Lamborghini Reventon Roadster la Frankfurt

The Lamborghini Reventón is not destined to remain a one-off. Less
than 20 Lamborghini friends and collectors will be able to own this
extraordinary car and, naturally, enjoy the incomparable pleasure
of driving it.

Each Reventón Roadster will be sold for 1.1 Million Euro (without
taxes). Deliveries will begin October 2009.

„The Reventón is the most extreme car in the history of the brand,”
comments Stephan Winkelmann, President and CEO of Automobili
Lamborghini S.p.A. „The new Roadster adds an extra emotional
component to our combined technological expertise – it unites
superior performance with the sensual fascination of open-top
driving.” The Reventón Coupé was presented at the 2007 IAA in
Frankfurt and was sold out immediately.

Open-top sports cars are a tradition at Lamborghini that stretches
back over 40 years. In 1968, the company from Sant’Agata Bolognese
built a Miura without a fixed roof as a one-off. The Diablo
Roadster appeared in 1995 with its targa roof anchored to the
engine cover.

Sculpture with extreme dynamics

All Lamborghinis are created with an avantgarde approach to design;
a fast-moving technical sculpture. The Reventón Roadster is derived
from the same creative thinking as the Coupé. Its designers found
their inspiration in aviation – the aggressive wedge shape evokes
images of fighter jets.
The powerful arrowhead form at the front, the mighty air intakes
pulled way forward, the broad side skirts, the upwards opening
scissor doors and the rear end with its menacing edges – the
Roadster is clad in a design of maximum functionality and
spectacular clarity. Details set stylish accents, such as headlamps
featuring bi-xenon units with LEDs forming the daytime running
lights and indicators. The rear lamps are also equipped with
LEDs.

Like the Coupé, the Reventón Roadster measures 4700 mm (185 in.)
long. It has a wheelbase of 2665 mm (105 in.) and is 2058 mm (81
in.) wide and 1132 mm (45 in.) high. The driver and passenger
seating positions are low and sporty, separated by a substantial
central tunnel.

Behind the two seats are two hidden pop-up bars that deploy upwards
in just a few hundredths of a second in the event of an imminent
rollover. A fixed, horizontal wing-shaped member behind the seats
bears the third brake light. The design of the Roadster’s long back
is also quite distinct from that of the Coupé. The engine bonnet is
virtually horizontal and a total of four windows made from glass
provide a view of the mighty V12 in all its technical
elegance.

Stiff bodyshell base

The base bodyshell of the Reventón is already so stiff that the
Roadster requires only minimal reinforcement. It has a dry weight
of only 1690 Kg (3,725 lbs.), just 25 Kg, (55 lbs.) more than the
Coupé.

Like the Coupé, the cell of the Roadster is made from high-strength
steel profile and carbon components joined with specialist adhesive
and rivets. The bodyshell is made almost entirely from carbon fiber
elements, with sheet steel used only for the outer door
skins.

Exclusive grey paintwork

A unique paint finish completes the razor sharp design language of
the Lamborghini Reventón Roadster. For this exclusive special
edition, designers have created a new shade of matt grey called
Reventón Grey. As for the Reventón Coupé, which is a slightly
different shade of grey, this is a matt paint finish that, in the
sunlight, displays an unexpected impression of depth thanks to its
special metal particles.

The wheels of the Reventón Roadster also incorporate the interplay
of matt and glossy elements. The five spokes of the rims each bear
a Y-form, and on each spoke are mounted small crescent-shaped wings
made from matte carbon. These provide not only an unusual visual
impact, but also a turbine effect that further improves cooling of
the mighty ceramic brake discs.

Aircraft-style displays

The interior of the Reventón Roadster conveys the same powerful
design as the exterior. The cockpit is structured with technical
clarity, the interfaces arranged for functionality. Like a modern
aircraft, the open two-seater no longer has classic analogue
instrumentation – instead, information is delivered via two
transreflective and one transmissive liquid-crystal displays.

The driver can switch between two modes at the touch of a button –
one digital view with illuminated bars and one level with classic
round dials, albeit with changing color graphics. Centrally located
at the top of the display is the G-force meter. It represents the
intensity of the forces acting on the Reventón Roadster under
acceleration, braking and heavy cornering; the same format used in
Formula 1.

The instruments are mounted in a casing machined from solid
aluminum which is housed in a carbon fiber dashboard. The interior
displays uncompromisingly clean craftsmanship and features a host
of carbon fiber applications – e.g. on the center tunnel –
aluminum, Alcantara and leather. The central panels and the seat
cushions are perforated, with precision stitching gracing their
outer edges.

Lamborghini has equipped the Reventón Roadster with full
options.

