Before the outburst of extreme one-off hypercars, Lamborghini was one of the first, if not the first to introduce the idea of limited-run specials. The supercar that started the frenzy was the Lamborghini Reventon. In many ways, the Reventon was in fact the granddaddy of all the Lamborghini one-offs that includes the likes of the ferocious Sesto Elemento, the outrageously expensive Lamborghini Veneno, and the latest of the hypercar entrants, the Lamborghini Sian.
The Reventon was inspired by the F-22 Raptor, one of the fastest airplanes in existence. While Lamborghini was not famous for aviation, it sure knew a thing or two about making absolutely insane road cars that many aspire to own someday. The Reventon was an expression of what Lamborghini was capable of and was sold out even before it was unveiled to the public.
The Reventon was the most extreme, exclusive, and expensive raging bull produced by Lamborghini up to that point. Introduced in 2007, the Lamborghini Reventon cost $1.5 million when new and has never seen a dip since.
Considering it has only appreciated since its introduction, we’ll go over the specifics as to what makes the Reventon a collector’s Lamborghini.
Lamborghini Reventon: Outrageously Wild Looks
The focal point of the Reventon was its exterior design. The styling was unlike anything that was out on the road. The Lamborghini Reventon came with a carbon-fiber skin that was a fairly new concept in the automotive industry. Aside from the use of such an exotic material, the amount of sculpture every section had was never before seen. Every panel in the Reventon had multiple cuts and creases that emphasized its aggression. To truly appreciate the craftsmanship behind its sculpture, the various shadows cast across the bodywork shows how attention to detail played a significant role.
Another tradition Lamborghini introduced in the Reventon was the inclusion of design elements that hinted at the exterior features of their upcoming flagship V12. For instance, the Reventon’s sharp nose with two large air dams was replicated in the Aventador albeit with subtle tweaks. A similar relation can be seen at the rear with the Aventador having a near-identical design although not as sharp as the Reventon. With the Aventador’s successor expect a mix of design features from the Centenario, Sian, and possibly the Terzo Millenio.
A Boisterous V12 Inside
The v12 inside the Reventon made around 641 horsepower and 487 lb-ft of torque. Coupled to a 6-speed E-gear automated single-clutch transmission, the Reventon carried over the all-wheel-drive from the Murcielago albeit with some tweaks. With much of its internals being shared with the Murcielago LP-640, the Reventon scampered to 60 mph in 3.4 seconds and had a top speed of 211 mph. The Reventon Roadster had the unit from the Murcielago SV and made 661 horsepower. Despite costing nearly twice than the coupe, the Reventon Roadster was slightly behind in terms of performance; top speed was reduced to 205 mph while the acceleration figures remained the same. The high-pitched tone from the V12 is an aural treat and is in fact one of the defining characters of the Reventon aside from its looks of course.
Better Electronics And A New Instrument Cluster
The interiors remained largely unchanged from the Murcielago. That said a new set of carbon bucket seats were introduced for the Reventon which later ended up in the Murcielago SV. Aside from the bucket seats, the Reventon also introduced a digital instrument cluster, a first for a modern Lamborghini. The unit was split into 3 where the top housed a G-force meter while the left console was a digital readout of the engine RPM and the right console came with a digital speedometer. The configurable screens were inspired by the cockpit of a fighter jet that found its way into the Aventador. The Reventon was only available in one paint scheme called Grey Barra or Grigio Reventon; matte grey in simple English.
A Collector’s Lamborghini
Unlike Ferraris, not many Lamborghinis fall under the collector’s radar. That said, among the classics, the 3500 GT and the Miura have a special place among investors. Not many modern-day Lamborghini ended up having the title until the Reventon showed up. In total, the Lamborghini Reventon was limited to just 35 units, that’s 20 Coupes and 15 Roadsters. Lamborghini made an extra coupe to store in the Museum and that about totals the number of Reventons commissioned.
The only reason for the Reventon Roadster to cost twice as much as the coupe was just because of the demand. Being an extremely limited Lamborghini, wealthy customers from around the globe were ready to pay the half a million-dollar premium. Mind you, this was after the coupe having a $1.5 million price tag. Of the Reventon coupes, ten were delivered to the United States, seven to Europe, one to Canada, and two to Asia. Of the 15 Roadsters, three right-hand-drive models exist wherein two of them reside in Asia and one in the United Kingdom. Expect a heft premium when any one of these hits the market.
Sources: YouTube, Lamborghini