Lamborghini Countach Reviews

When it came time to replace its Murcielago supercar, Lamborghini knew it had its work cut out. As awesome as the big V12 monster was to drive, it could be a handful in the corners, its chromolly tube chassis was dated and its fuel consumption was gargantuan.In Lamborghini president Stephan Winkelmann’s words, the Italian maker needed to leap ahead two full generations if it wanted to position itself at the forefront of the supercar world. Australians will see the results of Lamborghini’s efforts at this week’s Australian International Motor Show when the Aventador LP700-4 is revealed for the first time locally, but Carsguide has already driven the stunning high-performance machine in Europe.The exotically-named Aventador highlights four key technologies, all aimed at delivering raw speed: a sophisticated new electronics system, a clever seven-speed sequential gearbox, a brand-new V12 engine, and an all-carbon chassis.The result is a car that’s fast in a way that’s difficult to comprehend. It nails 0-100km/h in just 2.9 seconds, runs to a top speed of 350km/h and, thanks in part to Australia’s punitive luxury car tax, will cost the better part of a million dollars to drive away.VALUEAny time you get asked to hand over $754,600 for a car as opposed to a mansion, it’s difficult to work out whether it represents value or not, even bearing in mind that taxes account for in excess of $210K of that asking price.But cars like the Aventador sell to a clientele that recognizes and values the exclusivity of such a machine, both in terms of the limited numbers sold, and in its status at the very top of the performance tree. And, to be perfectly honest, there’s nothing out there that’s quite like the Aventador.Ferrari quit the mid-engined supercar business after the TestaRossa and now sells its V12s as front-engined grand tourers (even if the 599 GTO is an awesome machine). Nor does anything else have this level of carbon-fibre technology as its core. The rare as hens-teeth Pagani Zonda and upcoming McLaren MP4-12C both make extensive use of carbon technology, but both cars are a generation behind what Lamborghini is offering.Despite the price, you don’t get limousine-like features inside the cabin, which is best described as comfortably functional. But where the Aventador excels is in developing enormous amounts of power and character, and delivering both brilliantly.TECHNOLOGYFirstly, the Aventador uses not one, but three different carbon-fibre technologies to create a chassis that is not only light, but so stiff that it passes the FIA’s current GT racing roof crush test without a roll cage.The basis of this strength is an in-house technology called ‘RTM Lambo’ that needs a lot less heat and preparation time than other carbon-fibre manufacturing techniques. That’s backed up with tubular, braided carbon that is used to add strength in the windscreen pillars and along the sills, while more traditional carbon is used for the roof and windscreen pillar surfaces.This magical material has resulted in a chassis that weighs just 175kg yet is so strong that it requires 33 tonnes of force on one corner to make it bend a single degree. It’s also been designed with ease of driving and building in mind, so both left- and right-hand drive buyers can sit straight, where the old car made them twist inwards a fraction.But Lamborghini hasn’t stopped at the Aventador’s body. The car also features a race-bred pushrod suspension, with the dampers and springs sitting inboard instead of out by the wheels; an electrical system capable of processing half a billion calculations a second; and a lighter, faster all-wheel drive system.There’s also a clever seven-speed automated-manual gearbox that reshuffles the traditional gear pairings so the computer can disengage one gear as it’s engaging the next one, all in just 0.05 seconds. That’s a touch slower than the fastest twin clutch gearboxes, but few will argue it’s tardy. It’s also brilliantly designed, weighing basically the same as the old ‘box, even with an extra gear.Sadly, the new system heralds the demise of Lamborghini’s classic open-gate manual gearshift.And then, of course, there’s the engine. At 6.5-litres it’s about the same size as the Murcielago’s V12, but the Aventador’s engine is all new and shares not a single screw with the old car. It produces 515kW at 8250rpm and 690Nm at 5500rpm, but the numbers just don’t do it justice…DESIGNIf the Aventador’s look seems a little familiar, it’s probably because Lamborghini admits that’s a what it wanted. The company stretched the bounds of what it could manufacture in low volumes with its Reventon art car, and the Aventador is a little more conservative