Lamborghini announced today the end of production for its last purely naturally aspirated V-12 built at the company’s Sant’Agata Bolognese plant.
“The V-12 engine has been part of Lamborghini’s heritage since the company’s earliest days; the beating heart of models from Miura to Diablo, Countach to Murcielago,” said Stephan Winkelmann, chairman and CEO of Automobili Lamborghini.
“The Aventador captured Lamborghini’s competencies in design and engineering when it debuted in 2011, with Lamborghini values that are always at the center of company and product impetus: pure, futuristic design; benchmarking performance; and addressing technical challenges with innovation to produce the most emotive, class-leading super sports cars. These principles are the very essence of the Lamborghini Aventador, and assure its timeless appeal.”
Easily the brand’s most popular V-12 supercar, by its fifth year of production, Aventador sales reached 5,000 units, matching the number of Murcielagos sold. The number doubled by September 2020, going on to outsell all previous Lamborghini V-12 models combined, totaling 11,465 cars worldwide.
A standout from birth
The Aventador LP 700-4 was unveiled in 2011 at the Geneva Motor Show, its name emanating from its 700-horsepower engine, positioned longways in the back, and permanent four-wheel drive. The new 6.5-liter 12-cylinder engine, and the car’s lightweight carbon fiber single-piece monocoque, generated 0-62 mph times of 2.9 seconds on its way to a top speed of 217.5 mph. Its performance could be tailored using the Avetador’s Strada, Sport and Corsa driving modes.
Its design was equally noteworthy, an essential part of any Lambo, using a refined combination of angles and surfaces, accented by scissor doors, a touch reserved solely for V-12-powered Lamborghinis. Nearly all were special, as 85% were personalized by their owners. Its design was feted at art exhibitions in St Petersburg, Venice, as well as Art Basel and at the Wolfsonian in Miami Beach.
As you might expect, it was a star of the silver screen, appearing in numerous films, including “Batman: The Dark Knight Rises” in 2012 starring Christian Bale, and “Transformers: Age of Extinction” in 2014 as the Decepticon villain Lockout.
Variations on a theme
An Aventador roadster was announced in December 2012, allowing its carbon fiber roof panels to be stored up front. It was followed in 2016 by the Aventador LP 750-4 Super Veloce, which had its debut at the 2015 Geneva Motor Show sporting a 50-hp boost in performance. Limited to 600 units, it was followed by 500 Aventador LP 750-4 Super Veloce Roadsters.
In December 2016, having sold more than 5,000 Aventadors, the new Aventador S was announced, with design modifications carried out by the company’s new design chief Mitja Borkert. Revised aerodynamics provided 130% more front downforce and a 50% improvement in efficiency.
Horsepower increased to 740, while a MagneRide suspension, four-wheel steering and an additional customizable drive mode, Ego, were added. It debuted at the 2017 at Frankfurt Motor Show.
But would you expect Lamborghini to leave well enough alone? Of course not.
That explains the arrival of the Aventador SVJ at Monterey Car Week in August 2018. With 770 hp on tap, it established a new production car record for Lamborghini at the Nürburgring Nordschleife.
The final rendition of the Aventador, the last normally aspirated V-12 to be produced by Lamborghini, was announced in July 2021: the Aventador LP 780-4 Ultimae. With 780 hp, 350 coupes and 250 roadsters were sold.
And that’s not counting any number of special editions, including the Aventador LP 700-4 Pirelli edition, the Aventador LP 700-4 Miura Homage, the Aventador SVJ Xago, among others.
But what’s replacing the Avetador is a true variation on a theme: a V-12 plug-in hybrid, which should go on sale next year.
