The last of the Wilds 2021 Lamborghini Aventador S

The Lamborghini Aventador is the last true supercar. It’s The last wild one. It’s The big V12 supercar that doesn’t take a piss from anyone. Love it or hate it, this is Lamborghini at its very core. Ask yourself this question: why should your supercar offer you the same level of comfort a Lexus? If you’re buying a 740 hp exotic machine is to have an experience to remember, not one to forget once you’ve walked away to your destination. Lamborghinis exist to be heard, enjoyed and driven: it’s your own necessary moment of guiltless hedonism.

Hybrid supercars make as much sense here as a Quartz movement in a Patek Philippe Chronograph, or like that side of steamed veggies with your steak. An Aventador is an object made to be memorable and not to be sensible: have we forgotten the pleasures of throwing the rules out of the window? 

V12 Lambos are a treat rather than a full on main course. They’re that adrenaline rush in your veins: they’re a shot of life. This escape was all about taking a moment to appreciate that we can still drive cars that are a big middle finger to everyone.

Yes, the Aventador it’s heavy, underseery, loud and has a single clutch gearbox which doesn’t allow you to be the sub-7-minutes-guy-at-the-Ring, but what the hell…we love a good kick in our butts when we shift gears and we love old school. We love imperfect cars because we want a memory not because we want to be recognized by others. So here it is: the Lamborghini Aventador S is imperfectly awesome. It’s the pure opposite to the optimal perfection that we normally seek and there’s no denying that this car will leave a memory and tales to be told.  To hell with performance hybrids and all of that nonsense: it won’t be your 10 minutes of pure V12 shenanigans that will cause the ice to melt in the Arctic. 10 years after its unveiling, it’s still one of the most gorgeous cars on sale today. It’s a no brainer but it has to be: why being so serious and looking at the gearshift changes timing when you’re buying a toy to satisfy your ego? Buy what you like and be done with it. 

The Aventador handles like a bull: you have to wrestle it to make it turn, you have to fight to get what you want and most importantly, you have to listen to her driving. The view out is through a windscreen which is miles away from your driving position while the rear visibility has not been improved much since the glorious Miura. The brakes do not have that bite you normally have with carbo-ceramics and you need a steady and firm push to make it stop. 

This is Escape on Wheels’ first true supercar long term test. When Lamborghini called to tell us that we would have had it for a week we just couldn’t believe it. Few days later and there we were in front of this Verde Ocno example that had just been delivered right in front of our door. To what it seemed, we were the first journalists to test it after its initial shakedown at the Factory. With only 800 km on the clock it was truly brand new  from the inside-out: make no mistake, a V12 Lambo is still able to be a show stopper!

It is truly the last of a wild era: this is the last supercar that has some analogic feeling and it seems to be coming from another world. There won’t be another one. While driving, the cabin is filled with all sorts of noises coming from the engine: you hearsuction of the air into the intakes, whistles, rattles…it just feels alive, like a Lamborghini should. Technologically, it’s miles behind a similarly priced SF90, but frankly, we don’t care: at Sant’Agata, V12’s are built to be memorable, not grant you the status of Mr.Perfect.

The Aventador is an extreme GT like her predecessors. It’s meant to be a fast and extreme road car capable of driving long distances with sheer excitement: that’s why sweeping, empty and scenic two-lane roads are what’s needed to enjoy this car to the fullest. That’s why the Lessinia region north of Verona was the destination of our Escape: vast, deserted and with beautiful landscape, it was the perfect place for the Aventador to stretch her legs properly.

You might think that this car is overly rigid in the suspension department but in reality it’s quite refined for being so low to the ground. Sure it’s not softly sprung either but it’s not as harsh as you might think: the pushrod suspensions do work their magic to have a stable and enjoyable car on the road. Do not expect the same finesse you find in a Ferrari: a Lambo is a blunt and effective instrument. Late braking and technical driving is not really the way to make the Aventador happy: you have to chuck it into the corners, be clean with your inputs and just try to not let the car drive you. 

The rear axle steering works wonders for handling as the back end is truly that wide thanks to the massive 355/25R21 rear tires. There’s plenty of lateral grip and it’s surprising just how much confidence it inspires when driven hard: if you do not drive aggressively, the Bull just remains well balanced and a pleasure between the bends. Power is… well, immense. In Race mode, the Aventador S is just impressive: to think that it achieves such levels of performance with no other “tricks” such as turbocharging and hybrid boost, it’s just mesmerizing and worth every penny. 

Normally quiet, tranquil and silent, the Lessinia was echoing with the roar of the V12 all day. It has such a great impact on people that even Police stop you to tell you to rev, and accelerate as hard as you can: to hear “no! I won’t give you any tickets, just let me hear it properly!” or “Can I take a pic? My son loves these cars!” from police officers is beyond cool. We guess that happiness and amazement is what a Lambo gives to people. Did we mention the laugh of joy of those German kids when they heard a Lamborghini V12 for the first time? Certain things can only be lived in Italy…

We reckon that the Aventador is near her end as the top-tier Lamborghini and a new car is in the works. With an unprecedented sales success, the Aventador has been the Bull of the decade: we just hope that the new one will be as imperfectly awesome as this Bull has been.