We barely heard the news about an UK based tuning company creating an Aventador Spyder with a removable carbon framed roof section in glass and now we find spy photos of the real Lamborghini Aventador Roadster prototype during road testing in Germany.
The German car magazine Autozeitung.de published three photos taken by Bernd Burghart of a matte black Lamborghini Aventador that upon closer inspection reveals to be an open top edition, without much camouflage tape or anything on this test mule it is quickly obvious the Aventador Roadster, or Spyder as it could be called according to some sources, will not be using the standard Aventador engine cover when it goes into production … instead a very nice looking, bespoke unit has been developed.
In fact the entire section behind the occupants of the Aventador Roadster has been totally redesigned, instead of the glass louvers on the original engine cover used for the closed coupé version, the Roadster goes to a buttress design with a lowered engine cover, still with glass sections, but with a section running from front to back on the cover … a somewhat similar design we’ve seen on the Reventon Roadster in fact … even the ‘winglet’ between the buttress is back on the Aventador Roadster, this time with an upright glass section, most likely to counteract air buffeting at high speeds.
These photos do not show any other major changes to the bodywork of the Aventador Roadster, the matte black car in the photos is an US model with the orange and red side lights instead of the white units used for other markets and naturally the roof has a section that can be removed … about the roof: it looks like the windshield pillars do extend far backwards and the roof section itself also goes over the ‘winglet’ between the buttress section.
Judging from these shots it looks like the removable roof would be too large to fit in the front luggage space, it is not possible to store it behind the seats like on older convertibles because the massive central tunnel is in the way, and it can not be removed or lowered as it houses the drivetrain to the front wheels … somehow I don’t think the Aventador Roadster will become an LP700-2 rear wheel drive only model.
So that leaves two options : one would be to have two lightweight carbon fiber roof sections that can be stored up front, the other option would be to leave the roof at home like a hardtop on earlier cabriolets … but that could be an issue when it starts raining all of a sudden … remember the Murcielago Roadster in London in the pouring rain … with no roof mounted.
Now for the big question ! When will the open top Lamborghini Aventador be unveiled … we’ve been expecting it in March already at the Geneva Auto Show … but instead we were blown away by the one of a kind Aventador J or Jota. The latest rumors talk about Paris in a month, but then again other rumors talk about the actual production version of the Sesto Elemento … or even a new 50th Anniversary edition of the Aventador … so I don’t know.
But I think with the recent Spyder aftermarket conversion in mind it could very well have been the trigger to make Automobili Lamborghini SpA unveil the official Aventador Roadster or Spyder in Paris … the car is ready, has been for months … the only delay to unveil it has (and still is) the already long waiting list for the original Aventador, close to 18 months these days.
The unfortunate earthquake didn’t help either, and even regular production of the Aventador still has a backlog, adding a Roadster onto the same production line could make things even worse … however, Lamborghini will build 20 Sesto Elemento (or is already building them right now) most likely in the new building designed for the development of prototypes and pre-series that was inaugurated in early July … nothing says the first units of the Aventador Roadster have to be built on the regular production line … Lamborghini can decide to build these as a pre-series on the smaller scale production line in this new location … how does that sound?
Whatever will be the case, I for one really like the design seen on these prototype shot, that engine cover is simply amazing, and worthy to be mounted on an Aventador Roadster or Spyder or Barchetta … or who knows what our friends from Sant’Agata come up with … I can’t wait, and I so hope it will be unveiled in Paris next month.
UPDATE September 19 :Â new spyshots made during testing
