Lamborghini Aventador (LP700) Buyers Guide

With history charging through the Italian borders, Lamborghini never ceases to amaze and delight it’s loyal following with aggressive and mesmerizing machines, and the latest Lamborghini Aventador is the cream of the crop.

Introduced as a near $400,000 dream at the Geneva Motor Show in February of 2011, the Lamborghini Aventador (LP700-4), rightfully named after a fighting bull, is nothing short of a 700hp reality.

It was built to replace the Murcielago, which ruled the brand as the V12 big brother to the more entry-level Gallardo and LP560 for a decade.

aventador lp640

The Aventador was different from the ground up, but still carried over the same angry bull demeanor in it’s design and has the ability to catch the eye of everyone with the scissor doors that went all the way up.

Continuing the tradition of mid-engine design, the Aventador houses a reworked 6.5 liter V12 engine that produces 691 HP and 509 ft-lb of torque, behind the cabin, visible to it’s admirers through it’s louvers.

aventador

The transmission is an all new controversial seven speed single clutch Independent Shift Rod (ISR) unit that routes all of it’s raw power to all four wheels.

While other manufacturers like Ferrari and McLaren had evolved to only use dual clutch transmission, Lamborghini decided the ISR was lighter, quick enough, and enabled the driver to experience the full gear shift, unlike that of smooth DCT gear changes.

All this gives the Aventador the charge of the bull it was named after, getting from 0-60 in just 2.7 seconds, and being a race car after all, we must add that it’s quarter mile time averages out to 10.4 seconds.

Being such a wide and low car, you can expect some weight on the Lamborghini Aventador; 3,800 pounds to be exact, but it does in-fact weigh less than the Murcielago thanks to the replacement of the steel frame to complete carbon fiber tub.

Aggressive angular headlights illuminate LED daytime running lights to let you know that the bull is alive and well. The Y shaped design of the bi-xenon headlamps were a technological improvement for this car, with two different sets of LED’s creating the continuous light, but also doubled as the turn signal.

aventador headlights

With all the power coming from the rear-engine mount, the front trunk is cut creased directly in the center of the angular and down sloping hood. Not giving room for much more than a small carry-on suitcase or a few bags of groceries, it is not the most practical for a daily driver. Underneath are the air flow vents glossed in black to give a more slick and elegant appeal while serving as a detrimental part of engine-cooling function.

Come to the belly of the beast and it’s sides show you just how much this car took after the aircraft it was designed to mirror on the ground. With a heightened wheel arch, the 19″/20″ wheels hug tightly against the meaty 255mm/335mm wide tires that are designed to keep this beast firmly planted on the streets as it flies through it’s obstacles of track opponents or other daily drivers.

Lots of angles and cuts give the styling of the Aventador a much more sinister approach than past Lamborghini’s.

Another aspect that sets the Aventador apart from its fellow Italian brothers are the signature scissor doors. That sharp line created at the wheel well holds the hinge to help get the doors up and over the frame to excited and thrill it’s driver and spectators alike.

Beyond the door, more air vents are located along the sides on the body itself and also along the side windows, the more cooling the monstrous engine can get, the better.

aventadordoors

At the back of the Aventador you see that the mold for typical Lamborghini design was broken and remade in a more aggressive fashion. Perhaps the most enjoyable part of being behind the Aventador is getting to see first and foremost just what is powering the car that is taking off in front of you.

From the rear you can get a glimpse of the V12 engine through engine louvers. Unlike other past Lamborghini’s that had a subtle spoiler lip that raised, the Aventador has a spoiler that comes up and out  used for added  stability and handling.

Body panels on each side of the engine louvers will raise slightly to allow air to flow into the engine compartment for added cooling and heat dissipation.

aventador-wing

The Y shaped LED theme continues in the rear with the tail lights and underneath each are more massive airflow vents, these being quite larger than the rest, but not taking away from the aesthetic appeal of the beast.

The lower diffuser sits in the middle of the frame, with four slits to make sure all the exhaust flows out, and to deliver the obnoxiously loud, yet head turning revs that come from a 700 horsepower engine.

aventadorrear

The Italians sure broke the mold on the Aventador; they made it into something that the exotic car world has never seen before and won’t soon forget. It’s dominating appearance only gives way to the driving style that comes with the Lamborghini branding.

