If you were to judge by the name alone, Lamborghini Aventador LP 780-4 Ultimae, you’d think this is it; this will be the last Aventador we see. Ultimate, being the Italian word for “ultimate” or “final,” as in “this is the ultimate lap of the race.” You’d be right because after this, nada! The Lamborghini Aventador LP 780-4 Ultimae represents the final production run of the car’s now-iconic V12 internal combustion engine.
The Final Countdown
“The Aventador LP 780-4 denotes the final, purest, timeless naturally-aspirated production V12 Lamborghini . . . the definitive Aventador concluding an extraordinary era. It is the last of its kind.” Or so says Stephan Winkelmann, President and CEO of Automobili Lamborghini. If you wade through all the gloss and dross and corporate-speak hyperbole, the message is clear: This is not only the last Aventador; this is probably (could be) the last Lambo V12 ever. The press kit is peppered with phrases like, “a celebration of the iconic V12 super sports car and combustion engine in a final production model” and “a perfect finale.”
Lambo, like anyone else who can read a graph, knows that the writing is on the wall. These ICE cars are on the way out. If they, or any other carmaker, digs in their heals and fights, they will be as useful and saleable as a Model T and twice as obsolete. They didn’t come out and explicitly say it. There could be one final V12 hurrah before it’s all over, but that doesn’t seem very likely at this point (Lotus is doing the same thing with its new Emira right now).
Luckily, the Aventador LP 780-4 Ultimae is a pretty amazing one, all wrapped up in fancy (if boy-racerish) clothing. It’s a pretty good sendoff for a car that has given Lamborghini fans so much in the way of performance and innovation.
Lamborghini Aventador LP 780-4 Ultimae Powertrain
The twelve-cylinder, 6.5-liter Longitudinale Posteriore engine cranks out a healthy 780 CV (770 horsepower) at a high-altitude 8,500 rpm. That’s 40 ponies more than the Aventador S and 10 over the SVJ. All that power is put to the ground via its permanent four-wheel drive system (that’s the “LP 780-4” designation). Lamborghini’s Independent Shifting Rod, a seven-speed transmission, provides gearshifts in as little as 50 milliseconds.
The whole setup will give you a zero to 62 mph time of 2.8 seconds, a zero to 124 mph time of 8.7 seconds, and a top speed of 220 mph. As for slowing down, Lamborghini says the Aventador LP 780-4 Ultimae can go from 62 mph to standstill in just 98 feet. The carbon fiber monocoque body no doubt aids the impressive acceleration and stopping performance. According to Lamborghini, the all-up dry weight of the Aventador LP 780-4 Ultimae is 3,417 lbs.
Aerodynamic Enhancements
Lambo had a go at the styling to give everything a bit of flash and excitement here and there as well as making some aero improvements. The Ultimae’s front bumper increases the aero load on the front for a start. The front splitter and open “mouth” of the LP 780-4 directs additional airflow to enhance aerodynamic efficiency, engine cooling, and radiator cooling.
The front bumper’s air ducts and side cooling inlet reduce aero turbulence and improve wake flow to the rear radiator, with the Ultimae’s lightweight rear bumper capping off the whole effect. An active aero system controls the rear wing’s three positions: closed, “maximum performance,” and “maximum handling.” Basically, it’s closed, kinda up, and really up! There are also vortex generators in the front and rear of the chassis to maximize airflow and assist with brake cooling.
Wheels are huge Silver Dianthus 20-inch and 21-inch forged alloys with options for Dianthus, Lemon, and Nireo in bronze, black, and titanium, fitted with Pirelli PZero Corsa tires. Silver calipers are standard, but other caliper colors are optional.
Interior Treatments
The interior includes black leather and Alcantara base materials that feature stitching and trim in a complementary gray to the exterior, with “Y” seat inserts in black Alcantara. An optional laser-cut “Y” repeat motif with a contrast backing color on the seats and dashboard is available, while the seat design itself is borrowed from the Aventador S. The A-pillar driver dashboard area carries the 001 of 350/250 reference to mark the limited edition. (Lamborghini is doing 350 coupé and 250 roadster editions).
The interior also features such modern refinements as customizable TFT digital dashboard displays with driver modes, Apple CarPlay, and an optional telemetry system for track driving.
Lamborghini Aventador LP 780-4 Ultimae Availability
Setting the Lamborghini Aventador LP 780-4 Ultimae apart is a new palette of exterior and interior colors. There is a standard range of 18 colors, with an additional 300 colors available through the Lamborghini Ad Personam service.
The Ultimae coupé will be launched in a two-tone, gray-on-gray configuration, with a number of unique exterior details and accents, including an available carbon fiber roof. Thankfully this is all rather subtle and not some Tron-like paint job a 14-year-old would love. The Aventador LP 780-4 Ultimate Roadster, flashier than the coupés, comes in Blu Tawaret and Blu Nethuns with high gloss black carbon fiber roof panels.
The Lamborghini Aventador LP 780-4 Ultimae is currently available for order.
Tony Borroz has spent his entire life racing antique and sports cars. He is the author of Bricks & Bones: The Endearing Legacy and Nitty-Gritty Phenomenon of The Indy 500, available in paperback or Kindle format. Follow his work on Twitter: @TonyBorroz.
Photos & Source: Automobili Lamborghini.
