Lamborghini won’t show us the Aventador SVJ until August 23, at this year’s Pebble Beach event, but it has given us a first taste of its speed by smashing the production car lap record at the Nurburgring.
Top Gear magazine also got a preview of the new super Lambo, talking us through some of the secrets that helped it not just improve the performance of the Aventador SV it’s based on, but also beat Porsche’s finest at the Nordschleife.
One of the main problems of the Aventador SV was that the bodywork didn’t generate enough downforce over its front axle for that confidence-inspiring bite during high-speed cornering; in fact the downforce mix between the front and the back of the car was 20/80, but the new SVJ not only offers more downforce, it has also managed to get it balanced between the axles.
Thanks to Lamborghini’s ALA active aero agenda, the front axle now generates around 40 percent of the SVJ’s total downforce, helping the most extreme Aventador pin down that front end.
The naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12, still paired to a single-clutch paddle-shift transmission, is expected to make 760hp (770PS) at a screaming 8,500rpm. The chassis has been significantly revised to take advantage of the added firepower and downforce; even the Pirelli Trofeo R tires feature stiffer sidewalls specifically for the Aventador SVJ’s needs.
Last, but definitely not least, this might be a hallmark car for Lamborghini. That’s because, if the rumors are true, then the SVJ will be the last Lamborghini with a non-electrified V12, though forced induction is (thankfully) out of the question.