The Driving Experience

Being behind the wheel of an Aventador constitutes being able to handle a lot of power in short bursts. The Aventador is highly aerodynamic so wind resistance is not a factor to worry about, and the total construction from carbon allows for just the right amount of weight to carry the Aventador around turns, but also enough to keep it weighed down on it’s track days.

The Aventador comes with three driving modes with the button to switch located on the center console control.

  • Strada – Italian for “Street”. This is the normal driving mode designed for comfort and cruising.
  • Sport – This is for elevated and exciting street driving. Exhaust noise is increased and more control is available to the driver.
  • Corsa – This is the preferred setting for track driving. The suspension is stiffened, the throttle response is much more responsive, as is the shifting.

aventador race

The suspension inside the Aventador is highly sophisticated system. With a light weight aluminum double wish-bone suspension built in conjunction with Ohlins, the push-rod suspension has been adapted to fit the high performance road going vehicle.

There are springs located inside the actual body shell of the car as opposed to being on the wheel mounts. Near the front axles are shock absorbers that aid with the hydraulic lifting system that allows the front end of the Aventador to be raised 40 mm at just the touch of a button, which is very helpful for parking lots with speed bumps or places that require steep entry.

aventador suspension

While the Aventador is beautiful to look at, the inside is really where everyone wants to be, especially in the driver’s seat. Paddle shifters will catch your eye and remind you that this is the first Lamborghini to no longer offer a manual transmission.

Another first for Lamborghini, the Aventador has a fully digital TFT LCD display behind the steering wheel in lieu of traditional gauges that give a view of all the instruments you need to be able to handle the Aventador properly, such as speedometer, odometer, gauges for oil/fuel/temperature, etc.

aventador gauges

Along the center console you will find an LCD display which gives you all the info you will need about navigation, climate control, music, and more.

Beneath the LCD display screen you will find a variety of switches and buttons that control everything from windows, AC, media, and more, but perhaps the most important two features of the center console are: the driving mode switch panel that allows you to choose between Sport, Strada, and Corsa, and the infamous red caped button cover that is flicked up to reveal the ‘push to start’ button that brings the raging bull to life.

Most of these controls and buttons are all plastic, which would frustrate a car fanatic, spending almost half a million dollars on a Lamborghini should constitute less cheaper parts of construction, but that is what carbon fiber is for.

aventador interior

The interior seats are comfortable, but like any hyper car, to an extent. This is not the car you want to road trip up to grandma’s house with, it’s a race car designed to hold a passenger for a short amount of time, but with in that time, to make sure the driver and passenger are secure and safe.

The range of options to spec out your Aventador both externally and internally range on and on, the color combos, the stitching colors, the carbon fiber accents, all make the normal man’s brain swirl, but some options could result in one of the most beautiful cars on the road to not only drive but to sit in.

Lamborghini Aventador Common Problems

With a car that differs so much from everything that has been done in the past, there are bound to be some issues trying to reshape the future, especially an all new vehicle from the ground up.

Lamborghini, while tremendously successful, is not without a few common issues that plague the Aventador.

  • Exterior Lighting –  Headlights (Recall ID: 12V561000)

Recall was issued on 144 2012 models manufactured from July 15, 2011 to April 20, 2012. The headlights were implemented with a failure to be aimed vertically, only horizontally and may result loss of visibility to the driver resulting in a crash.

  • Fuel System – Gasoline (Recall ID: 17V0730000)

Affecting over 1,400 models from 2012-2017, the affected Aventador’s in certain driving conditions while driving with a full tank may experience gasoline coming into contact with the exhaust system. Gasoline contact with an ignition source like hot exhaust can increase the risk of a fire.

  • Bouncy Suspension

While not a massive issue, the 2012 models seem to collectively have a stiffer suspension that seems to skip and jump at times, which can unsettle the car and cause accidents for unskilled drivers.

  • Technical Issues

Any advancements in technology come with bugs and glitches, unfortunately there are far too many that come with the massive computer system that is the 2012 Aventador. These problems were quickly resolved in the 2013 and up models with a brand new ECU module.

  • Transmission Failure

Luckily it is quite rare to find engine failures, but the transmission unit in 2012 is another story. Due to a bad design, a transmission seal is known to cause leaks which can ultimately cause the transmission to fail entirely. This issue was mostly common with the 2012 model years.