than that, but still clearly from the same design family. Inside, the story isn’t as convincing as the bodywork.There’s a very high centre console, complete with a flip-up cover for the start button, but many of the standard materials don’t feel like they belong in a car costing this much. Customisation options means you can change them for much classier materials, but that’s an extra cost…SAFETYTestament to the inherent strength of carbon-fibre tubs such as that at the heart of the Aventador is seen from time to time when F1 drivers emerge unscathed from enormous crashes. Lamborghini insists the same strength is part of the Aventador’s DNA, pointing to the first rear crash test, which the car survived so well that engineers effectively replaced some panels and turned the same car around to do the side impact test as well.We’ll probably have to take their word for it, too, because at these prices Australian safety authorities are unlikely to be slamming one into a wall any time soon. Regardless of its crash performance, the Aventador comes with the sort of active safety arsenal – enormous, sticky Pirelli tyres, 400mm carbon-ceramic front brakes and enough grip to hurt the necks of the unwise – that it’s hard to imagine how you’d crash one in the first place. Except through massive over-enthusiasm.DRIVEThat V12 fires up instantly to give you a constant baseline of stomach-rumbling tension, even at idle. Yet, there are no histrionics from it and it will happily burst off the line from cold or just cruise in heavy traffic without tickling the temperature gauge.The beautifully trimmed and snugly supportive sports seats are perfectly aligned in the straight ahead (trust me, it’s unusual in this style of car), though right-hand drive cars do suffer a bit of intrusion into the footwell from the front wheelarch. Blip the throttle and the revs explode skywards, so that anybody somehow oblivious to the stunning exterior shape is instantly aware of the beast’s presence.With a fury of sound and revs and very little wheelspin thanks to its launch control system, the Aventador takes advantage of huge power and light weight (it’s only 1575kg) to explode off the line. You feel like you’ve been pinned to the seat by the hand of a giant. The steering, even in a straight line, comes alive with the action and, before you can comprehend it, the Aventador is demanding second gear.Pull the little alloy paddle back behind the steering wheel and there’s a precise mechanical craaack, accompanied by a faint jolt before you continue, jet-like, towards the horizon.Of course, going fast in a straight line isn’t a particularly difficult. Going around corners at speed is much more challenging, and Lamborghini has it overwhelmingly right. This car is alive in corners and shrinks around you the harder you drive it.It has three driving modes that each change its character subtly. The basic Strada mode is quieter, with a slower shift speed and predictable understeer-at-the-limit handling; Sport gives you faster shifts, more exhaust noise and handling that tends to oversteer at the limit; while Corsa unleashes the Aventador to go at its absolute fastest.Curiously, it also rides stupendously well and handles in a completely different way to the Murcielago. The old car used to frighten people into submission. The Aventador is no less of an event, but feels infinitely more trustworthy, constantly inviting the driver to push harder. Running through fast corners is like being in the ball on the end of the string. There’s nothing it doesn’t do brilliantly.VERDICTIt’s a truly astonishing car, the Aventador LP700-4. It’s clearly the best supercar money can buy today and, with more tweaks to come (magnetic-ride suspension, lighter body panels and direct fuel injection to name just three), it should stay that way for a long time. Lamborghini could have rested on its laurels, safe in the knowledge that nobody else builds this sort of car anymore.It didn’t. It’s a game changer for Lamborghini, pushing the company forward as an industry leader in electronics, in carbon-fibre and gearbox innovation while reinforcing its superfast, supersexy reputation. And it’s brilliant.Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4Price: $754,600 plus on roadsWarranty: 3 years unlimitedResale: N/AService Interval: 15,000kmEngine: 6.5-litre, naturally aspirated V12, all alloy, 48-valvesPower: 515kW at 8250rpm, 690Nm at 5500rpmBody: two-door coupe, carbon-fibre chassisWeight: 1575kgTransmission: seven-speed Independent Shifting Rods (ISR) sequential gearboxThirst: 17.2 L/100km + 398g/km CO2

But here I am behind the wheel of not one, but two Ferraris, a Lotus, a Lamborghini, an Aston Martin and a Porsche.

First unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show in March, the successor to the hugely successful Murcielago, redefines super sports car parameters. The Aventador boasts brutal power, outstanding lightweight engineering, and phenomenal handling precision to deliver an unparalleled driving experience. Named after a particularly courageous Spanish Bull, this beast boasts a 6.5-litre V12 engine and produces a phenomenal 515kW of power and 690Nm of torque. The spectacular looking coupe, complete with the Lamborghini scissor doors, has been described as an avant-garde work of art with its extreme razor sharp lines and taut surfaces. Inspiration from modern aeronautics is evident from the front spoiler to the rear diffuser on the exterior while the interior boasts a next generation TFT-LCD instrument display. The carbon fibre monocoque chassis ensures extreme rigidity and outstanding driving precision and safety. The exceptional lightweight engineering of the monocoque ensures that the kerb weight is kept to just 1575kg resulting in some mind blowing performance figures. Through its permanent four wheel drive system the 7-speed Aventador accelerates at 0-100km/h in 2.9 seconds and has a top speed of 350km/h. “The Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4 is two generations ahead in terms of design and technology.” Andrew Smith, managing director of Lamborghini Melbourne said after driving the car recently on the Vallelunga circuit near Rome. “The Aventador is a truly exceptional package of design, style and technical perfection. Its performance is simply astonishing and is unrivalled in the super sports car arena.” Mr Smith said. “The Aventador looks amazing in photographs, but this is nothing to seeing it in person. I’m sure the visitors to the Australian International Motor Show are going to love it.” Australian International Motor Show event director Russ Tyrie says that the Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4 is the sort of vehicle that motor shows are traditionally about. “There is no greater drawcard for a motor show than a spectacular, brand new, never-seen-in-Australia super sports car” Mr Tyrie said. “To have such an important and impressive supercar unveiled locally so soon after its global unveiling is very exciting for the Australian International Motor Show.” The Australian International Motor Show opens at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre at 6pm on Friday 1 July, and runs until Sunday 10 July.

The replacement for the Gallardo has been spotted several times and now speculation in Europe is shifting to the name. Jota - a name from the past - is widely tipped but Lamborghini is always looking to the future these days, so the car could easily wear different badges once the camouflage in this Carparazzi picture is stripped away.

Ford and Holden battle for first place in the top ten classic cars

The Lamborghini Aventador will fight for top billing at the Geneva Motor Show next week against the Ferrari FF and a wild bunch of other concept cars.But the Carparazzi crew has already tracked the successor to the V12-powered Murcielago to northern Scandinavia, where the car is undergoing the usual cold-weather test work.The new Lamborghini has traded its previous stealth fighter-style, flat black camouflage for a swirly black-and-white pattern isn't much of an improvement.However, the shape of the LP700-4 is now obvious and it seems to get Reventon-inspired lines, particularly at the front end, with the stealthy trapezoidal shapes and crease lines. The Aventador - if the name is the right one for showrooms - will be equipped with an upgraded 6.5-litre V12 engine putting out 515 kiloWatts and 690 Newton-metres of torque to be fed through a Graziano seven-speed automatic, with a single clutch and dual sychronizers.Top speed is expected to be 350km/h with a 0-100km/h sprint time of 2.9 seconds.

