My Lamborghini Aventador Test Drive aka, the benefits of being friends with Shiraki P

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Ok, so thanks to Jordan of Shiraki Photo, I was able to test drive the brand new Lamborghini Aventador. This 700 HP, $400,000+ beast was my b*tch for 10 or so minutes courtesy of the baller Jordan who hooked me up with a test drive. And needless to say... it totally made my Sunday.

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First things first, so as I came up to the Aventador the first thing I had to note is that it is absolutely stunning. Not since the Diablo have I been floored by how incredibly brilliant a car can look. This car is absolutely stunning. This is one of the most beautiful cars I've ever seen and it is every bit as gorgeous in person as it is in the pictures. And the attention is in the details. I can't go into every little bit, but for example even the hexagonal vents are cut unevenly in such a way it mimics a carbon fiber weave. Let me repeat that. The vents. Asymmetrically cut to give a carbon fiber appearance. Stuff you don't normally even wash are given the full treatment. Absolutely brilliant.

(I drove the black one. :smile:)

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I went for the door handle and with a light touch the door flips open... VERTICALLY... like a proper Lamborghini. :tongue: None of this horizontal crap says I. Getting in wasn't too bad. Surprisingly the seat moves forward with a standard lever bar in the front and I had to do the "dog dragging its butt across the carpet" move to move the seat forward. The first thing I notice is how refined the interior is. Just brilliant. Clean, crisp, tight... are the words that come to mind. The car starts by flipping up a missile launch flap and pushing a start button. That alone is worth .... about $200,000. Oh and the sound. This sound of this car is just unbelievable. Not too loud, not too soft. Just a growl that just makes you shake your head.

Disable the electronic parking break, shift it into reverse and the backup camera makes it a simple chore. Surprisingly, the rearward visibility is very good via the mirrors alone. But then again, this is coming from a guy with tiny GT side mirrors and a rear hatch with scoop that makes the rear view mirror all but useless. The transmission feels extremely heavy; like it was pulled out of a bulldozer.

Engage the front hydraulics to clear a few bumps and we are off to the freeway on ramp. Oh the sweet freeway on ramp. You guys know what I'm talking about. The chance to floor it with impunity and using the excuse of needing to merge with traffic. I stab it.

So first off, the car pulls like a freight train. The AWD completely puts all HPs to the ground. There is no turbo lag. It's just instant power on tap like the only way a 6.5L V12 can. Gears shift effortlessly and before you know it you are clearing 100 mph. But here's the thing. The car is sooooo stable, soooo planted, soooo controlled, it doesn't feel fast at all. At no point do you say "oh crap" or pucker your third eye, because the car is just so calm and collected, it's just seems like business as usual. Wait. Let me step back. This car is face melting fast. It will punch you in the gut no matter what gear, no matter what speed. It's like a bull being held back by dental floss and when you hit the accelerator it slaps you across the face like a jealous ex lover (not that I know anything about that :biggrin:). It's just I come from the turbo world. The world where I don't want a slap; I want a Mike Tyson-esque KO punch across the jaw. This car just pulls you like you jumped out of plane. It just pulls and pulls and pulls. The best way I can put it is, just imagine a sumo wrestler slowly sitting on you. That's what it feels like. I'm just used to anvils being dropped on your skull. :wink:

Unfortunately Highway Patrol decided to linger so I had to take it easy for a while, but for the most part the car was the most refined and stable vehicle I have ever been in. 120 mph feels like 30 mph. Really. And perhaps that's probably the only complaint I could possibly have. The cars feels like an instrument of speed. A device designed to take you to speeds not meant for human consumption. But safely and reliably. This is a car that is designed to get you to 0-60 in under 3 seconds all day long.... as you get your groceries and dry cleaning.

I didn't get to really test the handling but for the most part, it felt as stable as a mountain goat. For as big and heavy as this car is, the Aventador felt like a go-kart. You literally just point it to where you want to go and it just goes there. A few more high speed pulls and the few things that stand out in my mind are:

1) The sound. The car has one of the most beautiful exhaust notes I've ever heard.
2) This car is about as complete of a car I can think of. There is nothing I can fault about it...
3) Except that lacks a certain soul. As I said before, it's an instrument of speed. If your only priority is to go as humanly fast as possible, then I can't think of any other better production vehicle. If you want to stir your soul and remind yourself why the automobile was one of the greatest creations of mankind... well I might have to "steer" you in another direction.

Bottom line is this. This Lamborghini Aventador is truly a feat of engineering marvel. It is absolutely brilliant on so many levels. And again I have Jordan ShirakiPhoto to thank for what will be a memorable and once in a lifetime experience. If you've ever driven a Murcielagos, which I'm sure you all have :tongue:, then you'll realize that it is an epic leap forward than that old bull; in every way it is far superior. The Aventador will probably rewrite the standard(s) in automotive engineering but yet there is something lacking that will capture the hearts of drivers like say a Ferrari F40 will. However, having said that, I'd still give my left nut to own one.:smile:




Stay tuned.... there is a BONUS to this story that you don't want to miss.... :smile: Let's just say, have you ever been curious what a '91 turbo boosted widebody NSX does next to a brand new 700HP Aventador? :smile:
 
For the first time, I fell in love with a Lambo. Insanly jealous here. The only Lambo I have ever driven was a Gallardo. I can't imagine what it feels like to be in this car!
 
