Lamborghini Aventador LP 780-4 Ultimae debuts – 350 coupes, 250 roadsters; 780 PS V12; 0-100 km/h in 2.8s

The time of the Lamborghini Aventador is coming to an end, as after more than a decade since its introduction, the famed big bull will reach the end of its production run. To mark the end of an era, the Italian carmaker has unveiled this, the new Aventador LP 780-4 Ultimae, which it says is “a celebration of the iconic V12 super sports car and combustion engine in a final production model.”

The swan song model will be offered in limited numbers, with only 350 coupes and 250 roadsters planned. Translated from Italian, “Ultimae” roughly means “last,” while “LP 780-4” points to the car’s output of 780 PS (769 hp) at 8,500 rpm.

This makes the Ultimae the most powerful, V12-powered, non-electrified Lamborghini ever, as it delivers 40 PS (39 hp) more than a regular Aventador S and 10 PS (10 hp) more than the SVJ. All that power comes from a 6.5 litre naturally-aspirated V12, which provides the same 720 Nm of torque at 6,750 rpm as the SVJ. As with other Aventador models, the engine is paired with a seven-speed Independent Shifting Road (ISR) gearbox and an all-wheel drive system.

Besides the added grunt, the Ultimae in coupe form has a dry weight of just 1,550 kg, making it 25 kg lighter than the Aventador S. As a result, the Ultimae offers the same weight-to-power ration as the SVJ at 1.98 kg/PS, allowing it to accelerate from 0-100 km/h in just 2.8 seconds, while the top speed is 355 km/h. Carbon ceramic brakes allow the car to come to a complete stop from 100 km/h in just 30 metres.

The Lamborghini Dinamica Veicolo Attiva (LDVA) acts as the brain to deliver the best vehicle dynamics in every condition, managing systems such as Lamborghini Dynamic Steering (LDS), four-wheel steering, active suspension as well as the all-wheel drive system. There are also four drive modes available, including Strada, Sport and Corsa, with Ego allowing drivers to create their own personalised setup.

Design-wise, the Ultimae is a marriage of the Aventador S and SVJ, with standout cues being a specific front bumper that comes with a splitter and prominent intakes to increase aerodynamic performance as well as promote cooling.

Elsewhere, the UItimae forgoes the SVJ’s vented bonnet and large rear wing, but it does adopt the same rear-end featuring high-mounted exhausts and carbon-fibre diffuser. The diffuser works with an active rear wing that can be set in three positions (closed, maximum performance and maximum handling) to provide downforce.

Lamborghini offers no less than 18 standard colours for the Ultimae, and if that’s not enough, there are more than 300 options available through its Ad Personam personalisation programme. The coupe model you see here is debuting with a two-tone, grey-on-grey configuration, with highlights in matte red Rosso Mimir.

The matte Grigio Acheso and Grigio Teca external colours are echoed in the stitching on the inside, which is trimmed in black leather and Alcantara. There are also “Y” seat inserts, model-specific branding and an optional laser cut “Y” repeat motif to enhance the visuals further.

Meanwhile, the roadster model is launched in Blu Tawaret and Blu Nethuns, with roof panels in high-gloss black carbon-fibre. Both versions get the same displays and infotainment as the Aventador S, a staggered wheel setup (20-inch front and 21-inch rear), plus the A-pillar driver’s side dashboard area carries the 001 of 350/250 as a reference to the limited edition.

Both cars will be making their physical debut at this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed scheduled to take place from July 8-11. “The Aventador LP 780-4 denotes the final, purest, timeless naturally-aspirated production V12 Lamborghini,” said Stephan Winkelmann, president and CEO of Lamborghini.

“It delivers the essential twelve-cylinder experience in terms of inimitable design, engineering solutions and the most emotive driving experience, and is the definitive Aventador concluding an extraordinary era. It is the last of its kind: it delivers the maximum power and conclusive performance expected from Lamborghini’s current V12 engine, combined with our inimitable flagship’s design DNA,” he added.

As part of Lamborghini’s roadmap for the future, the Ultimae marks the end of non-electrified models, as the company plans to have an entire range that has some form of electrification by the end of 2024. There is hope that the Aventador’s successor will retain a V12 engine, albeit with a hybrid system attached, which is still a potent recipe as the Sian has demonstrated.