A light blue Aventador LP 780-4 Ultimae Roadster was the last pure, naturally-aspirated V12 Lamborghini to be produced, bringing an era to the end. Lamborghini has sold more Aventadors than the sum of all its previous V12 models, delivering its 10,000th Aventador in September 2020.
Unveiled at Geneva Motor Show in 2011 as the Aventador LP 700-4, the Aventador was a game-changer at its launch, and stood as the flagship model of the sportscar maker for 11 years of production.
“The Aventador is a jump of two generations in terms of design and technology, with an exceptional package of unique, innovative technologies and performance that is simply overwhelming,” said Stephan Winkelmann, Chairman & CEO of Automobili Lamborghini at the time of its launch.
In 2011, Lamborghini sold 1,602 supercars (there was no Urus then), not a record result but the numbers were still impressive considering the financial situation in many parts of the world that year. Ten years later, in 2021, the company delivered 8,405 vehicles worldwide, the highest number ever in the history of the company. In spite of the pandemic still ongoing, sales increased by 13% on 2020.
The contributor was double-digit growth in all 3 of the macro-regions where Lamborghini is established: America (+14%), Asia Pacific (+14%) and EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa, +12%). The company maintains a fairly balanced split between them in global volumes which stand at 35%, 27% and 39%, respectively.
Urus was bestselling Lamborghini model in 2021, accounting for 59% of total sales.
In terms of individual markets, the USA was still Lamborghini’s best market (2,472 units, +11%), while China moved into second place (935, +55%). They were followed by Germany (706, +16%) and the United Kingdom (564, +9%). There was also an increase in the figures for Lamborghini’s home market of Italy, where 359 cars were delivered in total (+3%).
Reflecting market trends, the most popular model was the Urus Super SUV, with 5,021 units delivered – almost 60% of the total volume in 2021. It was followed by the V10-powered Huracan, which saw a strong increase in sales up to 2,586, thanks to the strong impetus provided by the Huracan STO. In addition, 798 Aventadors (V12 model) were delivered all over the world.
Huracan STO experience in China, which became the carmaker’s second biggest market in 2021.
During the year, the company launched 3 new products – the Huracan STO – Super Trofeo Omologata, a road-legal model that was inspired by the Huracan Super Trofeo EVO and GT3 EVO racing cars; the Aventador Ultimae, final series of the Aventador model; and the Countach LPI 800-4, an unorthodox icon featuring ground-breaking design and technology that celebrated the 50th anniversary of one of the original supercars.
2021 also saw Lamborghini announcing its future electrification strategy. ‘Direzione Cor Tauri’ (Toward Cor Tauri) is the name of the path that will lead the company through the decarbonization of its future models and the manufacturing site. Throughout the product electrification process, there will be a constant focus on identifying technologies and solutions that can guarantee top performance and driving dynamics.
More than €1.5 billion will be spent over the course of 4 years, during which time Lamborghini will launch its first hybrid production model and electrify its entire range by the end of 2024. Subsequently, a fourth fully electric model is due to be added to the range in the second half of the decade.
“This record has provided confirmation of four factors for us: the solidity of our strategic plan, our brand’s outstanding international reputation, the competence and passion of our people and the exceptional professionalism and dynamism shown by our 173 dealers in 52 markets, who have continued to invest alongside us at a challenging, uncertain time,” said Stephan Winkelmann, Chairman & CEO of Automobili Lamborghini.
The sales outlook continues positively into the new year, thanks to a substantial order portfolio that already covers almost the entire production planned in 2022. Additionally, Lamborghini plans to introduce four new products during the coming 12 months.
“We are stronger than ever as we prepare to embark on a period of profound transformation and move towards an even more sustainable future. In 2022, we’ll be doing our utmost to consolidate the current performance and get ready for the arrival of our future hybrid range from 2023 onwards,” added Winkelmann.
Earlier this year, coachbuilder Huber announced a Lamborghini Aventador facelift, and the first unit has been delivered to a customer in the United Kingdom. The customer is the membership Secretary of the Lamborghini Club UK, Ciro Ciampi who also founded the car community known as ‘Petrolheadonism’.
Ciampi received his latest toy on the lawn of the former residence of David and Victoria Beckham. The property is currently home to one of Britain’s most private car collections, creating a spectacular setting for the handover. The scene was not only complemented by the car collection but also by the attendance of Italian supercar patron, Fabio Lamborghini. He was impressed by the Era and happy to give his approval by being the first to unveil the car to the world.
Designing for the aftermarket
Led by Sean-Peter Huber, the UAE-based brand is on a mission to build a new community of collectors and car enthusiasts who value going back to the drawing board. His passion for car design has put them in uncharted territory in the aftermarket, but the first steps are already telling of what an exciting future the brand holds.
Entitled ‘Era’ to mark 10 years of the Aventador and to pay homage to the end of its production, Huber’s Era has created a new take on one of the worlds most revered supercars. The team focused on creating new body panels that respect the familiar DNA, exchanging the front and rear bumpers with an entirely new design in carbonfibre and an optional carbonfibre boot. Huber said: “The Era should remind us of how much we all admired the Aventador when it was launched in 2011”.
Limited to 21 sets
The fully-funded project is independent of Lamborghini with the first batch of bumper units already taken up by selected collectors who have been supporting Huber’s vision from the start. The Era price starts at 30,000 euros (about RM150,000) and will be limited to 21 pieces in the current edition.
