Tuesday 5th March 2013

Geneva Motor Show 2013: Lamborghini

Can Lamborghini steal the supecar limelight? Can Stephen Winkelmann's shoes get any more pointy?

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You can't blame Lamborghini for wanting to try something to rain on the Ferrari/McLaren hypercar parade, especially in its 50th anniversary year and all that.

That this 'something' happens to be a trio (one for each colour in the Italian flag) of super exclusive, Aventador-based monsters with 750hp, 0-62 in 2.8 seconds and 'eye catching' aero is a very Lambo approach of dealing with the problem, even if it is effectively what Pagani was doing with the various more extreme Zonda derivatives five years ago. Still, they've apparently sold all three so job done.

Its cover blown, the Veneno is now officially official

No hybrid nonsense here either - simply ramp the outrageousness of the visuals up a few notches, add a zero to the price, step back and enjoy the adulation. The only thing blunting the edges on boss Stephen Winkelmann's famously sharp suits is the fact his hoped for 'breathtaking surprise' at the show press conference would be nothing of the sort after Sunday's pre-show leak of the story.

So Lamborghini brought it along to the VW group preview night instead, the single spy shot not doing justice to the full madness of the Veneno's looks. It's bonkers. And, whisper it, there's more than a hint of Audi's influence in the R18-style aero, longitudinal fin and all. In the usual fashion it's named after a fighting bull, the eponymous Veneno famous for 'winning' his contest in a fight in 1914. "And you all know what that means," said Winkelmann, with a sinister smile. Yup, the Veneno is truly a killer!

So that's the Veneno. Anything else to report from Lamborghini? Well, we've got the full range of 'regular' cars so soft and hardtop versions of the Aventador and Gallardo. Spectacular in their own right. But wait until you see what Mansory has done to the former...

 

[Escort Si-130]

Nice 0-60 that wud make a girls panties wet. But the looks are way off this planet.....

[chelme]

This is one hideous contraption. Well Done VAG, this is now the lowest point in Lamborghini history. It’s as if the Germans have had a cynical perverse intention to ruin what was once an iconic brand.

[Stew2000]

740HP. 750PS. Why does that bug me.

[tbc]

looks like a lizards back

seems a bit pointless to go a long way and then only build THREE

[ellisd82]

I can comment on the car now! why was other thread locked?

Anyway. I actually really like it. Its wacky and OTT like a lambo should be. maybe a bit too much going on at the front, but most things will be behind it anyway hehe.

[Chapppers]

It looks like an Aventador with a really terrible bodykit. Do not like, want or care about.

[glm1977]

i dunno - the Aventador is an awesome looking car... this looks like a Michael Bay Transformers contraption mid-change....

[kambites]

A truly foul looking thing.

[Amirhussain]

Just looks worse everytime I look at it

[Inertiatic]

Is this the revelation that lambo promised? Bodykitted Aventador? Not exactly revolutionary is it!

[Ozzie Dave]

Dont usually post here but- this is simply fantastic, compare it to the Muira and its a thing of beauty - and sorry I'll put my glasses on now---
all it needs is more neons inside and underneath, I have never seen a Saxo kitted to this level before.

[k-ink]

That is shockingly ugly. Looks like a kit car mock up made from plywood panels.

[DaveShark]

This belongs in the badly modified car thread. Yuk!

[0a]

Ah so this is why the other thread was locked?

In any case, what an embarrassment for Lamborghini. If this was a Chinese company we would be laughing away at them.

[Otispunkmeyer]

That looks, for want of a better word, gash. Like one of those cars you find in cheap video games where they couldn't afford to license real manufacturers cars. So they come up with their own generic super cars that look like gopping awful fast and the furious on steroids mobiles.

[BBS-LM]

The car looks bloody mental, love it.

[keiran]

The Headlights remind me of last years Audi R18 Le Mans cars, along with the fin along the centre.

[OlberJ]

When did Lambo start employing that bloke from Carisma that ruined the Cerbera?

Horrible. Simply horrible.

[PKLD]

Surely this is just what they should be doing given their past:

elegant original...


ohh!! our anniversary let's make it 'special':

[405dogvan]

The other thread got locked before I got to say how HIDEOUS that is...

Someone said "Styling by Tupperware" and I thought that was about right...