The Lamborghini Aventador S: Elevating the Benchmark for Super Sports Cars

“This is the next generation Aventador as well as the expression of new technological and performance milestones in super sports car development,” says Automobili Lamborghini Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Stefano Domenicali. “The Aventador S is visionary design, cutting-edge technology and driving dynamics in pure harmony, and elevates the concept of super sports cars to a new level.”

Design and Aerodynamics

The design of the new Aventador S indicates the new Aventador generation. The Aventador S features some exterior developments, particularly in front and rear, while its profile remains an Aventador. Every modified component is redesigned for a purpose, achieving maximum aerodynamic efficiency while accenting the Aventador’s complex, muscular dynamism. Furthermore, Lamborghini Centro Stile has intelligently integrated certain elements of past icons, such as the lines of rear wheel arches reminiscent of the original Countach.

A more aggressive nose and longer front splitter redirect airflow for better aerodynamic efficiency, improved engine cooling and increased cooling to the radiators.  Two air ducts in the side of the front bumper reduce aerodynamic interference from the front tires and optimize wake flow to the rear radiator.

The rear of the Aventador S is dominated by a black diffuser, available on request in carbon fibre, characterised by some vertical fins that amplify the airflow effects, reduce drag through pressure recovery and generate down-force. Three single exhaust outlets exit through the rear bumper.

The active rear wing is movable in three positions depending on speed and drive select mode, and optimises the car’s improved overall balance, working with vortex generators created in the front and rear of the chassis’ underside that maximises airflow as well as assists in brake cooling.

The Aventador S design results in significantly enhanced aerodynamic performance. Front downforce has been improved by more than 130% over the previous Aventador coupé.  When the wing is in its optimum position the overall efficiency at high down-force is improved by over 50%, and in low drag by more than 400% compared to the previous model.

Four masterpieces evolve driving emotion:

Four-wheel drive, new active suspension, new four-wheel steering system and the new EGO driving mode

The Aventador S chassis retains the Aventador’s unique and extremely rigid lightweight carbon fibre monocoque with attached aluminium frames resulting in a dry weight of just 1,575 kg.

The Aventador S is redeveloped around a ‘total control concept’ to provide a superior drive, ride and performance; every aspect of the car’s suspension and electronic control systems has been advanced, with the goal of particularly enhanced control and driving emotion.

Enhanced lateral control comes from new four-wheel steering, adopted for the first time on a series production Lamborghini. The system provides improved agility at low and medium speeds and more stability at high speed. On the front axle it is combined with Lamborghini Dynamic Steering (LDS), tuned for a more natural and responsive feel with a sharper turn-in. It is specially adapted to integrate with the active Lamborghini Rear-wheel Steering (LRS) on the rear axle: two separate actuators react in five milliseconds to driver’s steering movements, allowing a real-time angle and cornering stiffness adjustment.

At low speeds, front wheels face in the opposite direction to the steering angle, thereby virtually reducing the wheelbase. With less steering wheel angle required, the Aventador S is more agile with a reduced turning radius, ensuring higher performance in curves and making it easy to manoeuvre in town and at low speeds.

Conversely, at higher speeds, both front and rear wheels share the same steering angle, thus virtually extending the wheelbase, providing increased stability and optimising the responsiveness of the car.

Vertical control comes from Lamborghini’s updated push-rod and Lamborghini Magneto-rheological Suspension (LMS), with revised kinematics adapted to the new four-wheel steering. New suspension geometry, optimised for Lamborghini Rear-wheel Steering, includes upper and lower arm and wheel carrier to reduce caster and load on the system. A new real-time variable damping system streamlines wheel and body control, and balance and ground stiffness is maximised. New rear springs also enhance the car’s balance.

Longitudinal control is achieved via an improved ESC strategy with faster and more precise control of traction control and vehicle dynamics, depending on the driving mode selected. Extensively tested on surfaces such as snow and ice, the Aventador S has improved adhesion detection to maximise grip in all conditions and enhance its handling capabilities. The Aventador S permanent four-wheel drive has been calibrated for the stabilising effect of the new Lamborghini Rear-wheel Steering, allowing more torque to the rear axle: when powering off the throttle, less torque is shifted to the front axle to allow over-steer behaviour and a sporty, but safe drive.

Lamborghini engineers have integrated the smart Lamborghini Dinamica Veicolo Attiva (LDVA) control unit to manage these systems in the car. LDVA is the new brain of the car, which receives real-time and precise information on body motion via input from all sensors of the vehicle. It instantly defines the best set-up of all active systems to guarantee the best vehicle dynamics in every condition.

