Used 2015 Lamborghini Aventador

The 2015 Lamborghini Aventador LP 700-4 isn’t a regular car any more than a Rolex Platinum Pearlmaster is just a watch. This V12-powered, all-wheel-drive 2-seater costs twice as much as the average price of an American home, and is purchased by those for whom money flows like water. Yet it’s all with purpose. Those huge door vents feed the hungry engine, and the slats and spoilers keep the car on the ground as it rockets to its 217-mph top speed. The 700-horsepower engine shrieks to redline as the transmission bangs shifts into your back. But it’s also luxurious, with an exquisite interior filled with soft leather and comfortable seats. If you think every drive should be an occasion, this is your car.

Even though the Lamborghini Aventador boasts an automatic transmission, it works best when you drive it like a manual, lifting between gear changes, and clicking them off yourself using the carbon-fiber steering-wheel paddles. Put the Drive Mode Select system into Strada (road), and you’re rewarded with a somewhat subdued exhaust note, slightly smoother ride, and the least-aggressive shifting; it’s about as tame as the Aventador gets. Put it in Sport for sporty roads, or Corsa for racetracks, and the Aventador comes alive, the engine bellowing through its exhaust pipes. The Formula One-style suspension and ultra-wide tires give tremendous grip, making the snug seats a necessity, not just a sports-car trope. The acceleration will stun you, and the huge, ceramic anti-lock disc brakes deliver jaw-dropping stopping power. There’s stability control, but make no mistake, at the limit this is a car for the most experienced driver.

Once you’ve inelegantly slipped into the Aventador’s interior, you’ll see how nice it really is. The soft leather, neatly arranged switchgear, and mostly intuitive controls seem out of place in a car that puts such an emphasis on blowing your mind. Of course, this is because this Italian superexotic is the brainchild of Germany’s Volkswagen Group, so the nods to practicality make sense. The warm Italian leathers, bright and attractive LCD gauges, and up-to-date convenience features like automatic climate control and a repurposed Audi multimedia system complement the beautifully sculpted and supportive bucket seats and prominent center console.

Whoever penned the Aventador’s exterior had a visual love affair with the F-22 Raptor. It’s everywhere, from the jagged edges around the air intakes to the sharply angled nose; we can’t be sure, but the explosion of angles might let it evade radar. The Roadster version is barely distinguishable from the hardtop with the roof in place, and those panels remove and stow in the nose within a minute, once you’ve mastered the art. The sleek profile, foot-wide rear Pirelli PZero tires, upswept rear diffuser, arrow-sharp LED taillights and large-bore center exhaust are all unmistakably Lamborghini.

ATTENTION TO DETAIL
We’re not talking soft leather and straight seams. No, we’re referring to touches like the beveled edges on the side window glass, or the start button hidden under a guarded red door that looks more like a missile-launch panel in a war movie. Lamborghini fills the Aventador with similar touches.

SCISSOR-DOORS
The "Lambo door" treatment looks absolutely silly on any car…except an actual Lamborghini. As if the car weren’t outrageous enough already, when you pull up to the valet and the door swings upward, that show-stopping power is undeniable.

You’d expect a lot for your $400,000, and you’ll get it. There are power-adjustable leather seats, voice-activated phone and navigation, airbags aplenty and the multiple driving settings. There are also clever Aventador-exclusives, like the button that lifts the front of the car about 1.5 inches (40 mm) to help the low, wedgy nose clear steep driveways without scraping that expensive bodywork. Since Lamborghini is part of the Volkswagen Group that also owns Audi, fans of that German brand will feel surprisingly at home. The Aventador’s infotainment system is more or less a Lambo-ized version of Audi’s MMI, for instance.

There aren’t many traditional options on the Lamborghini Aventador. A rearview camera, parking sensors, clear plastic cover for the engine, and a premium audio system are all available, although the best audio system comes from the car’s four tailpipes. Beyond that, Lamborghini gives its well-heeled buyers ample room to customize their cars. Lamborghini leaves very little on the cutting-room floor when it comes to the Aventador. The Ad Personum option lets you customize the color, interior and pretty much anything else on the car. How far Lamborghini is willing to go depends on how much you’re willing to spend.

Lamborghini quotes its 6.5-liter V12 engine as producing a solid 700 horsepower. Interestingly, this monster of an engine makes a subtle nod to fuel economy thanks to a cylinder-deactivation system that shuts off half the cylinders under light throttle, and a stop/start system that shuts it off entirely at stoplights. Both only work in the Strada mode. A 7-speed single-clutch automated manual transmission that Lamborghini calls "Independent Shift Rod" is the only way to get power to the wheels of this all-wheel-drive supercar. Put it all together, and the 3,472-pound Aventador rockets from 0 to 60 mph in less than three seconds on its way to a 217-mph top speed.

6.5-liter V12
700 horsepower @ 8,250 rpm
509 lb-ft of torque @ 5,500 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 11/18 mpg