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With
the clock rapidly ticking down to its world
première at the Frankfurt IAA less than 24 hours
time, Lamborghini has announced full details of
the 670 bhp Reventón Roadster which will number
a production run of less than 20 units and be
priced at 1.1 million euros each.
Dubbed by
Lamborghini as the ultimate driving machine among open-top
two-seaters, the Reventón Roadster the Italian sports car
maker says is a sports car of breathtaking fascination,
menacing power and uncompromising performance. Unlike the
Coupé version of the Reventón which debuted two years ago in
Frankfurt, the new Roadster is based around the latest
incarnation of the Murciélago, the LP670-4 SuperVeloce which
arrived on the market earlier this year. It's 6.5 litre
twelve-cylinder generates 670 bhp, which will catapult the
Roadster from 0 to 100 Km/h (0 to 62 mph) in 3.4 seconds and
onwards to a top speed of 330 KM/h (205 mph). The open-top
Lamborghini Reventón is not only one of the fastest, but
also one of the most exclusive cars in the world -
Lamborghini has limited the series. Apart from changes to
the cockpit area and the engine cover the styling is
unchanged from the Coupé.
The Reventón Roadster is not destined to remain a one-off.
Less than twenty buyers will be able to own this
extraordinary car and, naturally, enjoy the incomparable
pleasure of driving it. Each Reventón Roadster will be sold
for 1.1 million euro without taxes, a very slight premium to
the Coupé, with first deliveries set to begin next month.
"The Lamborghini Reventón is the most extreme car in the
history of the brand," comments Stephan Winkelmann,
President and CEO of Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A. "The new
Roadster adds an extra emotional component to our combined
technological expertise - it unites superior performance
with the sensual fascination of open-top driving."
Open-top sports cars are a tradition at Lamborghini that
stretches back over 40 years. In 1968, the company from
Sant'Agata Bolognese built a Lamborghini Miura without a
fixed roof as a one-off. The Lamborghini Diablo Roadster
appeared in 1995 with its targa roof anchored to the engine
cover.
All Lamborghinis
are created with an avantgarde approach to design; a
fast-moving technical sculpture. The Lamborghini Reventón
Roadster is derived from the same creative thinking as the
Coupé. Its designers found their inspiration in aviation -
the aggressive wedge shape evokes images of fighter jets.
The powerful arrowhead form at the front, the mighty air
intakes pulled way forward, the broad side skirts, the
upwards opening scissor doors and the rear end with its
menacing edges - the Roadster is clad in a design of maximum
functionality and spectacular clarity. Details set stylish
accents, such as headlamps featuring bi-xenon units with
LEDs forming the daytime running lights and indicators. The
rear lamps are also equipped with LEDs.
Like the Coupé,
the Lamborghini Reventón Roadster measures 4700 mm (185 in.)
long. It has a wheelbase of 2665 mm (105 in.) and is 2058 mm
(81 in.) wide and 1132 mm (45 in.) high. The driver and
passenger seating positions are low and sporty, separated by
a substantial central tunnel. Behind the two seats are two
hidden pop-up bars that deploy upwards in just a few
hundredths of a second in the event of an imminent rollover.
A fixed, horizontal wing-shaped member behind the seats
bears the third brake light. The design of the Lamborghini
Reventón Roadster's long back is also quite distinct from
that of the Coupé. The engine bonnet is virtually horizontal
and a total of four windows made from glass provide a view
of the mighty V12 in all its technical elegance.
Stiff bodyshell base
The base bodyshell of the Lamborghini Reventón is already so
stiff that the Roadster requires only minimal reinforcement.
It has a dry weight of only 1690 Kg (3,725 lbs.), just 25
Kg, (55 lbs.) more than the Coupé. Like the Coupé, the cell
of the Roadster is made from high-strength steel profile and
carbon components joined with specialist adhesive and
rivets. The bodyshell is made almost entirely from carbon
fibre elements, with sheet steel used only for the outer
door skins.
Exclusive grey paintwork
A unique paint finish completes the razor sharp design
language of the Lamborghini Reventón Roadster. For this
exclusive special edition, designers have created a new
shade of matt grey called Reventón Grey. As for the Reventón
Coupé, which is a slightly different shade of grey, this is
a matt paint finish that, in the sunlight, displays an
unexpected impression of depth thanks to its special metal
particles. The wheels of the Lamborghini Reventón Roadster
also incorporate the interplay of matt and glossy elements.
The five spokes of the rims each bear a Y-form, and on each
spoke are mounted small crescent-shaped wings made from
matte carbon. These provide not only an unusual visual
impact, but also a turbine effect that further improves
cooling of the mighty ceramic brake discs.
Aircraft-style displays
The interior of the Lamborghini Reventón Roadster conveys
the same powerful design as the exterior. The cockpit is
structured with technical clarity, the interfaces arranged
for functionality. Like a modern aircraft, the open
two-seater no longer has classic analogue instrumentation -
instead, information is delivered via two transreflective
and one transmissive liquid-crystal displays. The driver can
switch between two modes at the touch of a button - one
digital view with illuminated bars and one level with
classic round dials, albeit with changing colour graphics.
Centrally located at the top of the display is the G-force
meter. It represents the intensity of the forces acting on
the Lamborghini Reventón Roadster under acceleration,
braking and heavy cornering; the same format used in Formula
1. The instruments are mounted in a casing machined from
solid aluminium which is housed in a carbon fiber dashboard.
