Lamborghini is evolving its styling language, and it’s more evident than ever in the Veneno shown at the Geneva auto show. Based on the Aventador LP700-4, it will be built in exactly three units, plus the company's demonstrator car. What is the reason for showing another supercar, given that Lamborghini has not yet delivered its ultra-low-volume Sesto Elemento to customers? It's the company's 50th birthday, which it celebrates in May. And the Veneno—named after "one of the strongest and most aggressive fighting bulls ever," as Lamborghini informs us—presents the perfect way to celebrate.
The fissured skin of the Veneno hides the Aventador's carbon-fiber monocoque, plus aluminum front and rear subframes. A pushrod suspension with horizontal spring-damper units betrays its racing aspirations. The interior is largely carried over from the Aventador and is clad in carbon fiber. The Veneno is fitted with Pirelli P Zero tires on 20-inch wheels up front and 22-inch wheels in the rear. Center-locking hubs allow for quicker changes—and they look great.
Power comes from the incredible L539 6.5-liter V-12 engine, upgraded here to produce 740 horsepower. The extra power—the Aventador packs 691 horses—was found by enlarging the air intakes, allowing for higher revs, and modifying the existing exhaust system. Power is channeled to all four wheels through the seven-speed, single-clutch automated ISR transmission, an ultra-quick unit that shifts with all the subtlety of a club strike when you select the track-ready "Corsa" setting. Top speed rises to a lofty 221 mph, four more than the Aventador LP700-4, and—not coincidentally, we think—the McLaren P1.
While all of this is remarkable, the real surprise lies in the styling of the Veneno. It marks a radical departure from the look established by former chief designer Luc Donckerwolke with the Murciélago and the Gallardo. We've seen Lamborghinis becoming more complex and playful over the years, but their overall shapes—even counting those of such extreme cars as the Reventòn or the Sesto Elemento—have evolved carefully. But the Veneno looks as if it has been assembled from separate, loosely connected units, featuring bulging muscles and a provocative, LMP-esque dorsal fin in the rear.
Other features from Lamborghini history carry over, such as the Y-shaped elements from the Aventador in the head- and taillights, and the wheel arches are a nod to Marcello Gandini's Countach. As to whether the Veneno's styling language is indicative of the next-generation Gallardo, it’s possible. However, it could remain a one-off experiment, much like the retro-inspired 2006 Miura concept.
The price of exclusivity is high at €3 million, which equals about $4 million. Most of you can stop worrying about liquidating some of your portfolio: All three units are already sold and will be delivered to their buyers by the end of this year. None will look exactly like the car you see here, though, as it's a show model. Instead, each will be painted one color of the Italian flag—white, red, and green—to further guarantee exclusivity.