EGO concept – customizable driving modes

The Aventador S allows the driver to select between four different driving modes: STRADA, SPORT, CORSA and the new ECO mode, which influence the behaviour of traction (engine, gearbox, 4WD), steering (LRS, LDS, Servotronic) and suspension (LMS).

STRADA stands for maximum comfort and daily use. SPORT provides a sporty, rear-wheel drive feel and CORSA is suitable for maximum track performance.

EGO is the new driving mode option. This provides several additional and individual set-up profiles, customizable by the driver, selecting his preferred criteria for traction, steering and suspension within the STRADA, SPORT and CORSA settings.

All driving modes have been re-calibrated in the Aventador S, improving ESC integration with all-wheel drive and the interface between engine torque management system and traction control reaction. The continuous torque split to front and rear axles in each driving mode is re-calibrated for the Lamborghini Rear-wheel Steering and the differentiation between the driving modes is enhanced.

In STRADA, the progressive damping is smoothed for better comfort and stability on rough roads. Torque is split 60/40 to the rear and front as standard: safe and stable with maximum adhesion; the car is easily driven and controlled.

In SPORT mode, the stabilising effect of the Lamborghini Rear-wheel Steering allows up to 90% torque to the rear wheels for maximum sportiness and driving fun on curving roads. Driving precision and driver feedback is improved while maintaining safety and without compromising on comfort. When powering off the accelerator, less torque is shifted to the front axle to enhance the car’s agility, with oversteer and drifting easy using the light throttle and steering wheel control.

In CORSA, drivers experience less intrusive effective and traction control intervention while maintaining driving precision and traction. High levels of damping force maximise driver feeling and feedback from driver inputs including steering, braking and throttle. Counter-phase steering is enhanced in high-performance situations and torque is balanced to both axles, with a maximum 80/20 split to rear and front for more neutral behaviour and to maximise track-oriented performance.

The engine and exhaust

The Lamborghini Aventador’s naturally aspirated twelve cylinders, 6.5-litre engine outputs an additional 40 hp over its predecessor, to a maximum 740 hp, with a 690 Nm of torque at 5,500 rpm. To achieve the power increase, both VVT (Variable Valve Timing) and VIS (Variable Intake System) have been optimised to obtain an enriched torque curve. Additionally, the maximum engine revs have been increased from 8,350 to 8,500 rpm.

The dry weight of just 1,575 kg provides a weight-to-power ratio of only 2.13 kg/hp. Acceleration from 0-100 km/h is reached in 2.9 seconds, with a top speed of 350 km/h.  Transmission is provided by Lamborghini’s lightweight Independent Shifting Rod (ISR) 7-speed shifting system, providing robotised gear shifts in up to 50 milliseconds.

The Aventador S adopts a new exhaust system developed as the result of a significant R&D project. More than 20% lighter than its predecessor and the product of testing multiple configurations, the results are an enhanced Lamborghini sound and resonance from the already inimitable V12 aspirated engine, with the three single pipe outlets at the rear of the Aventador S a visual reminder of the new exhaust system.

As in its predecessor, the Aventador S is equipped with a stop-and-start system and cylinder deactivation for optimised engine efficiency. When full engine capacity is not required, six of the twelve cylinders are temporarily deactivated by switching off one cylinder bank. When the driver accelerates, the system switches back instantaneously to twelve-cylinder mode, with the changeover virtually impossible to detect by the driver.

Tires and braking system

The Aventador S sits on a new, specially developed set of Pirelli P Zero tires. Designed to optimise steering, traction, lane changes and braking efficiency, the tires are specifically designed to respond to the dynamic behaviour induced by the Lamborghini Rear-wheel Steering, ensuring handling consistency and driver feedback. With improved force generation from both front and rear tires, the Pirelli P Zero tires provide a higher lateral acceleration and reduce under-steer characteristics.

Carbon ceramic brakes are standard equipment for the Aventador S. The ventilated and perforated carbon ceramic discs (Ø 400 x 38 mm – Ø 380 x 38 mm) enhance braking performance from 100 km/h to standstill in 31 m.

Aventador S – a driver’s environment

The cockpit of the Aventador S brings new functionality and refinement. A new TFT digital dashboard can be customised according to the driver’s preferences, with different kombi screens for STRADA, SPORT and CORSA in conjunction with the EGO mode. Selected from the driving modes options on the control panel, the EGO button reveals further options on pop-up digital screens, allowing the driver to choose his preferred settings. 

AppleCarPlay comes as a standard specification, allowing the cockpit’s occupants to manage voice activated communications and entertainment from personal Apple devices.

The Lamborghini telemetry system is an optional specification: recording lap times and track performance as well as trip data, the telemetry system is especially appealing to the owner who wants to take his car on the track.

The interior specification of the Aventador S is virtually limitless through Lamborghini’s Ad Personam customisation program.