Cars Auto

This is the new Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4 Roadster, a 690bhp V12 open-top hypercar that is, the Italian firm claims, “the most exciting Lamborghini ever built”.

The Aventador Roadster uses a Targa-style two-piece carbon fibre roof, which weighs just 6kg. It can be removed by hand in “a few seconds” and stored in the front luggage compartment when not in use. The carbon fibre roof is made using Lamborghini’s own Forged Composite tech, which creates a material stronger than titanium but less dense.

The hard-top for the Aventador Roadster addresses the main problem with its open-top Murcielago predecessor. With that car’s fabric roof raised, its top speed was limited to 160kph. The roof was also tricky to remove and store.

Just like the coupé, the Aventador Roadster uses a normally aspirated 6.5-litre V12 featuring cylinder deactivation technology, stop-start and a seven-speed automatic gearbox.

With the roof off, the new Roadster can hit a claimed 350kph and sprint from zero to 0-100kph in just 3.0sec. Lamborghini claims that the roof is “easy to handle, lightweight and simple to attach”, as well as being easy to store in the front.

Two aerodynamics aids have also been added. A powered rear windscreen controls the airflow over the car and the amount of noise from the engine that passengers can hear with the roof down. A removable wind deflector also features and sits on top of the front windscreen to “deliver almost complete calm” in the cabin with the roof off.

The new roof has brought with it some design changes to the Aventador Roadster over the coupé. The rear pillars have been redesigned to give the car greater strength when the roof is removed. They also offer rollover protection and supply extra ventilation to the engine.

The Roadster’s engine cover has also changed from the coupe’s. It features a ‘spinal column’ with two lines of hexagonal windows. The two scissor doors also get a chamfered edge for the frameless windows to ensure a flush finish into the new roof.

To further distinguish the Aventador Roadster from the coupé, the bodywork gets a two-tone finish. Gloss black is used for the pillars, roof and rear window area. A new Azzuro Thetis colour, seen here and inspired by the colour of the 1968 Miura Roadster, is also offered on the Roadster.

New 20-inch front and 21-inch rear lightweight alloy wheels, which reduce the kerb weight by 10kg, are another Roadster-only addition.