Lamborghini Aventador S launched in Malaysia, from RM1.8mil – 6.5L V12, 740 hp, 0-100 km/h in 2.9 s

It wasn’t too long ago when Lamborghini first revealed the new Aventador S to the world and “dared our ego” by introducing several enhancements to its V12 flagship model. That was in December last year and today, the Aventador S officially makes its launch debut here in Malaysia.

Visually, the Aventador S integrates some of the limited-edition SV’s styling, which includes a new front and rear end. The former sees the fitment of a new bumper that has a more aggressive nose and longer splitter that is part of an effort to improve upon the Aventador’s aerodynamic and cooling efficiency.

Those two air ducts at the sides of the front bumper also contribute to reduce aerodynamic interference from the front tyres and optimise the airflow to the rear radiator. While the side profile appears largely unchanged from its predecessor, upon closer inspection, you’ll notice that the self-raising cooling wings have been omitted with fixed inlets instead.

Meanwhile at the rear, the Aventador S comes with a more pronounced diffuser finished in black (available in carbon-fibre upon request), which helps generate downforce, while reducing vehicle drag through pressure recovery. More noticeably, the quad exhaust setup has been downsized to three single exhaust pipes.

Another feature found at the rear is an active rear wing that assumes one of three positions depending on the vehicle’s speed and currently selected drive mode (more on this later). The wing works together with the front and rear underside aero to maximise air flow as well as assist in brake cooling.

All these elements combine to provide more than 130% more front downforce compared to the previous Aventador. Lamborghini adds that when the rear wing is in its optimum position, overall efficiency at high downforce is improved by over 50%, and in low drag by more than 400% compared to the previous model.

By comparison, the changes in the cabin aren’t as major, with a new TFT digital colour display being one of the additions. Customisable according to the driver’s preference, there are several screens available depending on the selected drive mode.

Apple CarPlay integration comes as standard here, and owners can specify the optional Lamborghini telemetry system that records lap times, trip data and track performance. The brand’s Ad Personam customisation programme will allow buyers to ensure their Aventador S truly tailored to their tastes with a wide variety of options.

This isn’t just a “facelift” either, as the 6.5 litre V12 engine now comes with optimised VVT (Variable Valve Timing) and VIS (Variable Intake System), along with an increased rev limit of 8,500 rpm (from 8,350 rpm). As a result, the V12 now outputs 740 hp at 8,400 rpm and 690 Nm of torque at 5,500 rpm, which is 40 hp more than its predecessor.

The mill also gets a new exhaust system, now 20% lighter than before, and is paired with a seven-speed Independent Shifting Rod (ISR) transmission capable of 50 ms gear shifts. Power continues to be sent to all four corners via a Haldex Generation IV 4WD system. In terms of performance, the new car will make the 0-100 km/h sprint in 2.9 seconds and will hit a top speed of 350 km/h, identical to the Aventador.

Even so, the Aventador S is the first series production Lamborghini to come with four-wheel steering (first seen on the Centenario), which should make it handle better than the outgoing model. Lamborghini says the new car is more agile at low and medium speeds, while being more stable at high speeds.

Put simply, at low speeds, the rear wheels face in the opposite direction to the steering angle, virtually reducing the wheelbase and making the car more agile with a reduced turning radius. On the other hand, both front and rear wheels share the same steering angle at high speeds, thus “extending” the wheelbase for better stability.

The addition of the system is coupled with an updated version of the brand’s pushrod and magneto-rheological suspension, improved ESC package, new rear springs and variable damping system, as well as reworked, bespoke Pirelli P Zero tyres. You still get carbon ceramic brakes that will bring the car from 100 km/h to a dead stop in just 31 metres.

To ensure you get the best possible performance from the Aventador S in any condition (track or road), the car’s brain – Lamborghini Dinamica Veicolo Attiva – pulls information from various sensors around the car before setting the car up accordingly.

Drivers also get to choose from four driving modes – Strada, Sport, Corsa and the newly-added Ego. The latter is a customisable mode, allowing owners to set their preferred conditions for the car’s traction, steering and suspension systems that best suits his or her driving ego/skills.

Strada makes things as comfortable as possible for daily driving, with the engine’s torque split 60/40 between the rear and front axles. Sport mode is pretty self-explanatory as the car is being set up for rear bias, allowing up to 90% of torque to the rear wheels. In Corsa, the car allows a maximum 80/20 torque split to the rear and front to maximize track-oriented performance.

We now come to the most important question that should be plaguing your mind by now: how much for the latest rampaging bull from Sant’Agata Bolognese? Well, prices start from a cool RM1.8mil before taxes and any optional extras. We’ve been told it’s around RM3.3mil with taxes, but this is still before you start ticking away on the options list.

Looking to sell your car? Sell it with myTukar.