Life with a Lamborghini is like having something alien and alive under your skin. Every move it makes is felt in your body. Its exhaust and engine noises shout and bark and roar in your ears like getting nagged on a bad day by the mother-in-law of your nightmares.Through a layer of Alcantara, there are subtle vibrations from the steering wheel and seat that tingles the fingertips and your butt. A variation on a Thai massage. Vision is blurry because the vehicle picks up speed and changes direction at a pace that initially shocks the brain. Think absinthe in a pint glass.Then there's the squashing. First the car's acceleration will crush you in the seat and then the corners will press against your hips and head, pulling your arms to be free of the steering wheel and your legs off the pedals. World Wrestling Entertainment in your bedroom.VALUEYou've got to be kidding.TECHNOLOGYTechnology costs. This is about $550,000 to buy and register so you get lots of carbon fibre(body and cabin), aluminium (chassis and body), Alcantara and leather (cabin) and forged alloy (wheels). The V10 engine now has direct-petrol injection for an instant hit. Fuel consumption is decreased, now 13.5 litres/100km average down from 17 l/100km.The 5.2-litre V10 pushes 419kW at a glorious 8000rpm and torque of 540Nm at 6500rpm. The extra 7kW over the LP560-4 is achieved primarily by remapping the engine management system.The six-speed automated manual e-gear transmission is now improved. Which is like saying being run over by a truck is much better today than 20 years ago thanks to advancements in tyre design. The original e-gear fitted to the Murcielago was a harsh and jerky affair that made you look bad in front of your mates. The new one is much smoother. The LP570-4's e-gear is operated only by the steering wheel paddles - but of more interest is the choice of full automatic, Sport and Corsa.Basically, the auto is for getting to the shops, Sport is for making it to work on time and Corsa is there to put a big grin on your face on the way home.The all-wheel drive uses a central viscous coupling and a 45 per cent rear LSD. Normally, power is channelled at the ratio of 30:70 front to rear and hit the ground via Pirelli P Zero Corsa tyres - 235/35ZR19 at the front and 295/30ZR19 at the rear - mounted on forged alloy wheels with titanium bolts.The wheels save a total of 13kg over the LP560-4. Every gram helps.The chassis is aluminium spaceframe with an aluminium and carbon fibre skin. In comparison with the LP560-4, only a liberal use of carbon fibre in the cabin shows the Superleggera has been designed to shave weight in order to get there faster.Carbon fibre is also used for the engine cover, bumper panels, spoilers and wing mirror housings. The rear spoiler, which is the easiest way of identifying the Superleggera, is actually a $15,000 option. All of the four cars already sold in Perth have this carbon-fibre wing.Carbon fibre is important in creating this coupe's character. The material is responsible for 40kg of the 70kg weight saving. The seats are covered in lightweight Alcantara instead of leather, however the car retains airconditioning and electric windows. The rear window and side glass are made of polycarbonate, as is the window over the engine bay.DRIVINGThe LP570-4 is making animal noises as it brakes and pitches and accelerates around the Wanneroo V8 Supercar circuit. Fresh from Italy and unlicensed for the road, the Gallardo LP570-4 Superleggera enjoys stretching its legs after such a long plane flight and revels in the warm air and empty track.At 1340kg, the Superleggera - simply, lightweight - is 70kg lighter than the LP560-4 coupe on which it is based and is the lightest road-going model in Lamborghini's range. Light is quick is economical is (more) environmentally friendly.It has a 0-100km/h time of 3.4 seconds and clearly - and unashamedly - is designed to match the Ferrari 455 in acceleration. More startling, however, is its 0-200km/h blast of 10.2 seconds and its top of 325km/h.All this technical data goes out the polycarbonate window, replaced with the need to concentrate so hard to ensure it tracks neat and smooth around the circuit. Thanks to the e-gear automated manual, it's not particularly hard to drive. But it is particularly hard to perfect the corners while getting used to its width and the razor-sharp response of the engine.Start the circuit in the transmission's "automatic" mode, build confidence and switch on the run to Sport, and then, a lap later, press the centre console's Corsa button. Which is like riding a feral beast and then stabbing in the neck. Pull on the right-hand steering wheel paddle and the car jumps sharply, the next cog rammed in and the engine howl drops an octave or two.Up two more for the