Lamborghini Aventador SV Roadster: Open Season

The engineers at Lamborghini HQ in Sant'Agata Bolognese, Italy, had a pretty easy job when the time came to the Aventador SV droptop because it carries over all the special parts from the coupe. Still, buyers have no reason to be disappointed with the 6.5-liter V12 making 740 horsepower (750 in metric ponies) and offering a screaming, 8,500 rpm redline. The seven-speed gearbox and all-wheel-drive system zaps the convertible to 60 miles per hour in less than three seconds and to a top speed of over 217 mph. Weight also falls by 110 pounds compared to the standard roadster to tip the scales at 3,472 pounds – some 110 pounds more than the SV coupe.

It's the razor-sharp styling that really makes the SV Roadster a showstopper, through. The droptop still wears the coupe's carbon-fiber body panels but somehow makes them look even better. The key is removing the two top sections to create a small break in the roofline, and that little change is enough to accentuate the rear's curvy hips. The side-mounted intakes look big enough to carry extra passengers in a pinch.

Having steamroller Pirelli P Zero Corsas set so wide apart, the SV’s lateral grip is phenomenal – almost GT3 racer like in its tenacity – and the front end is utterly faithful to wherever you point it.

Breach the fairly stratospheric limits and it’s actually friendlier than the standard Aventador Roadster, telegraphing its intentions to give you the best chance of saving your skin.

The steering doesn’t have the high-alert ratio you get with all modern Ferraris, but isn’t slow either and loads up to the point of ‘seriously meaty’ in corners. Its variable ratio isn’t as intrusive as it is on the Huracan either, and comes in handy at swinging the big bull around tighter corners.

Removing the roof and reshaping the rear emphasizes the nacelles running behind the seats even more. These elements are somewhat visible on the SV coupe, but the engine cover largely hides them. Here, the angular shapes are brashly obvious and look directly inspired by an F-117 stealth jet. To make things even better for the driver, the rear window can be lowered to fully open the cabin to nature.

The first deliveries to customers don't start until early next year, and the $530,075 starting price makes it about $37,000 more expensive than the SV coupe. Lamborghini likely doesn't have to worry about finding buyers for this beautiful machine, and production is limited to 500 units, 100 fewer than the hardtop.

Lamborghini Aventador SV

This is it. The final, most insane version of the not-so-civil Aventador. This is the no-nonsense, Nurburgring bashing bull. The last hurrah of Lambo's latest beast, and perhaps of traditional super cars in general. No turbos, no electric assistance, just a big old six and a half liters of fire and brimstone. Whatever softness Lambo was accused of with the Huracan, we take back.

Aventador SV goes topless.

The Lamborghini Aventador SV – for Superveloce – backs up the promise of its aggressive, fighter jet styling; it is a monster of a supercar. As evidenced by its Nurburgring lap time of 6min 59secs it has the raw performance to live with hybrid hypercars costing three times the SV’s £315,000. Supercar driving experiences do not come more authentic than this.

As the name suggests, 750 bhp(handily more than the F12) has been made available to your right foot, 50kg have been carved off, and an assortment of aero bits layed on (assume you've already noticed that rear wing ).

In dynamic terms the SV feels sharper and more agile than the standard Aventador, but that car was hardly lacking in dynamic ability itself. Equipped with the vast rear wing and contrasting styling elements the SV looks incredible on the road. Few cars have ever snapped the necks of onlookers quite so readily as this one.

The single-clutch gearbox has been improved slightly for this installation, but the thinly padded bucket seats offer no lower back support and their long distance comfort is non-existent. The standard Aventador’s grand tourer credentials have certainly been gnawed away, but the SV is just about as exciting and dramatic as supercars get.

Aventador SV owners will be interested to know that this car’s predecessor, the Murcielago SV, is now valued at close to £400,000 on the used market. When they were new five years ago they carried a list price of £270,000, which represents a significant increase in value.

However, fewer than 200 Murcielago SVs were built compared to a planned run of 600 Aventador SVs, so it would be too simplistic to expect the newer car’s values to do exactly the same. All Aventador SVs have now been allocated to customers(boo), so anybody hoping to get into one will very likely have to pay a premium over the £315,000 list price.