Lamborghini Aventador SVJ: The Return of Old Time Rock and Roll

The last article I wrote about the Lamborghini Aventador was the mighty SV; I stated that it would be the last of its kind with a massive naturally aspirated V12. Well, much like rock bands from the 1980s who don’t know when to end the song. The Who, I’m talking about you here. It would seem that Lamborghini too has a similar trait, their latest unveiling however combines both old-time rock and roll and modern pop into one tightly, hardcore wrapped package. The Aventador SVJ.

Lamborghini went to all extents and purposes to ensure that the standard Aventador S and the SVJ would be easily differentiated, especially if you equip it with shiny bronze rims (which in my opinion look gorgeous). More noticeably though is the aero pack on it and the gigantic wing, but before we jump into things, let me bring things down a notch. SVJ stands for ‘Super Veloce Jota’, Super Veloce meaning “super-fast” in Italian and Jota was the name given to the one of a kind variant of the original Lamborghini Miura which launched back in the 1970s. Which jumped started Lamborghini’s legacy and reputation, which it easily holds up to 50 years later.

As such, the Aventador SVJ is a one of a kind machine and with only 900 been built. It is without a shadow of a doubt a scarce and unique car to behold and have the pleasure of not only driving but even owning. Its no surprise that more and more automotive manufacturers are ditching large engines for smaller turbocharged ones, but the V12s in Lamborghini’s are their signature dish. The standard 6.5 litre V12 produces 691bhp, the V12 in the SVJ has been tuned to develop 759bhp, 531 lb-ft of torque, a 0-62 mph time in 2.9 seconds and a top speed of around 218 mph. Along with the limited availability and rarity of the car, the price is complimentary. It costs an eyewatering £360,000, and that’s before adding any optional equipment which would easily pass the £400,000 mark. It’s not just the price and performance that boggles the mind; the Aventador SVJ also set the fastest lap time ever recorded on the Nürburgring at 6 minutes and 44.97 seconds. It beat the Lamborghini Huracan Performante which set a time of 6 minutes and 52.01 seconds. Even the mighty, track-focused Porsche 911 GT2 RS couldn’t come close to beating it.

This fighting bull is something mesmerising, every updated and renewed variant of the Aventador keeps on improving. Becoming the ultimate apex predator, the Aventador was launched way back in 2012 and what a fantastic car it was back when it was launched. Now, however, it is dominating the automotive world, a hefty 1.5-tonne machine can break the records of track-bred supercars without even breaking a sweat. The secret behind all this other than just immense performance is the new aerodynamic system that secretly gives it an upper hand in the battle for King of the Hill. Its called the ALA system standing for Aerodinamica Lamborghini Attiva it features optimised air inlets and aero channel designs, it is over 40% more aerodynamic efficiency compared to the previous Aventador SV, offering maximum acceleration down the straights and out of the corners. The inlets found on the front splitter reduce front downforce minimising drag propelling the car and channelling the air under the car increasing efficiency. The rear wing isn’t there just for show; it serves a crucial function along with the rear inlets. They, along with the exit air slots, provide maximum downforce when activated to help with control when deactivated the car becomes streamlined and aerodynamic. Another brilliant feature, much like the one found on the Zenvo TSR-S, is the ability to manipulate the air from either side depending on the corner to provide maximum grip when going around it.

The Lamborghini Aventador SVJ isn’t a car that will only be remembered through history; it has proved that not all Lamborghinis are developed to be parked outside Harrods in Knightsbridge or going down Rodeo Drive in California or stationed outside the Burj Khalifa in Dubai. It’s an example of what hardcore engineering and years of evolution can do, its an all inspiring monster machine with a heart of gold that will take on and beat any adversary that stands in its way.

Sources:

https://www.lamborghini.com/en-en/models/aventador/aventador-svj

https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-review/lamborghini/aventador-svj

Images from:

https://www.caricos.com/cars/l/lamborghini/2019_lamborghini_svj/images/12.html