straight, down one, then two for the right-hander. The ratios plunge instantly and the tail gives a little squirm, the steering wheel turns slightly and the back settles for the corner. It seems to know what to do and even pretends to become friendly.If it didn't cost half a million dollars and didn't have the fuse-lit explosion of 419kW hanging over the driver's head, it could be a fun car. Which is why - unlike many of its peers - you can flick the Gallardo's engine mapping switch back to automatic mode and, literally, go shopping.Lamborghini last year has a similar track day when the limited-edition two-wheel drive Valentino Balboni model, plus a LP560-4, came to Perth.I was more enthusiastic about the Balboni, with the 40kg weight saving of the front drive mechanicals creating a coupe that boasted lighter and more responsive steering and far less understeer than the all-wheel drive model.Despite sharing drivetrains, the Superleggera's weight loss has removed that hint of understeer and made it feel as nimble, confident and as easy to drive as the Balboni. Plus, of course, it has all-wheel drive for particularly slippery conditions.OTHER MODELSAlso shown on the track day - but not driven - is the LP550-2, the car that evolved from the limited edition Valentino Balboni car that celebrated its former works driver with a lightweight, rear-drive chassis. It is identical to the 250 Balboni cars save for the lack of the trademark centre-body stripe and identification badges.The LP550-2 weighs 1380kg, runs 0-100km/h in 3.9 seconds to top 320km/h, has 405kW and 540Nm and averages 13.3 l/100km. It's also about $140,000 cheaper. Lamborghini sells four Gallardo models in Australia - LP560-4 coupe and Spyder; new LP370-4 Superleggera; and the LP550-2.The Murcielago has stopped production and its replacement, the sub-3 second 0-100km/h Jota, is expected early next year.PRICINGThe Superleggera is $541,500 (add $27,204 for e-gear) and the LP550-2 is $399,990.VERDICTLousy visibility in traffic and a price tag Olympic/Commonwealth gold medallist Steve Hooker couldn't pole vault over fail to dent the allure of its tremendous performance.LAMBORGHINI GALLARDO LP570-4 SUPERLEGGERAOrigin: ItalyPrice: from $541,500Engine: 5.2-litre, V10Power: 419kW @ 8000rpmTorque: 540Nm @ 6500rpm0-100km/h: 3.4 secondsTop speed: 325km/hFuel: Premium unleadedFuel tank: 90 litresEconomy (official): 13.5 litres/100kmGreenhouse: 319g/km (Corolla: 175g/km)Transmission: 6-speed e-gear automated manual, sequential, paddle shifters; constant 4WDBrakes: 4-wheel vented discs, 8/4-pot front/rear calipersSuspension: Front/rear _ double wishbones, coilsWheels: 19-inch alloyTyres: Front  235/35ZR19; Rear  295/30ZR19; no spareLength: 4386mmWidth: 1900mmHeight: 1165mmWheelbase: 2560mmWeight: 1340kg

The first international auto exhibition in Sydney since 2008 is the most expensive the city has seen, based on the value of the cars assembled and the millions it has cost certain of the 30 exhibitors to ship and assemble their showcases, some of which are themselves worth in the region on $1 million.Organisers expect in excess of 200,000 patrons to see the show which runs until next Sunday. Organisers said the 44 new models revealed at AIMS is an "absolute record" for any Australian auto show.Ford's stand is part of a globally travelling display based in Paris bought to Sydney for the launch of the Ranger ute. Mercedes-Benz commissioned a one-off car specifically for the show.Andrew McKellar, chief executive of the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries which runs AIMS, said $50 million was a "conservative estimate"."I think it'll be the best show we've had for a good number years and one of the best in the world this year," he said.  "It's important that we bring this sort of event to Sydney. People have missed it, but it's a good agreement to have it here every other year."While some are calling it the "Sydney ute muster" due to the dominance of work and lifestyle vehicles, it's the "car porn" the supercars and performance rockets that will get the punters through the doors.At $700,000 the first Lexus supercar, the LFA, is among the most expensive on show. Eight have been allocated to Australia, all have been pre-sold. So too have all seven of Porsche's brutal 911 GT2 RS, which is the most powerful ever of its kind and, at $560,000, the most expensive new Porsche sold here.You'll likely never see a Hulme CamAm again in the metal. Only 20 of the manic road going race track car, hand built by a New Zealand company for performance connoisseurs, will be made. Those in search of an exotic bargain should veer over to the Lamborghini Gallardo LP 550-2 at a mere $399,000 it's the cheapest way to get into a brand favoured by the conspicuously wealthy including Ibrahim.

