DRIVETRAIN

Revealed at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance during the recent Monterey Car Week, the SVJ is the latest special-edition to join the Aventador line-up. Following the original SV of 2015, it takes much of what Lamborghini has learnt in terms of aerodynamics from the Huracán Performante and rolls it into its flagship model.

There’s more power from the V12 engine, too, and while acceleration and performance is on a par with the SV and S models, where the SVJ really ups the ante is when it comes to track performance. Specifically, one track in Germany, where it has posted a lap time of 6min 44.97sec.

Marking the model’s launch is a specialedition SVJ 63, a limited run of 63 examples celebrating Lamborghini’s founding year (1963) and featuring a bespoke livery. As for the name, the SV part is the abbreviation for Super Veloce and the J is short for Jota, the name Lamborghini gave to its most track- and driver-focused cars in the past, most notably the achingly desirable Miura Jota. With 6.5 litres and 12 cylinders producing 759bhp and 720Nm of torque – 19bhp and 30Nm increase over the Aventador SV, and achieved at higher engine speeds – the SVJ pushes the naturally aspirated 60-degree V12 to its limits.

Sitting beneath a new removable carbonfibre engine cover are new titanium intake valves and a redesigned and longer intake tract for the cylinder heads. Together they provide a higher flow coefficient.

The big change, however, is a lighter, shorter exhaust system. Exiting above the bumper between the rear lights (as per a McLaren 720S) the new system reduces back pressure and also promises to improve upon the V12’s already glorious soundtrack.

Those hoping for a new gearbox will be disappointed to hear it’s the same sevenspeed automated single-clutch offering here. The four-wheel-drive system does have a revised torque split, though, with an additional three per cent sent to the rear axle (now 37 per cent front, 63 rear). Aerodinamica Lamborghini Attiva, or ALA to you and me, is the active aero philosophy introduced last year with the Huracán Performante and which has allowed the company to go chasing lap times with serious intent. It’s the aero that’s been improved upon the most in creating the SVJ, with the main focus to achieve a significant downforce improvement over the SV. Which it most certainly has, with a 40 per cent increase across both axles, while at the same time reducing overall drag by one per cent. A small margin, but a gain none the less.

There’s a new, wider front bumper with aero blades attached to either side and significant changes made to the intakes. There is also a ‘floating’ front splitter (increasing the car’s length by over 1.5cm) that’s linked to a pair of air vents incorporated into the top of the bumper. Combined, these should make the SVJ’s front end feel incredibly stable and direct.

There’s also a new fixed carbonfibre rear wing, larger side intakes to improve cooling and fins to reduce drag. Under-the-car-aero has been improved, too, to work with the front splitter and more aggressive rear diffuser, which combine to produce 30 per cent of the car’s total downforce.