They say that you cannot buy class but then if you can afford to acquire some of the designer clothes, bags, or shoes, you have already reached a class of your own or joined another that can only accommodate a few of us. Priorities differ and it is therefore not surprising that when you are working two jobs to afford the basic needs, another is spending millions of money on a car that will most probably sit in the garage joining the rest of his toys. Mentioning of expensive cars, can you imagine buying a vehicle for $9.5 million? Well if you want to take the Lamborghini Veneno Roadster for a spin, you will have to part with the large amount so the question might be what it offers that other vehicles cannot. Let’s take a closer look at the vehicle, and maybe you will be convinced to start saving up for it.
How did it come about?
Italy is known for its classic taste in almost everything including food and clothes, and it is home to Lamborghini, the Italian car manufacturer. Birthdays are special occasions especially when you hit the 50th year, and it is therefore not surprising that when Lamborghini attained its gold jubilee, Lamborghini celebrated the best way they know how; by manufacturing a new car model called the Lamborghini Veneno. That was back in 2013, and the rest of the world joined in the celebrations when it was unveiled in the Geneva Motor Show with an asking price of $4.5 million, translating to one of the most expensive vehicles in the world at the time.
However, that was the Lamborghini Veneno which the automobile manufactured made as a coupe and produced five examples only. The first Lamborghini Veneno, dubbed Car Zero, was for factory testing. The second was retained by the factory, and the other three were for customers, made according to each of their specifications. According to Lambocars.com, each customer received a unique shade based on the Italian flag resulting in a Veneno Rosso, Veneno Bianco, and Veneno Verde.
Of course, the customers are not the average Joe, and you can be sure of that fact since they transferred a hefty down payment before ever laying their eyes on the vehicles, stamping their faith in the automobile company. While one buyer was a Middle Eastern customer, the other were Antoine Dominic, owner of Lamborghini Long Island, and Kris Singh, Managing Director of Tequesta Investments, based in Florida.
The Lamborghini Veneno Roadster
Maybe the success of the coupe assured the automobile manufacturer that there is demand for expensive cars because, in 2014, they unveiled the Lamborghini Veneno Roadster in Abu Dhabi port on Cavour, an Italian naval aircraft carrier. They later introduced it to the public during the Las Vegas Consumer Electronics Show, also in 2014. The only difference between the coupe and this variant is that the roadster is 50 kgs heavier than the coupe due to adding of chassis components for reinforcement. Further, while they produced five units of the coupe, the roadster’s production was capped at nine units.
What makes it special?
The Veneno is based on the Aventador, but with the Veneno, the manufacturer was aiming at reduced weight as opposed to more horsepower according to Jalopnik . The Veneno has a naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12 engine that has an output of 740 horsepower and cranks up to 60 mpg in 2.8 seconds. It also has 509 pound-feet of torque at 5,500 rpm and for the car to achieve this much power all the manufacturer had to do was adjust the air system and increase the air intake to complete the high –performance sports car design at which Lamborghini was aiming.
As a racing prototype built for the road, the car is designed with a front that enables maximum airflow and an improved workforce. Arches on the front and rear reduce excessive airlift and generate downforce by directing air around the car while its smooth underbody prevents interruption or airflow. Additionally, it has invested in lots of carbon fiber in its construction in an attempt to keep the weight down. It, therefore, has all its outer panels and monocoque made from carbon fiber while the wheels have a carbon fiber around the edges to channel cool air to its carbon ceramic discs thus improve brake cooling.
The Roadster weighs 1.490 kgs, and unlike other roadsters that have a roof that you can pull up or lower depending on the weather, the Veneno does not afford you that option. It comes without a roof, so it is not the best ride for those wet seasons. Its paint job is limited to the Rosso Veneno, but given the amount of money you have to cough up to own it, it would not be too much of a bother for Lamborghini to paint the customer’s car in whichever color they prefer. As for the interior, the manufacturer did not depart from Aventador’s interiors with the only addition being carbon skin element; the push-rod suspension system, 7-speed semi-automatic transmission with a new track setting to improve race track performance, were retained.
Why it is so expensive?
We must admit that for most of us $9.5 million is an amount we may never see in our lifetime, so why would someone choose to splurge it on a car? The construction of the car is expensive because it has utilized lots of carbon fiber to achieve exceptional aerodynamics, and the material does not come cheap. Also, the fact that it is associated with Lamborghini and was introduced in the company’s celebration for its 50th anniversary is bound to push up the price.
Can we afford it in the future?
In 2014, the vehicle was going for $4.5 million, and it is barely five years after, and the amount has more than doubled. At such a rate of appreciation, we would not be shocked to have it selling at $12 million by the end of 2022, so if you were thinking of saving up for the ride hoping its price will go down, you had better invest elsewhere.
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