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Toro Finale: Lamborghini's LP 780-4 Ultimae marks the end of the Aventador

This lightweight 770-hp supercar promises to be one heckuva V12 swan song

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Lamborghini early June introduced what it promises is the final iteration of its current V12 supercar, the Aventador LP 780-4 Ultimae.

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It harnesses the performance of its outrageous SVJ and melding it with the design of an Aventador S to create a 770-horsepower twelve-cylinder tribute to gasoline-powered natural aspiration.

And what a tribute it shall be. Thanks to a lightweight carbon-fiber monocoque plus an extensive use of carbon fiber throughout the body, coupé versions will have a dry weight of just 1,550 kg. That’s less than the already-svelte Aventador S, giving Ultimae a power-to-weight ratio equal to that of the SVJ.

This 770-hp 531-lb-ft twelve-cylinder can scream to a sky-high 8,700 rpm, at which point the exhaust note surely sounds like money exploding. In fact, Lamborghini itself says this mill is “the grand finale of the traditional V12 combustion engine.”

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Pardon us while we shed a tricolore tear.

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“The Aventador LP 780-4 denotes the final, purest, timeless naturally-aspirated production V12 Lamborghini,” says Stephan Winkelmann, President and CEO of Automobili Lamborghini. “It delivers the essential twelve-cylinder experience … and is the definitive Aventador concluding an extraordinary era.” If all this sounds like a prelude to a future of plug-in hybrid powertrains of various cylinder count from the gearheads in Sant’Agata, you’re probably on the right track.

The Ultimae will zap from rest to 100 km/h in 2.8 seconds, on its way to a top speed of 355 km/h. Those who opt for the convertible version will take just 0.1 second extra to ruin their hairstyle. Traction is aided by a permanent all-wheel-drive system and active rear-wheel steering.

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Party tricks include an active aero rear wing that moves into three positions: closed, maximum performance, and maximum handling. Selection is dependent on speed and drive mode, optimizing the car’s overall balance and attractiveness of the driver to everyone in a 30-mile radius. The wing works with vortex generators front and rear to maximize air flow and assist with brake cooling. Speaking of, carbon-ceramic brakes will haul the Ultimae back to a stop from highway speeds in just 30 metres.

The spellcheck-vexing Ultimae will be offered to the well-heeled elite as 350 coupés and 250 roadsters. It’ll be on display at this weekend’s 2021 Goodwood Festival of Speed, one of the first large-scale in-person car events of this type to be held since the start of the global pandemic about 18 months ago.

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