Lamborghini unveils wild Aventador SVJ coupe

UPDATED: 31/08/2018

LAMBORGHINI has taken the aggressive exterior styling of its flagship Aventador coupe to the next level with the reveal of the limited-edition SVJ, which the brand describes as the “pinnacle” of its V12-powered range.

Set for an Australian arrival in autumn next year, only 900 examples of the SVJ will be produced worldwide with local allocation to be based on order numbers.

Australian pricing is set at $949,640 excluding on-road costs.

At 1525kg dry, the SVJ has the same weight as the Aventador SV, while being 50kg lighter than the ‘regular’ Aventador S.

Lamborghini’s spanner-turners have managed to increase the output of its high-revving, aspirated 6.5-litre V12 engine to 566kW at 8500rpm, while torque has also been bumped up to 720Nm at 6750rpm – 14kW/30Nm more than the SV.

Sent to all four wheels via a seven-speed automatic transmission, the extra power helps the SVJ from zero to 100km.h in just 2.8 seconds on the way to a top speed of more than 350km/h.

The Aventador SVJ has been designed to improve the aerodynamic and on-track abilities of the hulking V12 coupe, proven with the SVJ setting a Nurburgring lap record for a production car with a time of 6:44.97 – nearly a second faster than previous record-holding Nio EP9 all-electric hypercar.

Most of the enhancements have been done to the vehicle’s aerodynamics, with downforce increasing by 40 per cent on each axle, while drag coefficient has been reduced by one per cent.

The aerodynamic changes are evident across the car, with a wider front bumper featuring a disconnected front splitter and integrated side fins, a tri-dimensional air outlet on the hood, bigger side air intakes, new underbody aero design, and a large rear diffuser.

A large wing spoiler helps increase downforce over the rear axle, while the brand’s Aeroinamica Lamborghini Attiva (ALA) 2.0 aerodynamic technologies, including flaps that can open and close in less than half a second, ensure maximum dynamic ability.

With greater downforce on the rear axle, the Aventador’s all-wheel drive system has been tweaked to send an additional three per cent of torque to the rear.

Cornering ability is enhanced by a 50 per cent increase in anti-roll bar stiffness compared to the SV, while damping force has also increased by 15 per cent. The power steering system has been recalibrated for greater precision and feedback, aided by the rear-wheel steering system.

The 20-inch front and 21-inch rear alloy wheels are fitted with specially developed Pirelli P Zero Corsa rubber that can be optioned with P Zero Trofeo R track tyres, while carbon-ceramic brakes help the SVJ go from 100km/h to standstill in 30 metres.

Four driving modes are available, including Strada, Sport, Corsa and Ego (individual), while an infotainment system and satellite navigation can be optioned in the highly customisable cabin.

The Aventador SVJ was launched at Concours d’Elegance in Pebble Beach with a special edition called SVJ 63, a version that pays homage to Lamborghini’s founding in 1963 and limited to just 63 examples.

Automobili Lamborghini chairman and CEO Stefano Domenicali said the SVJ represents the purest essence of the Aventador.

“The Aventador SVJ is an innovative car and represents the absolute pinnacle of our super sports car product range,” he said.

“The challenge to Lamborghini designers and engineers was to improve the purest essence of the Lamborghini super sports car, drawing on every inspiration from a space ship to a jet fighter: all the most exceptional examples of super-fast, super-athletic, aerodynamic superiority.

“The Aventador SVJ takes another step into the future, shaping the potential for super sports car development.”