The value of the Aventador is not just about the power of its naturally aspirated V12 engine or its performance. It is also linked to the technical and technological innovations introduced over the years with the four different versions: LP 700-4, Superveloce, S, and SVJ.
1. Carbon fiber
The Aventador LP 700-4, with its carbon fiber monocoque never before seen in Lamborghini supercars, established Lamborghini’s leadership in the production and development of composite materials, making the Sant’Agata automaker the first company to produce such a large number of carbon fiber elements in-house.
The Aventador’s carbon fiber monocoque, built using various patented Lamborghini technologies, is a “single shell” monocoque, combining the car cockpit, floor, and roof in a single structure, thus ensuring extremely high structural rigidity. Together with the two front and rear aluminum sub-frames, it is an engineering solution that offers high structural rigidity and an exceptionally light weight of only 229.5 kg.
The roof of the Roadster version of
the Aventador comprises two sections made entirely of carbon fiber, a
further advancement from the Murciélago that had a soft top. These
technologies ensure not only great aesthetics, but also optimum
rigidity, despite the extremely lightweight roof. In fact, each section
of the roof weighs less than 6 kg.
The use of carbon fiber
increased with the Superveloce version: used on the door panels and
sills, remodeled in superlightweight composite materials (SCM), and
particularly for the interiors where, for the first time in a production
car, Carbon Skin technology was used, a superlightweight material
which, combined with a highly specialized resin, is very soft to the
touch, extremely wear resistant, and very flexible.
2. Four-wheel drive
The
absolute power of the Aventador made it necessary to have a reliable
transmission right from the start, giving the driver the best possible
driving experience.
The electronically-controlled torque
distribution between the front and rear wheels is based on three
components: a Haldex torque distributor, a rear self-locking
differential, and a front differential that operates together with the
ESP. In the space of just a few milliseconds, this system can adjust the
torque distribution to the handling conditions of the vehicle, and in
the most critical cases can transfer 60% of the torque to the front axle
according to the driving mode selected by the driver.
3. Suspension
Since
the very first version, the Aventador has been fitted with the
innovative Push Rod suspension system. The system, inspired by Formula
1, features rods attached to the lower part of the hub housing of each
wheel, which “transmit (push) the force” to the shock absorber-spring
assemblies fitted horizontally in the upper part of the frame, at both
the front and rear. The Lamborghini Push Rod suspension system
subsequently incorporated magnetorheological shock absorbers (MRS) on
the Aventador Superveloce, which respond immediately to road conditions
and driving style: damping is adjusted on each bend, greatly reducing
roll, and making vehicle handling and steering significantly more
responsive. This “adaptive” suspension feature also reduces front-end
diving under braking.
The Aventador has a robotized gearbox fitted, extraordinary in 2011 for a road super sports car. The system (seven-speed plus reverse gear) delivers extremely fast gear changes. The Independent Shifting Rod (ISR) gearbox features two lightweight carbon fiber shifting rods that move the synchronizers simultaneously: one for gear engagement and one for disengagement. This system has made it possible for Lamborghini to achieve a gearshift time of just 50 milliseconds, the speed at which the human eye moves.
5. Drive Select Modes and EGO Mode
Driving style customization has also evolved alongside the Aventador. The Aventador LP 700-4 driving modes offered five styles of gearbox: three manual (Strada, Sport, and Corsa) and two automatic (Strada-auto and Sport-auto). On the Aventador Superveloce, however, these modes had an increased ability to modify the driving set-up, giving the option through the three Drive Select system modes (Strada, Sport, and Corsa), to adjust the engine, transmission, differentials, shock absorbers, and steering. A major evolution came with the Aventador S, allowing the driver to choose between four different driving modes: STRADA, SPORT, CORSA, and EGO. The new EGO driving mode allows the driver to choose from several additional configuration profiles that can be customized by selecting the preferred criteria for traction, steering, and suspension within the range of the STRADA, SPORT, and CORSA settings.
