Absolute lunacy is what Lamborghinis are supposed to be about, and
it's something they have been neglecting a little bit over the last few
years. They got rid of the scissor doors and replaced them with
conventional ones, and have started making heavy use of Audi-sourced
mechanicals. For high-end sports cars at least, Lamborghinis have gotten
somewhat sensible, with only a few exceptions. They aren't boring by
any means. They just don't seem to be on the same level of crazy that
they used to be. But to celebrate their all-important fiftieth
anniversary, Lamborghini pulled out all the stops and produced a car
that is so wild that only they could have pulled it off. Unveiled at the
2013 Geneva Motor Show, the new Veneno is based on the flagship
Aventador that was introduced in 2011. The engine is a development of
the Aventador's 6.5 liter V-12, and produces 740 horsepower which,
combined with the Veneno's futuristic and presumably aerodynamic
bodywork, makes for a top speed of around 220 miles per hour. It also
retains the four-wheel-drive, pushrod suspension and carbon chassis of
the Veneno. All in all, it's the most bonkers Lambo since the Reventon.
might think that Lamborghini is running out of bullfighting words to
name their new cars, but that is definitely not the case. Veneno was
apparently a Spanish fighting bull, and one of the fiercest, during the
early twentieth century. It also means poison in Spanish. Perhaps it's a
hint at the deadly performance the car is capable of. In the styling
department, all of the slits, juts and angles make for a shape that is
not exactly graceful. In fact, it's kind of ridiculous. It is all very
high-tech, however, and quite unmistakable.
Anyone itching to buy a Veneno will have to just put the checkbook
down. Lamborghini only plans to build three of them, not including the
Geneva show car (Chassis Number zero), and deposits have been taken on
all three. What's the price? It's a stupefying $3.9 million, which makes
it one of the most expensive automobiles ever built. While the silver
Geneva car will stay with Lamborghini, the production versions will each
be painted one color of the Italian flag. If the three owners ever get
together, it should make for a fantastic photo opportunity. The Veneno
may very well be a test car for technologies and features that will
eventually make their way into the regular production Lamborghinis of
the future. One example is the patented CarbonSkin, a kind of woven
carbon fiber that is used in the seats and headliners on the Veneno.
It's apparently soft to the touch and another example of how carbon is
creeping into every aspect of automotive design these days. Other parts
of the much talked about Veneno will probably make it into regular
models, but hopefully the Lamborghinis of tomorrow are a just little bit
prettier.
