This week we are back with our Superheroes Special with a
supercar, following the likes of last week’s Audi E-tron. And this time our
superhero would once again be the caped crusader’s daylight alias – Mr. Bruce
Wayne. This man needs no introduction. Being a billionaire, it is utter
foolishness to not expect a supercar in Mr. Wayne’s garage.
Previously,
we glanced at the two wheel fantasy of this man – he owns an MV Agusta F4.
(Motorcycle Art truly). And then in the movie trilogy directed by Christopher
Nolan, Bruce Wayne is seen to be closely associated with cars from Lamborghini,
the world renowned Italian Supercar maker. In Dark Knight (2008), our hero is
seen driving a Lamborghini Murcielago LP – 640, which he rams into a police
motorcade. In the sequel, The Dark Knight Rises (2012), he drives a similar
car. This very car is our subject this week. Claimed to be a worthy successor
to the ten year old Murcielago, this car, following the company’s tradition of
naming, is christened “Aventador”.
It is named after a bull that fought valiantly in the bull ring of Saragossa,
Spain in 1993. In my opinion, the Aventador is one of the most spectacular
objects on the planet, a rolling work of art with a price tag enough to date
Sunny Leone for two continuous nights! (Gulp!) The variant that was used in the
last of the trilogy of Batman movies was the Lamborghini Aventador LP 700-4.
DESIGN
Design
wise, the aventador is one of the most visually attractive cars ever to grace
the tarmac on earth. Automobili Lamborghini designers have meticulously carved
this piece of art like it’s the end of the world. Every line, every curve and
every edge deserves a place of its own in an art gallery. The Aventador borrows
styling cues from the short lived (only 22 were made) Reventon, its elder
brother, whose styling was inspired from jet fighters. To be precise, the Reventon
is a road going version of the Black Bird SR-71. The striking front end
comprises of the huge twin air intakes on the side above which the angular
headlamps are located. The eye (headlamp) has Y-shaped LEDs nestling a single
powerful projector unit. The nose dips to the front so much so that it almost
touches the ground. Not to mention the divine raging bull logo at the end of
the central spine running across the hood. On the sides, the most visually
striking feature could be the large 20” wheels on which the car stays. The wide
section tires are fatter than Kim
Kardashian’s rear and provide additional front end bite during the initial
turn in. Then there are the enormous air intakes flanking the rear wheel
arches. These intakes’ primordial function is too cool the haze of heat
emanating from the menacing V12 engine behind the cabin. As with every V12
Lambo ever made, the doors scissor up spectacularly. Certainly a crowd puller.
The rear of the car is more edgier than the front end, with the tail lamps
being the centre of attraction. Below the LED lamps are the huge twin honeycomb
meshes, and finally a wide exhaust tip that shrieks angrily the insane voice of
the fired up V12. The car is so beautiful that it makes you cry and wonder
rightfully if there’s any way it could look any better. In raw words, it is
sheer automotive porn.
PERFORMANCE
The LP in
the name stands for Longitudinale
Posteriore, referring to the transverse mounting of the mighty 6.5 liter
V12 engine which churns out an earth-shattering 690 bhp @8250 rpm. This mighty
number along with 690 Nm of torque produces a relentless tidal wave of
acceleration that is enough to compress all seven bones in your vertebral
column and slam a hole in the head rest. The engine is of AWD layout and is mid
mounted. This is the first all new
Lamborghini to be developed since the Countach. Weighing in at just 1,575
kilograms, the aventador has a power to weight ratio of 2.25kg/hp, thanks to
the carbon fiber monocoque chassis which is many times stronger than steel but
much, much lighter. This, combined with many such other weight reduction
technologies gets the aventador to the 100 kmph mark from standstill in a mere
2.9 seconds with a claimed top speed of over 350 kmph. Fast enough for Mr.
Wayne to engage on his daily commute from the Wayne Manor to his Wayne
Enterprises in Gotham city.
RIVALS
The
Lamborghini Aventador is a class of its own. This brutal car with its
outrageous looks feasts us with so much excitement that we would be very sure
that this fine piece of machinery is a born winner in any class. Although,
Lamborghinis have always been rivaled against Ferraris and in the case of the
Aventador, it has the Ferrari FF and
the 599 GTO or even the 458 Italia in its sights. Not to
mention the MP4-12C, a worthy rival
from the British supercar maker McLaren. Another opponent would be the Aston Martin Vanquish, again from the
land of the English. Irrespective of what its rivals have got in store, the
mind-numbing and physically demanding experiences that a Lamborghini Aventador
can give remain unparalleled.
PRICING
You could
own one of these booming missiles for about Rs. 6 crores in India. In Wayne
terms it is about $400,000. At this price point, you could own roughly 3 Audi
R8’s. But for this voluptuous price tag, the Aventador gets you demi-god status
in the Indian society. Needless to say, this is one of Lamborghini’s most
popular and most profitable models ever.
THE BAT-CONNECTION
The
Aventador fulfils all criteria in becoming a Batmobile, though it is not one.
It is Mr. Bruce Wayne’s ride and not the Batman’s and it does not have
superpowers. As mentioned earlier, this car is seen in the movie “The Dark
Knight Rises” and gets impounded by the Gotham city Police Department. To
quench the thirst of batman buffs, here’s a little trivia – There were actually
two Aventadors used in the movie. One was extensively used in Los Angeles
location shooting. The other was principally used for filming in Pennsylvania,
New York and Great Britain (home of Wayne Manor). Neither of the two had any
special equipment or other modifications. They were stock, street legal,
insured and registered. Although one can get it in any color they want, Bruce
Wayne’s car is adorned in paint described as “Grigio Anteras Metallic”. However, for a little twist, film makers
made special, official looking Gotham city license plates for the Lambos. As
one of the world’s most flamboyant, over-the-top automotive toys, it is
consistent with the movie theme. The Aventador’s role could not have been
substituted by any other car.
VERDICT
The pros: Carbon Fiber richness, V12
engine + 700 bhp, outrageous looks with aggressive performance.
The cons: Bloody expensive
Alternative rides: McLaren MP4-12C,
Aston Martin Vanquish, Ferrari 458 Italia, Sunny Leone !
With the
latest Aventador model, Lamborghini proves yet again that it is the best in
creating sinister super sports cars. At Sant’Agata Bolognese, these people do
it like nobody else. They create a marvel of engineering and art with such
flair. With the standard package of the menacingly loud V12 engine, the
Aventador is probably the most expensive way to go deaf. It is extreme in its
design and performance, uncompromising in its standards and technology, and
unmistakably Italian in its style and perfection. Overall, the dynamics and
technical excellence of the Aventador LP700-4 makes it unrivaled in the worldwide super sports car arena. If you got the
bread and the bones, and of course a huge bank balance, then go for it.
-Nova
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