When the original Lamborghini Aventador (LP 700-4) debuted in 2011, it indeed had some big shoes to fill as a successor to the Murciélago. With exterior looks well ahead of its time, a cockpit full of unnecessary drama such as lifting up a flap to start the car, and a performance theoretically comparable to a fighter jet, it didn’t take much time for the Aventador to outsell its predecessor.
Now, 10 years later and after several iterations of the original Aventador, Lamborghini looks back at the icon, for one more time, before going back to working on its first BEV. Here are the 10 highlights of the Aventador’s 10 years in production —
Carbon fibre monocoque
Besides that N/A V12, the Aventador LP 700-4 owes its success to its carbon fibre monocoque, built using Lamborghini’s patented technologies. Together with the front and rear aluminum sub-frames, the Aventador’s chassis weighed only 229.5 kg (506 lbs). The monocoque was modified for the Roadster version which arrived in 2013. Each of the two carbon fibre removable roof sections weighed only about 6 kg (13 lbs).
The usage of carbon fibre increased with the Superveloce (SV) version, where the door panels and sills were also made of carbon fibre. For the interior, a flexible version of carbon fibre called Carbon Skin was used, which is claimed to weigh 28% and 65% less compared to Alcantara and leather, respectively.
All-Wheel-Drive
Being a successor to the Murciélago meant that the Aventador had to be driven via all four wheels all the time; that’s what the ‘4’ stood for in the original 700-4 name. And so, the electronically-controlled torque distribution between the front and rear wheels is taken care of by three main components: a Haldex torque distributor, a rear self-locking differential, and a front differential that operates together with the ESP. While this AWD system is rear-biased, depending on the conditions and mode selected by the driver, it can transfer up to 60% of the torque to the front axle.
Push-rod suspension
The Aventador debuted with a rather unusual suspension setup for a road car — a push-rod system. Borrowed from Formula 1, the system features rods attached to the lower part of the hub housing of each wheel, which transmit (push) the force to the shock absorber-spring assemblies fitted horizontally in the upper part of the frame, at both the front and rear.
Subsequently, the push-rod system incorporated magnetorheological shock absorbers (MRS) for the Aventador SV, which respond instantly to road conditions and driving style: damping is adjusted on each bend, reducing roll, and making the handling and steering significantly more responsive. This adaptive suspension also reduces front-end diving under braking.
Independent Shifting Rod (ISR) robotized gearbox
Or, in simple terms, an automated manual transmission (AMT). Believe it or not, the Aventador has been using an AMT ever since it debuted — a decade ago. But it’s not just any, cheap AMT you might find in a $5,000 car. The reason it is called the ISR is that it has got two carbon fibre shifting rods that move the synchronizers simultaneously: one for gear engagement and the other for disengagement. And as a result, the ISR boasts a shifting time of just 50 milliseconds. The ISR is Lamborghini’s lightweight alternative for a DCT.
EGO Mode
The original Aventador — the LP 700-4 debuted with only three main driving modes: Strada, Sport, and Corsa. The Aventador S which debuted in 2016, brought in a new ‘EGO’ mode, enabling the driver to customize the traction, steering, and suspension, similar to the “Individual” mode many modern cars have.
All-Wheel Steering
The Aventador S wasn’t all about the EGO mode. It also debuted with the all-wheel steering system — a Lamborghini first. Two separate actuators react within 5 milliseconds to the driver’s inputs. At low speeds, the rear wheels steer in the opposite direction to the steering angle, thus virtually reducing the wheelbase. At high speeds, the front and rear wheels point in the same direction, virtually increasing the wheelbase for greater stability.
Lamborghini Dinamica Veicolo Attiva (LDVA)
Another highlight of the Aventador S was the Lamborghini Dinamica Veicolo Attiva, or LDVA for short. In simple terms, an active vehicle dynamics control system. The LDVA is sort of an electronic brain if you will, to manage the vehicle’s electronic systems such as ESC and traction control in order to deliver the best handling experience.
Aerodinamica Lamborghini Attiva 2.0 (ALA 2.0) and LDVA 2.0
The Aventador SVJ which debuted in 2018 at The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering, featured the improved version of ALA and LDVA. If you remember, the first version of ALA debuted with the Huracan Performante in 2017. For the SVJ, it was recalibrated to take into account the car’s greater lateral acceleration besides, of course, revised aero elements. Watch the video above to understand how it works. As for the LDVA 2.0, it got improved inertial sensors for faster control of all electronic systems in real-time.
Stop-Start System
Believe it or not, the Aventador too has a stop-start system to save fuel. The V12 restarts within 180 milliseconds, thanks to the electrical power from a supercap (supercapacitor). The supercap system cuts down the weight by 3 kg (6.6 lbs); not a huge number, but for a car like Aventador, every gram counts. A traditional vehicle battery powers only the electronic systems and is also smaller in size.
Cylinder Deactivation System
In addition to the stop-start system, the Aventador also has a Cylinder Deactivation System (CDS) to save even more fuel. When operating at a reduced load and at driving speeds below 135 km/h (84 mph), the CDS deactivates one of the two cylinder banks, so that the V12 continues to function as a straight-six engine. At the touch of the accelerator pedal, full power becomes available again. Compared to the same car without CDS, the Aventador is claimed to drink 7% less fuel (combined average), and at highway speeds of around 130 km/h (81 mph), the fuel consumption and emission are claimed to be further reduced by 20%.
During a recent announcement, Lamborghini suggested that there’ll be two new V12 cars coming up later this year. Read more here.
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