Somewhere in the world, somebody thinks Lamborghini’s Murcielago is a decent enough exotic, but the trickle of production and existing customization options fall short of what that same somebody considers an acceptable level of exclusivity: The Lamborghini Reventon is right up this guy’s alley. Introduced at the 2007 Frankfurt Auto Show, the Reventon was easily one of the star attractions, and gained instant dream-car status. That’s no small feat at an event that featured a $2 million Bugatti Veyron Pur Sang and Michael Schumaker hawking the Ferrari F430 Scuderia.
If you have any familiarity with the cars of Sant’Agata Bolognese, you know they’re typically named after bulls. The Murcielago-based Reventon may be a Lamborghini like no other (the windshield is said to be the only shared exterior component), but it does uphold the tradition. The bovine named Reventon infamously offed bullfighter Félix Guzmán in Mexico in 1943. Now you know. Flash ahead to the present, though it seems like the future when you observe the car, and prepare to be amazed. Looking, for all the world, like a de-winged stealth fighter plane, the Lamborghini Reventon has a unique matte-gray finish to cover its jagged lines. It’s said the angularity and non-shiny surface makes stealth planes invisible to radar. We’re not sure if the Reventon could accomplish the same, but we suspect at least a couple of the 20 souls who handed over about $1.4 million will give it a shot.
It's time for a closer look at the Lamborghini Reventon based on its luxury and practicality, relative to other exotics. Each category stands to net 50 points. Perfection is reflected in a 100-point score. Let’s find out whether the Reventon is a sacred cow, or just a buncha bull…
The luxury ride
At the heart of any Italian sports car, limited production or otherwise, is its engine. Even when they’re charging more than a cool million for their car, it’s not feasible to develop an entirely new powerplant for a run of less than two dozen vehicles. So the Lamborghini Reventon carries a modified Murcielago V12, in the familiar mid-ship spot, which is hardly a consolation prize, even in standard tune. If you can believe it, we didn’t have the opportunity to put this car on the track and gather performance data. Even the factory is not offering full disclosure on the figures, but we do understand the Reventon is packed with a whole nine more horsepower, for a new total of 641. All-wheel drive is here to gallantly attempt to cope with the power, which equates to acceleration from 0 to 60 mph in 3.4 seconds, with a top speed of 224 mph. No gated (or as some say, dated) manual transmission is offered in the car; it was ditched in favor of a six-speed automatic.Beginning with the Diablo, Lambos began to show signs of efforts made to reverse the historically-punishing Italian cabin comfort and odd ergonomics. Things began to improve: The turn signal lever was no longer located under the passenger seat, for example. Today, the Murcielago is far from the compromising experience of past cars. And the Lamborghini Reventon builds upon that with a unique interior that adds flash and takes another step toward the high-tech end. Just about everywhere you look is either carbon fiber or Alcantara. If you like, you can even view the vitals as an LCD layout in 3-D, or go with an old-school analog display.
The verdict
And you thought the plain-Jane Murcielago was a toy. The Lamborghini Reventon takes everything up a notch, including price and exclusivity.Luxury score: 47
The practical ride
To tweak our last thought: And you thought the Murcielago was impractical. OK, let’s be fair. There’s hardly an exotic left in production that’s as cantankerous as its predecessors from the ‘80s and back. In those pre-cell-phone days, if you didn’t arrive at your destination, concerned parties would summon an eccentric mechanic to follow your oil trail and the smell of fried clutch to wherever your car retired. Today’s cars stand an excellent chance of returning you home after your ride, without all the drama. So for the Lamborghini Reventon’s drivability and reliability, we presume it’s much the same. Clearly, this ain’t no Honda, but things have improved under parent-company Audi’s regime.On the other hand, even in terms of exotics, you’ll want to heavily consider how and when you drive your Reventon. Not because of breakdowns, but because of the fact that you will be driving one of the most exclusive exotics -- 20 times rarer than a Ferrari Enzo. If it gets crinkled, expect six-figure repair bills and a long wait to get your car back. In other words, don’t let Eddie Griffin drive. Yes, anybody who pays $1.4 million for a car can afford to have it fixed, but it’ll be a big inconvenience. Tell us, who’s the last patient millionaire you've met?
Gas mileage numbers are really just academic for this car, but we reckon the Lamborghini Reventon could cover about eight city miles for every gallon in the tank. On the open road, at double digit speeds, that probably catapults all the way to 11.
The verdict
Just because it can be driven regularly doesn’t mean it’s the smartest thing to do. Careful exercise on the track and occasional drives to show off and stir envy are really what this car is all about, not commuting or errands. If you want a Lamborghini to drive everyday without fear of being a damage magnet, buy a Gallardo.Practicality score: 28
and the total is...
We can’t even pretend to be in the market for the Murcielago on which the Lamborghini Reventon is based, but this bull is indulgent fun for a privileged few. Are a unique body and nine extra horsepower worth the more than $1 million premium over its predecessor? You can’t quantify it in such terms. The 20 guys who sprang for this car knew what they were getting, and knew why they were getting them. It's all about an image, and the Lamborghini Reventon's got all the right looks, in all the right places.75/100
Resources:http://www.caranddriver.com/autoshows/13992/lamborghini-reventn-one-mean-bull-page3.html
http://www.roadandtrack.com/article.asp?section_id=15&article_id=5986
http://www.lamborghini.com/
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