2020 Lamborghini Aventador SVJ Roadster Review: Hear the V12 Sing
MSRP $573,966.00
“Track-focused roadsters are often contradictory, but the SVJ makes it easy to ignore the mismatch.”
Avg
-
Stunning look
-
Amazing handling
-
The dashboard display looks great
-
The V12 engine is an engineering masterpiece
Against
-
Unrefined gearbox
-
Infotainment is outdated
When Lamborghini brought me to Libson, Portugal to test the new Aventador SVJ coupe on the former F1 circuit, I went into detail about the engineering required to turn the Aventador into the world’s best sports car. The SVJ coupe recently claimed the coveted spot as the fastest production car at the famed Nurburgring circuit, and the folks at Lamborghini were proud of their achievement.
Of course, the standard 730 horsepower Aventador S is no slouch on the track. However, a lot has changed in the supercar realm since the Aventador’s debut in 2011. With competent entries from the likes of McLaren and Porsche, Lamborghini knew it would take more than just a horsepower boost to top what is arguably the most challenging road course on the planet. So, engineers came up with a multi-pronged strategy designed to improve all key performance elements of the Aventador, resulting in the track-focused iteration that became the Super Veloce Jota coupe.
These days, the debut of the open-top variant of the automaker’s supercar shortly after the coupe hit the streets is a foregone conclusion. But given the SVJ coupe’s hardcore focus, it’s still a bit surprising. Dynamic compromises can occur when the roof is cut. Will the allure of the no-holds-barred SVJ be diluted by the pursuit of outdoor thrills?
Inside and outside
Limited to just 800 units worldwide with a starting price of $573,966, the Aventador SVJ Roadster showcases Lamborghini’s latest and greatest road-going technology.
Like its hardtop counterpart, the SVJ Roadster is powered by a modified version of the Aventador’s 6.5-liter V12, now tuned to deliver 759 horsepower and 531 pound-feet of torque via revised cylinder heads, new titanium valves, and reworked intake guides. Power is channeled to all four corners through a fourth-generation Haldex all-wheel drive system, and gears are still changed via Lamborghini’s seven-speed single-clutch automated manual transmission. It’s said to be good for a 0-60 mph sprint in 2.9 seconds, en route to the Roadster’s top speed of 217 mph.
If any model in Lamborghini’s range currently embodies the heart and soul of the brand, it is this one.
That’s just a tenth slower than the coupe’s straight-line sprint, while equaling it at the top. Most of that extra mass can be attributed to the extra structural bracing needed to keep the chassis solid without the roof. The removable top is a two-piece carbon fiber design that weighs 26 pounds and fits in the trunk.
The SVJ Roadster is designed to handle corners as well as it swallows asphalt, so like the coupe, it takes advantage of the second generation of Aerodinamica Lamborghini Attiva, Lamborghini’s patented active aerodynamic system.
Image used with permission of the copyright holder
Taking active aerodynamics to a level of sophistication beyond its rivals, ALA 2.0 not only increases downforce and reduces drag, but can also direct airflow to the inner wheels during high-speed cornering to create more downforce on the unloaded side of the car, reducing the steering angle which is needed to point the car where you want it in a turn.
As with all Aventador models, the SVJ Roadster benefits from the rear axle steering system first introduced on the Aventador S. It turns the rear wheels in the opposite direction to the front wheels at lower speeds for improved agility and responsiveness. At higher speeds, both front and rear wheels move in the same direction to improve high-speed stability.
When it’s time to control the pace, you can make use of the standard carbon-ceramic braking system, which consists of six-piston calipers and 15.7-inch discs up front and four-piston units paired with 15-inch rotors out back.
Image used with permission of the copyright holder
Inside, the Roadster doesn’t deviate far from the SVJ coupe. As with the rest of the Aventador lineup, the cockpit-like design is divided by a large, raised center console that houses the standard HVAC and infotainment system controls, a jet fighter-style ignition button, and drive mode selectors, the latter of which consists of four options – User configurable Strada, Sport, Corsa and Ego modes.
The digital gauge cluster has nice graphics and neat model-specific details, such as real-time ALA information, that help bring a sense of occasion to proceedings. On the other hand, the infotainment system on the center console looks outdated. While its usefulness has been significantly boosted by the recent update that bought Apple CarPlay, it’s a bit more cumbersome to use than it should be, as it lacks touch support.
At the wheel
From the eye-catching paint hues to the wild aero elements, the Aventador SVJ Roadster is a car that demands the attention of everyone around. And if the looks don’t make people turn their heads, the engine certainly will.
While its rivals from Ferrari, McLaren and Porsche have all moved on to turbocharging and hybridization, Lamborghini has stuck to its big, naturally aspirated twelve-cylinder Aventador powerplant. While it contributes significantly to the Lambo’s amazing 11 mpg combined fuel economy, it’s also why the SVJ delivers power with greater linearity – and sounds far better – than boosted powerplants.
It sounds absolutely incredible, a characteristic that is becoming increasingly rare in the era of forced induction.
Like the SVJ coupe, the Roadster is equipped with a lightweight, center-exit exhaust system, and with a lowered roof and a lowered rear window, it’s easy to see why Lamborghini bucked the trend. The mill howls to its 8,500-rpm redline, echoes its song off the canyon walls, and announces every off-throttle maneuver with a lively click, pop, and crackle from those fire-breathing pipes. It sounds absolutely incredible, a characteristic that is becoming increasingly rare in the era of forced induction.
It should come as no surprise that since the Roadster is basically an SVJ coupe with a removable roof, it performs similarly to its track-tuned hardtop counterpart. As such, the car feels most at home when you drive it hard, and doesn’t really come into its own until you venture into triple-digit speeds.
Image used with permission of the copyright holder
Around town at a typical commute pace, the single-clutch transmission is out of its element, with sluggish gear changes happening early and often. There are pronounced gaps in power delivery with the drive mode set to Strada, the quietest of the Aventador’s options.
On the plus side, the suspension is surprisingly compliant, given the SVJ’s mission. I found that setting the shocks to the Strada, the powertrain to the Corso (which includes manually controlled shifting via paddle shifters) and the steering to the Sport gave the most comfortable everyday driving behavior.
Out on the twisty tarmac surrounding the San Bernardino National Forest, where I could better replicate my experience on the track with the coupe, the SVJ Roadster was a delight. Even the gearbox makes sense, delivering near-instant upshifts at wide-open throttle with the snap of a bolt-action rifle.
All the effort that Lamborghini put into the chassis becomes visible. Although the active aerodynamic system only comes into play at speeds well above any legally permissible limit, the Aventador SVJ Roadster is a joy to race through technical corners thanks in large part to its quick steering rack, well-tuned four-wheel steering and meaty Pirelli tires The PZero Corsa he carries.
Under the right circumstances, it’s an exciting thing to pilot, and removing the roof adds another level of intensity.
How would DT configure this car
I’ll take mine with Verde Scandal paint, sport seats, black calipers and bronze wheels, please.
Should you get one?
For better or worse, Lamborghini refused to follow many industry trends with the Aventador. But with its successor likely to be announced within the next year and electrification almost certainly part of its platform, the SVJ Roadster could prove not only to be the swansong for this era of the brand, but also for this untamed approach to modern supercar design.
You won’t find a sales experience like this anywhere else right now. If you appreciate the bliss of a high-revving V12 in full conversation and have the means to partake, yes, you should definitely get one.
Want more options? Check out our favorite cars of 2020.
Editor’s recommendations
Categories: GAMING
Source: newstars.edu.vn