6. Lamborghini Dinamica Veicolo Attiva (LDVA)
On
the Aventador, longitudinal control comes from the Lamborghini Dinamica
Veicolo Attiva (LDVA - Lamborghini Active Vehicle Dynamics) control
unit, an improved ESC strategy introduced for the first time on the
Aventador S, with faster and more precise control of traction and
vehicle handling according to the driving mode selected. LDVA is a kind
of electronic brain that receives accurate real-time information about
the movement of the vehicle through inputs transmitted by all the car
sensors. It can therefore instantly define the best set-up for all
active systems, guaranteeing the best handling behavior for all driving
conditions.
7. Aerodinamica Lamborghini Attiva 2.0 (ALA 2.0) and LDVA 2.0
To
improve the roadholding and performance of the Aventador, the
Aerodinamica Lamborghini Attiva 2.0 system was introduced on the SVJ
version, as well as an improved second generation LDVA system.
The
ALA system, patented by Lamborghini, which first appeared on the
Huracán Performante, was upgraded to ALA 2.0 on the Aventador SVJ. It
was recalibrated to take into account the car’s greater lateral
acceleration, and at the same time new air intake and aero channel
designs were introduced.
The ALA system actively varies the
aerodynamic load to achieve high downforce or low drag, depending on the
dynamic conditions. Electronically actuated motors open or close active
flaps in the front splitter and on the engine hood, which direct the
airflow in the front and rear sections. The Lamborghini Dinamica Veicolo
Attiva 2.0 (LDVA 2.0) control unit, with improved inertial sensors,
controls all electronic systems on the car in real time, with the ALA
system flaps activated in less than 500 milliseconds to guarantee the
best aerodynamic configuration under any driving conditions.
With the introduction of the Aventador S, lateral control now benefits from the all-wheel steering system, adopted for the first time on a Lamborghini series car. This system provides greater agility at low and medium speeds and more stability at high speeds. It is combined with Lamborghini Dynamic Steering (LDS) on the front axle, guaranteeing a more natural response and greater reactivity on tighter bends, and is specifically adapted to be integrated with the Lamborghini Rear-wheel Steering (LRS) system. Two separate actuators react within five milliseconds to the driver’s steering, allowing real-time angle adjustment and improved balance between roadholding and traction. At low speed, the rear wheels are in the opposite direction to the steering angle, thus virtually reducing the wheelbase. At high speed, on the other hand, the front and rear wheels are in the same direction as the steering, a set-up that allows the wheelbase to be virtually increased, ensuring greater stability, and optimizing the reactivity of the vehicle.
9. Stop-Start System
Since 2011, Lamborghini has been committed to reducing consumption and pollution and, above all, to increasing efficiency. From the LP 700-4 version, the Lamborghini Aventador has come with an innovative and rapid stop-start system with supercap for storing electrical power, enabling a significant reduction in fuel consumption. The Sant'Agata automaker introduced state-of-the-art technology for the new Aventador stop-start system, not seen before in the automotive industry: the electrical power to restart the engine after stopping (e.g., at traffic lights) is provided by the supercap, resulting in an extremely fast restart. The V12 restarts within 180 milliseconds, much faster than a conventional stop-start system. In line with Lamborghini’s philosophy of lightweight construction, the new technology results in a weight reduction of 3 kg. A traditional vehicle battery powers only the electronic systems, is smaller in size, and lasts for almost the whole life of the vehicle.
10. Cylinder Deactivation System (CDS)
The second technology that increases efficiency is the Cylinder Deactivation System (CDS). When operating at a reduced load and at driving speeds below 135 km/h, the CDS deactivates one of the two cylinder banks, so that the engine continues to function as a straight-six engine. At the slightest touch of the accelerator, full power becomes available again. Both the CDS and stop-start system work incredibly fast, virtually without the driver noticing and without detracting in any way from the thrill of driving. They do, however, provide a significant improvement in efficiency: compared to the same car without these technologies, the Aventador’s combined fuel consumption is reduced by 7%. At highway speeds of around 130 km/h, the reduction in fuel consumption and polluting emissions is around 20%.
Looking back at the origin of the names of Lamborghini cars, the Sant’Agata Bolognese cars take their names from fighting bulls: Miura, Jarama, Reventon and Murcielago, but one of the most spirited of these bulls was Aventador.
In Saragossa in 1993, Aventador proved to be the bravest bull in the arena. Throughout its history, the supercar launched by Lamborghini in 2011 has proven its significance by resolutely advancing in the automobile arena with ten years of innovation.
