Internally code-named LB834 and dubbed the Aventador LP700-4, Lamborghini’s all new Murciélago successor has been causing a storm for dedicated auto enthusiasts and professional auto journalists alike. From spy shots to engine specs and a recently leaked ordering guide, the new supercar has already become the worst kept secret for 2011. In the latest news, Automobile Magazine sheds light on their clandestine night time test mule test drive, which reads like pornographic automotive literature.
The LP700-4 label is no tease either. With a 690hp/509 lbs of torque V12 engine on a 4-wheel drive chassis that’s surrounded in carbon fiber (much like the Sesto Elemento concept) the Aventador stampedes a 0-60 time of 2.9 seconds and top speed of 217 mph…for now. These figures are all bull and no shit, especially with a 7-speed Independent Shifting Rod (ISR) transmission. By utilizing dual shifting rods, Lamborghini’s latest tranny shifts nearly 50 percent faster than a comparable dual-clutch gearbox; 50 milliseconds to be exact.
This is my favorite part of the Automobile Magazine article:
After a short pit stop, we have another go, this time in VIN 3, which looks and feels quite a bit rougher. The transmission is harsher, the cladding is even more provisional, and the wipers give up at 170 mph. The directional stability isn’t quite as confidence-inspiring, either — under lift-throttle and braking, the hips shrug and the rear end tries to jump a lane. More concerning, the front end seems to dance at high speeds. I manage to observe 213 mph before being told over the radio to quit being a hooligan.
It’s almost one o’clock in the morning now. One journalist hit a fox at well over 120 mph, luckily without doing damage to the car. I’ve atomized a swarm of unidentified flying objects, which look as big as bats and smell like fried locusts.