An icon of engine design

The twelve-cylinder engine that powers the Reventón Roadster is a
Lamborghini icon – and the technical feature that defines the
character of the car. It is one of the world’s most powerful
naturally-aspirated engines. With a compression ratio of 11 : 1 and
a displacement of 6496 cc (396.41 in3,) it generates 670 PS (493
kW) at 8,000 rpm. Its maximum torque of 660 Nm (487 lb-ft) kicks in
at 6,000 rpm.

The V12 engine is a masterpiece of Italian engineering. Two chains
drive its four camshafts that, in turn, operate the 48 valves.
Together with the three-phase adjustable intake manifold, the
variable valve timing delivers a meaty torque build-up. Dry sump
lubrication ensures that the hi-tech power unit has a constant
supply of oil, even under heavy lateral acceleration. The absence
of the oil sump means a low mounting position – benefitting the
car’s outstanding handling characteristics.

The V12 catapults the Reventón Roadster from 0 to 100 Km/h (0 to 62
mph) in 3.4 seconds and onwards to a top speed of 330 Km/h (205
mph). It reacts with the eagerness of a racing engine to input from
the right foot, revving to 8,000 rpm and beyond, and performing a
symphony that sends shudders along the spine. The deep booming
bass, the powerful mid-range and the exultant horn section play
music that, once heard, can never be forgotten.

All-wheel drive for maximum traction

In classic Lamborghini style, the aluminum engine is mounted
longitudinally in front of the rear axle, with the transmission
ahead of it beneath the center tunnel. This layout results in 58
percent of the overall weight being borne by the rear wheels –
ideal for a powerful sports car.

This layout accommodates the Viscous Traction permanent all-wheel
drive. Under normal conditions, it sends the vast majority of the
driving force to the rear wheels. Should they begin to spin, the
central viscous coupling sends up to 35 percent of the power via an
additional shaft to the front axle. Limited-slip differentials are
located there and at the rear axle with 25 and 45 percent lock
respectively.

Lamborghini introduced the all-wheel drive principle with the
Diablo. The reason back then was just as clear as it is today –
four driven wheels grip far better than two, and the more powerful
the engine, the greater the impact of this fundamental law of
physics.

Also standard on the Reventón Roadster is the e.gear automated
six-speed sequential manual transmission. The driver controls the
gear shift, which is activated hydraulically via two steering wheel
paddles. In addition to the „Normal” mode, the system offers a
„Corsa” and a „low adherence” mode. The driver just has to keep his
foot to the floor – the rest is handled by e.gear.

Running gear layout from motorsport

The Reventón Roadster keeps the extreme power of its engine in
check with a running gear layout derived directly from motorsport.
Each wheel boasts double wishbone suspension, with one spring strut
on each side of the front axle and two each at the rear. The front
end of the car can be raised by 40 mm (about 1.6 in.) to protect
the underside of the vehicle over potholes or on steep entrances
into underground garages.

The open two-seater runs on 18-inch wheels. The front tires measure
245/35, while the rears are 335/30. Dedicated air channels in the
bodyshell cool the four wheel brakes. Carbon-fiber ceramic discs
are standard – they have an extremely lightweight construction,
operate with virtually no fade, are corrosion-free and achieve the
highest service life. Each disc has a diameter of 380 mm (~15 in.)
and is gripped by six-piston calipers.

As fast as the open two-seater may be, its road manners are
impeccable. Its performance limits are extremely high, yet
effortless to control. And, on exiting a bend, all four wheels
stick tenaciously to the asphalt. The permanent all-wheel drive
dovetails the car firmly with the road, delivering decisive
benefits in traction and stability.

High-performance aerodynamics

A further distinctive characteristic of the Reventón Roadster is
its calm directional stability even at extremely high speeds – a
feature that also turns fast highway stretches into sheer joy.
Alongside the bodyshell design and the smooth underbody, which
culminates in a powerfully formed diffuser, the rear spoiler
carries responsibility for downforce. It deploys from the rear edge
at about 130 Km/h (80 mph) and adopts an even steeper angle as of
about 220 Km/h (136 mph). The entire aerodynamic concept – around
and through the car – is radically laid out for performance.

State-of the-art development techniques

Lamborghini used state-of-the-art, highly networked processes to
bring the Reventón Roadster to life. The design, CAD work and model
making that took place in the Centro Stile, which opened in 2004,
were accompanied continuously by specialists and test engineers
from the Research & Development Department.

The Design Department is directly linked to the neighbouring
Ufficio Tecnico, ensuring rapid implementation of ideas.
Lamborghini’s capabilities also include the independent development
of the complete electronic platform. This incorporates all control
units – including those for the V12 and the innovative cockpit
displays.

All units of the Reventón Roadster are being built on the
Sant’Agata Bolognese production line, with perfect craftsmanship
and to the highest levels of quality.