According to Raj Singh, founder of Supercar Service Ltd (Huber’s UK distributor), in their 11-year history, they have not found an aftermarket design that integrates so well with the LP-700-4 chassis. As an option to customers around the world and to assure quality control, Huber has designated Supercar Service as ‘flying service’ partner, sending personnel to customer locations to assemble the Era.
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Lamborghini has unveiled the Aventador LP 780-4 Ultimae as the final production model of the V12 supercar. 600 cars will be available – 350 in coupe form and 250 roadsters. Pricing will start from around 422,735 euros (about RM2.08 million), with production to start before the end of this year.
“The Aventador LP 780-4 denotes the final, purest, timeless naturally-aspirated production V12 Lamborghini,” said Stephan Winkelmann, President & CEO of Automobili Lamborghini. “It delivers the essential 12-cylinder experience in terms of inimitable design, engineering solutions and the most emotive driving experience, and is the definitive Aventador concluding an extraordinary era. It is the last of its kind, delivering the maximum power and conclusive performance expected from Lamborghini’s current V12 engine.”
Besides the purity of the original Aventador concept, the LP 780-4 Ultimae captures all the power and performance of the Aventador’s 10-year evolution, including the know-how of the Nurburgring-Nordschleife record SVJ powertrain set in July 2018.
Essentially a SVJ under the skin, it incorporates the purest features of all Aventador editions since it first appeared in 2011. The 12-cylinder 6.5-litre ‘Longitudinale Posteriore’ (LP) engine delivers 780 ps – 40 ps more than the Aventador S and 10 ps over the SVJ – to its permanent 4-wheel drive. Transmission is via Lamborghini’s lightweight Independent Shifting Rod 7-speed shifting system, providing robotized gearshifts in up to 50 milliseconds.
The Aventador LP 780-4’s unique, extremely rigid and lightweight carbonfibre monocoque, and extensive use of carbonfibre throughout the body, contributes to its dry weight of just 1,550 kgs. The coupe version, weighing 25 kgs less than the Aventador S, delivers the same weight-to-power ratio as the SVJ at 1.98 kg/ps, accelerating from 0 – 100 km/h in a claimed 2.8 seconds and hitting a top speed of 355 km/h. From 100 km/h to standstill is said to be done in 30 metres.
Lateral control is optimized through 4-wheel steering, introduced on the Aventador S, to give agility at low and medium speeds and enhanced stability at high speed. Lamborghini Dynamic Steering (LDS) on the front axle is calibrated for responsive feedback with sharp turn-in while adapted to integrate with the active rear-wheel steering on the rear axle. Separate actuators respond in five milliseconds to drivers’ steering movements, allowing a real-time adjustment to steering angles enhancing cornering properties.
The permanent 4-wheel drive, due to the rear-wheel steering, is calibrated to allow more torque to the rear axle so that when powering off, less torque is shifted to the front axle to allow sporty but safe oversteer behaviour.
The LP 780-4 Ultimae’s design adopts a specific front bumper concept for increased aero load on the front, with longitudinal performance similar to the SVJ. Delivering the state of the art aerodynamic performance, the front splitter and open ‘mouth’ directs additional airflow to optimize aerodynamic efficiency, engine and radiator cooling.
The active aero system’s rear wing moves into 3 positions, dependent on speed and the drive mode selected, optimizing the car’s overall balance. Vortex generators created in the front and rear of the underside maximize air flow and assist with brake cooling.
The driver and passenger environment is refined, with a new collection of tone-on-tone colours that are elegant while recalling the Aventador’s powerful original design cues taken from the world of aeronautics. The LP 780-4’s comfort seat is taken from the Aventador S, with the ‘Ultimae’ name embroidered into the seat bolster, while the A-pillar driver dashboard area carries the 001 of 350/250 reference to the limited editions.
The customizable TFT digital dashboard displays driver modes as well as controlling in-car connectivity. Apple CarPlay manages voice activated communications and entertainment, with the Lamborghini telemetry system available as an option for those wanting to celebrate the last Aventador on track.
Remember the Kode 57 that we covered in September? Well, Ken Okuyama and his team are at it again but this time, they have taken a crack at revamping a current gen Lambo. The Japanese designer’s previous creation, the Kode 57 was rebodied Enzo with special tweaks and features.
This new one, known as Kode 0, has been tastefully reworked to resemble supercars from the 1970s. Okuyama took a standard Lamborghini Aventador and reworked the skin to form a wedge-shaped design unlike any other. Though the support structure was maintained for safety purposes, most of the outer body is unique to the Kode 0.
Okuyama’s team used both wet and dry carbon-fibre to create this masterpiece. The owner who commissioned this build, specifically wanted it to have a chrome exterior. But the end result, which probbaly took serious convincing, is better suited for a vehicle of its class.
Under the hood is the same V12 that comes with the standard car, but the suspension and brakes are unique to the Kode 0. The same is true for the rest of the design elements, including the interior.
The Kode 0 has been introduced with the blessing of Lamborghini. Okuyama personally sought the approval of the Italian automaker before the ‘OK’ was given for the project. That said, somone of Okuyama’s caliber, who served as design chief of Pininfarina and lays claim to the Enzo and Quattroporte’s design work, is incapable of mucking up such a project.
Check out the video and let us know what you think of the car and whether it deserves to be given the same respect as an Aventador. Also, take a look at Jay Leno’s Garage Youtube channel for more videos such as the one featured here.