From the first Lambo poster that hung on my dorm wall to the Aventador today, I have always loved the hard edged styling, brutal power and mind numbing gnashing of gears and thumping exhaust sounds.

I was at the Concours D'legance at Plymouth MI several weeks ago and had the pleasure to see this car in person. Let me tell you. IT COMMANDS RESPECT! Ferrari's, LFA's and Porsche's just simply disappear next to it.
 
I would love to test drive it but it looks butt ugly.

looks like someone used an Erector set to fabricate and build it.

ulta-rich nope I say ulta-ugly LOL

cool you got to test drive it though
 
Shawn.... "Ugly"? Really? I don't want to see the girls you date...
 
Ya, about that last sentence...



700bhp and (guessing 20% drivetrain loss) =560ish whp =similar to your car but heavier, but maybe quicker shifts but gearing is questionable, should be interesting.
 
Yo B! I know you're already scheming to get one. When you do.. i'm making the 5hr drive (4hr in the NSX!) up the 15fwy to make a nice little wet stain in the front of seat of your new Aventador!

It's interesting how your comments are quite similar to Hammond's impressions. Not that I put much stock in their commentary to begin with.

(Don't know why all the Top Gears videos recently on youtube are mirrored)
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/kh0KHoGIZHE" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
 
Stay tuned.... there is a BONUS to this story that you don't want to miss.... :smile: Let's just say, have you ever been curious what a '91 turbo boosted widebody NSX does next to a brand new 700HP Aventador? :smile:

Hey B,

I may be making a trip to Vegas soon:wink:.
 
Ok, so part two of my Aventador story. After a fun time test driving the Aventador I thought my day was over. As I was heading out in my NSX, by sheer coincidence the next test drivers were pulling out of the parking lot. By sheer luck we ended up at the same light heading towards the freeway. There was no way I was going to pass up this chance to run with the bulls. Even if I got my ass handed to me, it would still be an honor to get trampled by an exotic and make one heck of a story. So we enter a double left turn light heading towards the freeway. Just so everyone knows, this was on an extremely crowded street with tons of traffic and pedestrians, in a school and hospital zone flanked by orphaned kittens and puppies.

As we turned the corner we had about ¾ mile side by side stretch for us to merge. It wasn’t a clean start but close enough for an informal run. Here are our numbers:

Lamborghini Aventador
Mid Engine AWD
6.5L V12
700 rated HP
510 rated ft-lbs TQ
3,470 lbs (+165 lbs passenger)
Single clutch 7 speed semi-automatic paddle shifter

Me
’91 NSX widebody
Mid Engine RWD
3.2 L V6 (Full built race engine)
Single GT-35 turbo
550 RWHP dyno tested
450 wft-lbs TQ dyno tested
~3,000 lbs
5 speed manual

On paper that sounds very interesting. The actual results were even more interesting. When we gunned it I was running in first gear and about ½ spooled up (about 30 mph). I think I got the jump because I pulled slightly pulled my nose ahead about 1 foot. My heart was pounding so hard that I actually redlined it and bounced it off the limiter at which point I shifted into second gear. I lost some ground and his nose pulled out about a foot. As I released the clutch and got back into boost I again pulled up about a foot. Essentially we were running completely neck and neck with me slowly pulling and taking a tiny lead, then falling back to shift gears. For the most part we were completely even and I ended up pulling ahead only when the Aventador driver back off since we ran out of room. Now don’t get me wrong. I have no reservations that if we launched from a dig, I would be eating dirt. Simply because of there is just no way for me to get the traction of an AWD launch. However, from a roll, I would say the cars are exactly even.

After playing some cat and mouse on the freeway, we came up upon another freeway entrance where we thought we’d give it another go. As I came around to get parallel, he got a jump on me because he wanted to get ahead of any merging traffic. Caught off guard I fell right behind him but then kept up with him right on his bumper the entire way up to the freeway. Essentially equal again.

SO if you are ever curious what a tuned single turbo NSX does compared to a brand new Aventador, from a roll, about 6 in one hand, half dozen in the other. :smile:
 
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Yo B! I know you're already scheming to get one. When you do.. i'm making the 5hr drive (4hr in the NSX!) up the 15fwy to make a nice little wet stain in the front of seat of your new Aventador!

It's interesting how your comments are quite similar to Hammond's impressions. Not that I put much stock in their commentary to begin with.

