Italian Identity, Lamborghini Style

In Italy, the people are as proud of their sports-car tradition as they are to be home to the Pope. No wonder, then, that Lamborghini chose Rome, the Holy City, as the site of the first drives of its new Aventador LP700-4.

Safeguarded by a red cover, the starter button awaits. With a satanic rumble, the 6.5-liter V-12 behind us erupts, seemingly with the first crank of the starter. In all it does, the Aventador’s new V-12 is a remarkably responsive engine—with just the slightest tap of the throttle, revs rise and fall with F1 quickness.

You’ll want to take a moment—and a few deep breaths—before flooring the throttle. The driver hardly has time to gasp before the Aventador hits 60 mph, which we estimate will take only 2.8 seconds. The 100-mph mark should pass in around 6.5 seconds and the quarter-mile will take less than 11. The rate of acceleration hardly seems to slow below 200 mph, and thanks to the hyperquick gear changes, there is zero perceptible lull during upshifts. The Aventador is equipped with a high-end audio system, but we prefer to listen to the conversation between our right foot and the engine. The V-12 makes a powerful low-frequency roar at lower engine speeds, which becomes a thunderstorm over 3500 rpm. Stay on the throttle and, beyond 5000 rpm, the Lambo V-12 sounds like the apocalypse.

It’s a razor-sharp jet-fighter on wheels, but more important, the Lamborghini Aventador is one of very few truly raunchy automobiles. With its aggressive engine note and aerospace styling, it is completely different from the more sophisticated—and equally new—Ferrari FF. Lamborghini will build 500 units a year, and 750 have already been sold worldwide. In the U.S., it’ll take at least $381,700 to put an Aventador in your stable. That’s a small price to pay, though, for a genuine piece of Italian national identity.

--Car&Driver

A Baby Rolls Grows

Luxury giant Rolls-Royce has big plans for its ‘entry-level’ limo, the Ghost, including a Coupe and Drophead cabrio. But for now, it’s launched this stretched version.





The new Ghost Extended Wheelbase, or EWB, is a six inches longer than the standard car and gets twice as much rear legroom. Even with the front seats in their rearmost position, there’s extra leg space in the back, so the tallest passengers can stretch out in comfort. And the sense of room is further enhanced by the standard panoramic sunroof.



Although the EWB debuted at April’s Shanghai Motor Show, and is aimed at Asian markets – where length of stretch reflects passenger status – it retains the Ghost’s focus as the driver’s Rolls. Every effort has been made to ensure that the extra bodywork and weight haven’t affected the experience; the idea is that the chauffeur hands back the keys at the weekend so the owner can have some fun behind the wheel. Rolls claims this is an increasingly popular usage pattern in Asia.



Regardless of who is driving, the new model is an elegant piece of work. No changes have been made to the drivetrain or chassis, so it’s the same mighty 563bhp 6.6-litre V12 powering the rear wheels through an eight-speed auto, plus air-suspension with electronically adaptive damping.

Okay, you don’t get the same uncanny sense of isolation from the outside world as in the bigger Phantom, but maybe that’s a good thing. There’s a little more road noise and tire thump, plus greater steering feel – all the better to exploit the unlikely acceleration (0-62mph takes 4.9 seconds) and the surprising tenacity and control of the chassis through corners.



As long as you keep things neat and smooth at the wheel, the Ghost EWB will respond in kind. All gain and no pain, then – just as Rolls-Royce intended.



--AutoExpress