  • Clutch Overheating

A common problem noticed by many Aventador owners is a message that comes up on the dash that reads “Clutch Overheat”. With so many air flow vents you wonder how this is possible, but it happens. The car itself has been known to overheat while sitting in traffic for prolonged periods of time, the clutch shows that through the gauges. It seems to appear in Strada mode with low rev shifts most often.

Lamborghini Aventador Cost of Maintenance and Ownership

Created to be the most powerful car in the fleet, the Aventador has the best parts that Lamborghini can design inside of it. The Aventador is a race car at the end of the day, and the maintenance on one is as important as it is needed.

Lamborghini backs its Aventador with a 3 year and unlimited miles warranty, which is a phenomenal deal to get with these machines.

Service intervals are recommended to be done every 5,000 miles on these cars, however, if you are driving the Aventador the way it was designed to be driven you should be checking under the hood every 3,000 miles. The more aggressive you’re driving, the more service needs to be done.

The terms of service done on Lamborghini’s are few and far between.

Service A (FREE) is the first oil change to be performed on the Aventador, along with replacing the gearbox and differential oil and filters. That service must be done at 1,500 miles at a Lamborghini service center, if not, the warranty will be voided!

Service afterwards becomes a matter of who you know as some independent shops have expertise in exotic cars such as Lamborghini’s, you want to be able to make sure you’re taking your half a million dollar supercar to someone you can trust, but you also don’t want to pay as much for service as you did for the car.

Basic oil changes on the Aventadors can run you anywhere around $1,000, and the major services can run you upwards of $4,000 to replace all filters, fluids, spark plugs, and updating any needed software.

Your car will only take care of you as much as you take care of it. The Aventador is one of those cars that needs to have quality service done to it and often. While there are ways around the four figure costs of service, they are needed more than you think.

Lamborghini Aventador Model Year Changes

  • 2012 Lamborghini Aventador

First year of production for the Lamborghini Aventador, which replaced the Murcielago.

The 2012’s were mostly known for being problematic. From transmission failures due to a bad seal, to suspension that was too stiff that caused a bouncy ride, and worst of all, future software updates that are not applicable as the 2012 used an entirely different ECU.

aventador lamborghini

  • 2013 Lamborghini Aventador

2013 is the first year the Aventador Roadster was introduced to give the “sex appeal” to the Aventador that the Italians are famous for. Having the convertible option allows for a wider range of ownership, especially those enthusiasts who lived in warmer climates.

The convertible top is easily removable in two parts and can be stored away in the front bonnet. This is refreshing as, the Murcielago Roadster, had a soft top that was more of an afterthought and just plain sucked.

aventador roadster

The suspension also got updated to a stiffer part, and the dampers have also been optimized to allow for even more razor-sharp and precise handling and preferred ride comfort.

After 2012, all Aventadors have been added with start-stop technology, which turns off the engine when the car is at a stop light and will restart as soon as the gas pedal is pressed. It was added to not only to better the fuel consumption, but it also reduced weight (6.6lbs) of the Aventador by taking away the larger battery that didn’t need to constantly keep the beast running in situations like stop-go traffic.

Also new in 2013, Lamborghini Aventador now had an available 20″/21″ Dione wheels available in silver, gloss black, and matte titanium.

For those that complained about the exhaust being too quiet, there was a software upgrade from the factory that increased the volume and power by 8.5% in the lower RPMs for $2,500.

aventador exhaust software upgrade

Perhaps the biggest news in 2013 was Lamborghini hitting a huge milestone, their 50 year anniversary. To commemorate this amazing step, they turned their anniversary celebration into a special edition model, the Aventador LP-720 50 Anniversario.

The Anniversario is a limited model with only 200 units – 100 Coupes and 100 Roadsters. This limited edition had a base price of roughly $106,000 more than the Aventador Roadster.

LP720

As the naming convention suggests, it has increased engine power to 720hp via a new specific engine calibration.

The body morphed even more aggressive with enlarged and extended front air intakes, aerodynamic splitter, a new rear end featuring an enlarged diffuser and expansive meshwork that further improves the cooling of the engine-compartment.

