“Crazy acceleration.”
That’s what we were promised by, of all things, a PowerPoint slide during the presentation of the new 2016 Lamborghini Aventador SV as we geared up for some lap time at Spain’s Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. It’s not often we see “crazy, ” with all it implies, during a press presentation, especially by a company hocking its own product, but there it was.
Lamborghini wasn’t calling the whole car crazy, only the acceleration, but it might as well have been. First off, the SV ( which stands for “Superveloce, ” or “superfast”) packs the same tune for its V-12 as did the hyperexpensive, only-three-were-sold-to-the-public Veneno. It’s Lambo’s most powerful V-12, and it leverages optimized variable valve timing, a new exhaust system, and a higher redline ( now 8500 rpm, up from 8350) to raise output to 740 horsepower at 8400 rpm.
Torque remains at the same level as in the non-SV Aventador: 509 lb-ft at 5500 rpm. But while the dorsal-finned Veneno’s calling card was its crazy styling, the Superveloce is intended solely to circle a racetrack as quickly as possible. Which it does, having just lapped the Nürburgring in less than seven minutes. Only a “crazy” car can do that.
Helping matters is the claimed weight loss of 110 pounds. That comes courtesy of composite rear fenders and rocker panels, as well as a manually adjustable carbon-fiber wing and fixed C-pillar aero scoops in place of the electronically actuated wing and scoops on the standard Aventador. There’s also much less sound insulation and carpeting ( leaving the sexy carbon-fiber structure largely exposed) , plus thinly padded fixed-back carbon-fiber racing seats. Other consequential changes include the fitment of lightweight ( and gorgeous) new wheels, lateral strut-type magnetic shocks ( a production-car first, says Lamborghini) , and variable-ratio steering that reduces lock-to-lock motion, particularly with the drive systems in the most aggressive mode, Corsa.