventador is what you will be seen, but not before you hear - from two zip codes away. It's really wonderful when you have a segment of the path to yourself. The V12 revs furiously to the 8400 rpm red zone, and the upshift jerk is accompanied by a fantastic bark and a burst of blue flames. And these are not the best moments.
Approach a corner, slam on the colossal carbon-ceramic brakes, and the exhaust will spew a combination of thuds, pops, and growls that will put a smile on the face of even the most hardened car-hater. The fact that it enters corners with a simple twist of the wrist is aided by that fancy four-wheel steering system. It's just brilliant, addictive and, in truth, gets under the skin.
Verdict
The Aventador isn't the best car money can buy, and truth be told, it's not the best Lamborghini, which is a little tricky when you remember that the only other car they make at the moment is the V10 Huracan. But it's not so much about the theatre, it's about being a very capable supercar.
I'm not a Lamborghini fan, but I absolutely love the Aventador. It's a "because we can" car, like the Murcielago, Diablo and Countach before it. But unlike those cars, it's completely modern, and with the upgrades introduced in the S, it's faster, more complex, and incredibly interesting.
As the last of an endangered species, it has everything a Lamborghini should be: stunning looks, a crazy price and an engine that excites not only the driver and passenger, but everyone with a beating heart. This is by far the most charismatic car you can buy, no matter how many zeros on the check.
Photograph by Rhys Vanderside
Do you want your ashes to be scattered in Sant'Agata or in Maranello, where do you want your remains to be interred? Tell us what you think in the comments below.