Giallo Maggio (Italian for “May yellow”) is exclusive to this model, the yellow body colour features a sparkling yellow paintwork with a layer of transparent and highly reflective particles, with a 50th anniversary emblem in forged composite carbon-fiber.

aventador-anniversario

  • 2014 Lamborghini Aventador

No significant changes to report. Aventador coupe, roadster, and 50th Anniversario coupe and roadster continued into 2014.

Sometime in 2014, Lamborghini began to offer a factory race exhaust option that would significantly amplify exhaust noise without voiding the warranty for $11,000.

aventador factory race exhaust

  • 2015 Lamborghini Aventador

For 2015, the standard Aventador coupe and roadster were relatively unchanged with just a few new added options.

  • 2016 Lamborghini Aventador

The most exciting news for the Aventador model came in 2016 with the introduction of the LP 750-4 Superveloce “SV” in both coupe and roadster trim.

Just like its predecessor, the Murcielago LP670-4 SV, it had an upgraded powertrain and an engine to the tune of 750hp along with a weight reduction of 110lbs from the increased use of carbon fiber internally and externally.

aventador sv

As a direct result, 0-60 time decreased from 2.9 seconds to 2.8 and top speed increased to 217mph. The aerodynamic nature of the SV is seen with the upgraded front splitter and rear diffuser with an added rear wing.

Even the interior had a major overhaul with abundance of carbon fiber, and even a new carbon-fiber based fabric called “Carbin Skin”. The TFT gauges featured an all new display with a focus on track times and nothing more.

aventador-sv-interior

Another first for Lamborghini were the new optional multi-spoke center lock wheels commonly found on race cars for faster wheel swapping.

With a price tag of over $500,000, this was the ultimate form of the Aventador, but in race form, and not for the faint of heart.

Although it is ‘limited edition’, Lamborghini built 600 units, which is significantly more than the less than 200 Murcielago LP670-SV sold.

aventador sv roadster

  • 2017 Lamborghini Aventador S

For 2017, the LP750-S SuperVeloce continued to be produced in both coupe and roadster form, while the standard Aventador got it’s first major lifecycle update and evolved into the new Aventador S.

Horsepower is now up to 730hp standard and keeps the same basic build as the base model Aventador.

aventador s

The suspension is now controlled by the Lamborghini Dynamic Veicolo Attiva which has now added an Ego mode to the Strada, Corsa, and Sport modes. The Ego setting is tailored to the individual, allowing the driver to custom set the vehicles settings.

The S also is the first to feature a four-wheel steering system that has the rear wheels turn with the fronts at higher speeds, but then has the rear wheels turn in the opposite direction as the fronts for a decreased turning radius at lower speeds.

For cosmetic design the nose was redesigned with a bigger front splitter and two new air ducts in the front bumper. At the rear it has a new black rear diffuser with fins, and three single exit exhausts tips.

aventador-2017

Lamborghini Aventador Options

Lamborghini is made with Italian love and design, so the options to customize your Aventador are by the hundreds, once all is said and done. From different paint options in different tones (pearl, metallic, matte) to interior stitching, carbon fibre additions, engine covers, and so much more.

Below is an option list for 2016 model year with list prices for your reference. Please keep in mind that earlier model years may not have the same options.

Some of the popular options that help with resale are as follow: transparent engine bonnet, carbon fiber exterior and interior, Dione wheels, Park assistance,

aventadoroptions1

aventadoroptions2

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aventadoroptions5

Best Year Lamborghini Aventador To Buy

With the first model year having so many issues being a power house with very little restraints and raw power, the 2012’s are out of the question.

The 2013 Aventador offers the best bang for the buck and lack the problems that plagued the early models, allowing you the same headache-free exhilarating experience that Lamborghini is known for.

Make sure all the recall campaigns have been performed. You can check with your local dealer by supplying them the VIN of any Aventador you are looking at.

The SV holds extremely high value right now and has not depreciated far enough to get you a good deal.

All in all, we would have no problem opting for a 2013 Aventador for under $280,000 at the time of this writing.

verde ithaca aventador

Conclusion

The Lamborghini Aventador is truly a revolutionary car to come out of Sant’Agata. It is a car that has dozens of technological advancements that are a first for any  Lamborghini road going car.

If this is the direction of Lamborghini, all we can say is that we are very excited for what the future brings.

If you are in the market for an Aventador, consider yourself blessed as no other car for under $300,000 looks as good as it, and that’s not even up for debate.

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