It's 15kg lighter than a Porsche Boxster and, at a mind-altering 419kW, is almost twice as powerful into the bargain.  The weight? It’s just 1343kg – about the same as a Mercedes-Benz B Class. And four times the power. It’s the kind of car that puts nearly all other cars – even the desirable ones – nicely in perspective, don’t you think?  Superleggera is Italian for ‘super lightweight’ which, in concert with the staggering performance from the familiar – albeit tweaked – 5.2-litre V10 engine, gives the newest, lightest and baddest Lambo in the shed absolutely unassailable performance credentials. That makes it 90kg lighter than the previous jaw-droppingly impressive LP560-4 Superleggera. And 28kW more powerful.  Most of the lost weight is attributable to an even greater investment in carbon fibre, although some has been trimmed by making the aluminium wheels even lighter. A real highlight with this car is the massive-worked front air intakes, obviously inspired by another incomprehensibly dramatic Lambo – the fighter jet-inspired Reventon.  If that’s not enough to ensure standing room only around the Lamborghini stand for the duration of the Motor Show, Lamborghini will also showcase the new Gallardo 560-4 Spyder and the 550-2 (2WD) supercars, the latter of which, with a stupendous 405kW driving just two wheels, was inspired by Valentino Balboni, Lamborghini’s legendary test driver. Balboni served the company for 40 years in perhaps the world’s most enviable job, before retiring in October 2008. He started his career at Lamborghini in 1968 as a mechanic before a personal request by the founder, Ferruccio Lamborghini, saw him test driving the cars for a living. He reportedly drove 80 per cent of all Lamborghinis ever made. He continues to work for the company today, as a consultant.

Both are up for auction at the Automobiles of London sale in London on October 27.  The most famous is the 1964 Aston Martin DB5 that starred in the James Bond epic Goldfinger in 1964, the third instalment from the 007 series. It was so popular it returned for Thunderball, GoldenEye, Tomorrow Never Dies and Casino Royale. It featured revolving number plates, Browning machine guns, extending bumper overriders for ramming baddies, a smoke screen, an oil slick and nail spreaders, plus the infamous Martin-Baker fighter jet ejector seat, triggered by the little red button under the gear lever knob.  All these features remain on the car driven in the films by the first Bond, Sean Connery.  There is no estimate of its fetching price at auction.  The second Bond was Roger Moore who never drove an Aston Martin. Instead, he drove a Bentley, a Chevy Implala convertible and most famously an amphibious Lotus Esprit. In his Saint TV series, Moore as Simon Templar made the Volvo P1800 famous.  But the Moore car up for auction is a 1969 Lamborghini Islero GTS he drove in the obscure 1970 thriller, The Man Who Haunted Himself, Moore drives which will be auctioned The movie features Moore as a man who awakes from surgery after a car accident to find his life has been turned upside-down. He is frequently seen driving the rare Lamborghini Islero GTS in the movie, including a climatic chase scene.  Sir Roger Moore was recently reunited with the Islero in London where he autographed the sun visor, the original driver's handbook and a special plaque. Finished in silver and carrying the original movie registration number YRL 11G, this Islero is one of only five right-hand variants built.  The car is estimated to achieve between $154,000 and $220,000 at the auction.