The interior displays uncompromisingly clean craftsmanship
and features a host of carbon fibre applications - e.g. on
the centre tunnel - aluminium, Alcantara and leather. The
central panels and the seat cushions are perforated, with
precision stitching gracing their outer edges. Lamborghini
has equipped the Lamborghini Reventón Roadster with full
options.
An icon of engine design
The twelve-cylinder engine that powers the Lamborghini
Reventón Roadster is a Lamborghini icon - and the technical
feature that defines the character of the car. It is one of
the world's most powerful naturally-aspirated engines. With
a compression ratio of 11 : 1 and a displacement of 6496 cc
(396.41 in3,) it generates 670 PS (493 kW) at 8,000 rpm. Its
maximum torque of 660 Nm (487 lb-ft) kicks in at 6,000 rpm.
The V12 engine is a masterpiece of Italian engineering. Two
chains drive its four camshafts that, in turn, operate the
48 valves. Together with the three-phase adjustable intake
manifold, the variable valve timing delivers a meaty torque
build-up. Dry sump lubrication ensures that the hi-tech
power unit has a constant supply of oil, even under heavy
lateral acceleration. The absence of the oil sump means a
low mounting position - benefitting the car's outstanding
handling characteristics. The V12 catapults the Lamborghini
Reventón Roadster from 0 to 100 Km/h (0 to 62 mph) in 3.4
seconds and onwards to a top speed of 330 Km/h (205 mph). It
reacts with the eagerness of a racing engine to input from
the right foot, revving to 8,000 rpm and beyond, and
performing a symphony that sends shudders along the spine.
The deep booming bass, the powerful mid-range and the
exultant horn section play music that, once heard, can never
be forgotten.
All-wheel drive for maximum traction
In classic Lamborghini style, the aluminium engine is
mounted longitudinally in front of the rear axle, with the
transmission ahead of it beneath the centre tunnel. This
layout results in 58 percent of the overall weight being
borne by the rear wheels - ideal for a powerful sports car.
This layout accommodates the Viscous Traction permanent
all-wheel drive. Under normal conditions, it sends the vast
majority of the driving force to the rear wheels. Should
they begin to spin, the central viscous coupling sends up to
35 percent of the power via an additional shaft to the front
axle. Limited-slip differentials are located there and at
the rear axle with 25 and 45 percent lock respectively.
Lamborghini introduced the all-wheel drive principle with
the Diablo. The reason back then was just as clear as it is
today - four driven wheels grip far better than two, and the
more powerful the engine, the greater the impact of this
fundamental law of physics. Also standard on the Lamborghini
Reventón Roadster is the e.gear automated six-speed
sequential manual transmission. The driver controls the gear
shift, which is activated hydraulically via two steering
wheel paddles. In addition to the "Normal" mode, the system
offers a "Corsa" and a "low adherence" mode. The driver just
has to keep his foot to the floor - the rest is handled by
e.gear.
Running gear layout from motorsport
The Lamborghini Reventón Roadster keeps the extreme power of
its engine in check with a running gear layout derived
directly from motorsport. Each wheel boasts double wishbone
suspension, with one spring strut on each side of the front
axle and two each at the rear. The front end of the car can
be raised by 40 mm (about 1.6 in.) to protect the underside
of the vehicle over potholes or on steep entrances into
underground garages. The open two-seater runs on 18-inch
wheels. The front tires measure 245/35, while the rears are
335/30. Dedicated air channels in the bodyshell cool the
four wheel brakes. Carbon-fibre ceramic discs are standard -
they have an extremely lightweight construction, operate
with virtually no fade, are corrosion-free and achieve the
highest service life. Each disc has a diameter of 380 mm
(~15 in.) and is gripped by six-piston calipers. As fast as
the open two-seater may be, its road manners are impeccable.
Its performance limits are extremely high, yet effortless to
control. And, on exiting a bend, all four wheels stick
tenaciously to the asphalt. The permanent all-wheel drive
dovetails the car firmly with the road, delivering decisive
benefits in traction and stability.
High-performance aerodynamics
A further distinctive characteristic of the Lamborghini
Reventón Roadster is its calm directional stability even at
extremely high speeds - a feature that also turns fast
highway stretches into sheer joy. Alongside the bodyshell
design and the smooth underbody, which culminates in a
powerfully formed diffuser, the rear spoiler carries
responsibility for downforce. It deploys from the rear edge
at about 130 Km/h (80 mph) and adopts an even steeper angle
as of about 220 Km/h (136 mph). The entire aerodynamic
concept - around and through the car - is radically laid out
for performance.
State-of the-art development techniques
Lamborghini used state-of-the-art, highly networked
processes to bring the Lamborghini Reventón Roadster to
life. The design, CAD work and model making that took place
in the Centro Stile, which opened in 2004, were accompanied
continuously by specialists and test engineers from the
Research & Development Department. The Design Department is
directly linked to the neighbouring Ufficio Tecnico,
ensuring rapid implementation of ideas. Lamborghini's
capabilities also include the independent development of the
complete electronic platform. This incorporates all control
units - including those for the V12 and the innovative
cockpit displays. All units of the Lamborghini Reventón
Roadster are being built on the Sant'Agata Bolognese
production line, with perfect craftsmanship and to the
highest levels of quality.
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