The war of the supercar is one that has traditionally been fought between three countries: Italy, Germany and the UK. The odd French car might have tried to muscle in on the act, and the American鈥檚 have their own take on what a supercar should be, but it is from those three countries that the main contenders have always emerged. Take Italy - Ferrari, Lamborghini and Maserati lead the way, with the odd Alfa Romeo and now Pagani entering the fray. Then there鈥檚 Germany, with Porsche, Mercedes Benz, BMW and, contentiously, Bugatti. As for the good old UK, how about Aston Martin for a long term contender? Let鈥檚 take a trip back in history: It鈥檚 early in the 60鈥檚 and you are a successful manufacturer of tractors and agricultural equipment with a good share of the Italian market. Your wealth allows you to experience the best of prestige cars, and you eventually buy your first Ferrari.
Disappointed by the lack of refinement in an otherwise excellent car, you decide the only option is to build your own. That鈥檚 how Lamborghini began, around 50 years ago. The problem is that the above paragraph bears some odd inferences: the main one being that Lamborghini鈥檚 should be refined. Is a Countach refined? A Diablo, a Murcielago, a Gallardo? Perhaps, in some way, they are more refined than the Ferrari鈥檚 of the 鈥?0鈥檚, but Lamborghini鈥檚, by and large, are not aimed at buyers looking for refinement. Take the Lamborghini Aventador, the current flagship model in the Lamborghini range. It鈥檚 brutish, bold and brash, fast, furious and frivolous, it鈥檚 a car designed for indulgence, a true supercar that is built to go fast, and little else. It鈥檚 a 21st century icon already, and it鈥檚 been on the road for less than a year! 380,000) on a car that is not really suitable for shopping.
The company promises to make only 4000, and has sold out for over a year in advance. So what is it about this admittedly sensational car that endears it to the supercar fan? Let鈥檚 be honest, if you want a 鈥榩retty鈥?car you will not buy an Lamborghini Aventador. You might go back a few decades and try your hand with a Lamborghini Miura, a Marcello Gandini masterpiece that is perhaps the most beautiful car ever built, but an Aventador is simply not pretty. It鈥檚 stunning, yes, but it鈥檚 not going to win a beauty contest. Of course, it鈥檚 not designed to; it鈥檚 intended to take its occupants around the streets - or tracks - very, very quickly indeed. And to turn heads. It does both in equal measures. Turn on the ignition and the amazing 6.5 liter V12 bursts into all too obvious life, a magnificent roar that will have lovers of fast cars with big engines gaping in awe.
It鈥檚 enough to say that the Lamborghini Aventador is as impressive when it is standing still as it is when on the move. Wait a minute, you鈥檙e saying, 691bhp? Very well, we know that the Bugatti Veyron packs four figures, but that鈥檚 a different type of supercar. The Veyron is a showcase; the Aventador is a show-off. Just shy of 700bhp is enough to propel this amazing machine to a top speed of 217mph (349 km/h) and from a standstill to 62mph (100km/h) in 2.9 seconds. For the extra speed of the Veyron - and the couple of tenths it saves you in acceleration - you could buy another handful of Lamborghini Aventadors, one for each day of the week. Who Buys a Lamborghini Aventador? That鈥檚 a good question; who does buy a Lamborghini Aventador? The thing about Lamborghini is that the brand has a loyal fan-base. Some wealthy people like to keep their garages updated with a new Lamborghini every couple of years.
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