#15: 2012 Lamborghini Aventador
Italian fanboys (and girls) rejoice, the first Lamborghini is up on our list. There is no replacement for displacement when it comes to going fast, and the 2012 Lamborghini Aventador took this concept and blew it out of the water. Sporting a mammoth 6.5L V12 motor and making 690 horses and 509 torques, this successor to the Murcielago manages a null to 60 of just under 2.7 seconds. A $394,000 price tag made the Aventador all but a dream for mere mortals in 2012, though determined and frugal buyers can find respectable examples for only $250,000.
Lamborghinis have been breaking records since the 60’s, though many buyers and critics cite the Aventador as the first truly functional, grown-up, and refined fighting bull. In 1966 we were graced with the Miura, one of the first V12 cars produced by Lamborghini. For all its beauty, many loathed its ill temperament. The Countach and Diablos of the world added more displacement and zany features like scissor doors, too much technology, and woefully 80’s (also see: “impractical”) styling.
Lamborghini Aventador
Then Volkswagen sent in the Germans and their meticulous engineering to take over the development of the Lamborghini name. What popped out was the Murcielago, a complete abandonment of the cereal toy designs of decades past. It featured a wildly understated design (at least by Lamborghini’s standards) but the Murcielago was still heavy and difficult to manage on the street, never mind the track.
Lamborghini finally got it right with the Aventador. Although it took the bull by the horns with more aggressive styling, its carbon fiber monocoque shell and electronic all-wheel drive allowed it to best the Top Gear track in 1:16.5 (the BAC Mono did it in 1:14.3). With a top speed reaching 217 MPH, the Aventador is one of the all-around fastest cars on our list thus far.