(Don't know why all the Top Gears videos recently on youtube are mirrored)
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/kh0KHoGIZHE" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Wow, I hadn't seen that episode yet. Now after having watched it, Hamster basically said the exact same thing I did. How weird!
 
.....I went for the door handle and with a light touch the door flips open... VERTICALLY... like a proper Lamborghini. :tongue: None of this horizontal crap says I. Getting in wasn't too bad.

I tell my Gallardo buddies about the proper Lambo doors and they get really offended.

I too sat in this and the Murci.

The Murci was more roomy since it didn't have that large center piece. Perhaps it takes some time getting used to.

Maybe there is a trick to getting in and out, but I and a few other did tap our heads on the roof edge as I got in a few times.

The only concern I have about the interior is that the leather looked and felt like some cheap bonded leather found in mass produced cars.
 
Ok, so part two of my Aventador story. After a fun time test driving the Aventador I thought my day was over. As I was heading out in my NSX, by sheer coincidence the next test drivers were pulling out of the parking lot. By sheer luck we ended up at the same light heading towards the freeway. There was no way I was going to pass up this chance to run with the bulls. Even if I got my ass handed to me, it would still be an honor to get trampled by an exotic and make one heck of a story. So we enter a double left turn light heading towards the freeway. Just so everyone knows, this was on an extremely crowded street with tons of traffic and pedestrians, in a school and hospital zone flanked by orphaned kittens and puppies.

As we turned the corner we had about ¾ mile side by side stretch for us to merge. It wasn’t a clean start but close enough for an informal run. Here are our numbers:

Lamborghini Aventador
Mid Engine AWD
6.5L V12
700 rated HP
510 rated ft-lbs TQ
3,470 lbs (+165 lbs passenger)
Single clutch 7 speed semi-automatic paddle shifter

Me
’91 NSX widebody
Mid Engine RWD
3.2 L V6 (Full built race engine)
Single GT-35 turbo
550 RWHP dyno tested
450 wft-lbs TQ dyno tested
~3,000 lbs
5 speed manual

On paper that sounds very interesting. The actual results were even more interesting. When we gunned it I was running in first gear and about ½ spooled up (about 30 mph). I think I got the jump because I pulled slightly pulled my nose ahead about 1 foot. My heart was pounding so hard that I actually redlined it and bounced it off the limiter at which point I shifted into third gear. I lost some ground and his nose pulled out about a foot. As I released the clutch and got back into boost I again pulled up about a foot. Essentially we were running completely neck and neck with me slowly pulling and taking a tiny lead, then falling back to shift gears. For the most part we were completely even and I ended up pulling ahead only when the Aventador driver back off since we ran out of room. Now don’t get me wrong. I have no reservations that if we launched from a dig, I would be eating dirt. Simply because of there is just no way for me to get the traction of an AWD launch. However, from a roll, I would say the cars are exactly even.

After playing some cat and mouse on the freeway, we came up upon another freeway entrance where we thought we’d give it another go. As I came around to get parallel, he got a jump on me because he wanted to get ahead of any merging traffic. Caught off guard I fell right behind him but then kept up with him right on his bumper the entire way up to the freeway. Essentially equal again.

SO if you are ever curious what a tuned single turbo NSX does compared to a brand new Aventador, from a roll, about 6 in one hand, half dozen in the other. :smile:

No anti-street racing folks coming out swinging?

I have 430rwhp. How bad would I loose? cars or bus lengths?
 
Just so everyone knows, this was on an extremely crowded street with tons of traffic and pedestrians, in a school and hospital zone flanked by orphaned kittens and puppies.

and the baby seals... Do not forget the baby seals!!

btw... yes, the Hamster had basically the same impression you did. I must say as a self-proclaimed "car guy" I strive to own a supercar one day. My choice pick varies as often as I change underwear which in some days not very much. I do like that Lambos are sort of built to be stupid and over the top but maybe not anymore. It's a slight slight disappointment that it seems the Aventador is a bit more docile.
 
3) Except that lacks a certain soul. As I said before, it's an instrument of speed. If your only priority is to go as humanly fast as possible, then I can't think of any other better production vehicle. If you want to stir your soul and remind yourself why the automobile was one of the greatest creations of mankind... well I might have to "steer" you in another direction.

I'll tell you what it lacks: A proper 6 speed on the floor.

But I still want it.
 
I have 430rwhp. How bad would I loose? cars or bus lengths?

You are supercharged right? So your linear pull would be more inline with the Aventador's acceleration rather than my see-saw with the turbo boosting.

Hard to say how much, but I would picture a slow and steady pull away as the Lambo's got 100+ whp advantage. Also depending on how fast you take it, the gearing and the higher top end should give the Lambo the advantage after you clear 120 mph.
 
Where's the video at? I've been checking this thread like 5 times a day waiting for it!

Well out of good conscience and consideration for the people who hooked me up with such an opportunity I can't post up a video in a public place; lest I get anybody in trouble. But I'll try to figure out a way to share it by invite only. :smile:
 
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