It might seem a touch unceremonious to bandy about phrases like “mid-life facelift” while introducing a brutal new Italian supercar, but in essence that’s what the Aventador S is – Lamborghini’s flagship after a nip and tuck.
It also has more power, and what’s more Lamborghini has resisted the modern engineering urge to strap a turbo-charger to every engine in existence. Thus the Aventador S retains its 6.5-litre normally aspirated V12 heart, but gains 29kW to push a maximum of 544kW, while torque remains at 690Nm, and it’s even more of a revver than before, with the redline having moved from 8350 to 8500rpm.
As before the engine features idle stop and cylinder deactivation, but enough about so-called efficiency – this bull can charge from 0-100km/h in just 2.9 seconds and reach a top speed of 350km/h. It sounds better to, thanks to a newly developed exhaust system that’s also 20 percent lighter.
Transmitting all that urge to the car’s four wheels is the familiar ISR (Independent Shifting Rod) seven-speed robotised gearbox, said to be capable of shifting in just 50 milliseconds.
Cornering prowess meanwhile has been enhanced by thoroughly updated pushrod and Magneto-rheological suspension, redesigned electronics and a new four-wheel steering system. The latter features two actuators that can react to the driver’s steering movements in five milliseconds.
Oh yes, and seeing as this is a ‘facelift’ the Aventador looks sharper too. Upfront you’ll notice a bolder bumper featuring longer splitter, while the rear gets a new diffuser with vertical fins and all these design changes are not just about looking pretty – they all bring aerodynamic improvements. Front downforce alone has improved by 130 percent, according to Lamborghini. The car also features an active rear wing that can settle in one of three positions depending on the vehicle’s speed and the drive mode selected by the driver.
Inside the revised dashboard sports a new customisable TFT digital instrument cluster, while the control panel houses a new ‘Ego’ button (no dig at the driver intended, probably). This is essentially a new driving mode (in addition to the existing Strada, Sport and Corsa modes), which gives the driver numerous additional and individual set-up profiles.
The cabin is further modernised by the fitment of Apple CarPlay as standard, but you will have to pay more for the Lamborghini telemetry system, which records lap times and track performance.