Arrivederci!
The Autentica and the Invencible are Lamborghini’s last V12-powered supercars. We shed a tear
BY THE TIME YOU READ THIS, supercar-maker Lamborghini will have taken the wraps off its first-ever hybrid. And the world as we know it — for petrolheads at least — has changed forever. The naturally aspirated V12 has been an integral part of Lamborghini’s supercars. Be it the ferociousness of the acceleration, the savagery of the gearshifts, or an exhaust note that puts the New York Philharmonic to shame, this is what we know and remember Lamborghini for. And it was only fitting that the marque bid its iconic powerplant a fitting farewell with two one-off models — the Autentica roadster and the Invencible coupe.
The centrepiece of the Autentica and the Invencible is the 6.5-litre longitudinally mounted V12 that produces 769bhp of power and 720Nm of torque, and the power is sent to all four wheels via Lamborghini’s 7-speed ISR gearbox. There are no performance figures claimed by Lamborghini yet but there’s no doubt that both the supercars will be phenomenally fast. And they look the part even when standing still.
Both the Invencible and the Autentica are inspired by elements from Lamborghini’s
masterpieces of the past like the Sesto Elemento, the Reventon, the Essenza SCV12 and the Veneno, and both the one-offs share the carbonfibre monocoque from the Aventador supercar with a complement of full carbon bodywork. The exteriors are a typically Lamborghini design, shouty and fighter jet-like, while the interiors get a minimalist dashboard with 3D-printed air con vents and no switches or instrumentation on the centre console. The instrument cluster meanwhile, sits in a carbonfibre frame and gets digital graphics.
The end of ICE-engined Lamborghinis was inevitable, and the V12s being phased out does mark the end of an epic era for the supercar maker. It is sad to bid it farewell for sure, and with Lamborghini celebrating its final salute with these two supercars, you cannot help but get a bit misty-eyed, as you say arrivederci to what was possibly Lambo’s finest era. ⌧