There’s no ifs or buts about it – Lamborghini is one of the most recognizable and famous supercar manufacturers in the world.
Supercars like the classic Countach, or even the iconic Diablo, immediately spring to mind when thinking of the Italian brand.
But the company’s also famous for producing super-exclusive supercars, one of which is the phenomenal Lamborghini Veneno.
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The original Lamborghini Veneno coupé was unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show in 2013 as part of the brand’s 50th anniversary celebrations.
It was offered in a choice of green, white and red finishes – the colors of the Italian flag.
The catch? There was only of of each.
Car Zero was retained by the factory and the remaining three coupés found buyers instantly priced at $3.5 million.
Then came the Veneno Roadster, which was three times as popular, as Sant’Agata produced nine examples worldwide.
Lamborghini described the Veneno Roadster as an open racing prototype with an extreme design and breathtaking performance.
The name itself comes from the Spanish for ‘venom’, a remarkably accurate description of the way it delivers its performance.
As for weight reduction, the supercar maker opted for a carbon fiber monocoque.
The interior trim is made from CarbonSkin, with elements of the chassis deliberately left exposed inside the cockpit.
The Veneno Roadster’s closest relative is the Lamborghini range is the Aventador Roadster, which shares the same 6.5-liter V12 engine and seven-speed ISR transmission.
Both supercars distribute their eye-watering power betwen all four wheels.
The difference is in the detail, though.
Whereas the Aventador produces 700 horsepower, the Lamborghini Veneno tops it with 750 horsepower.
While the Aventador Roadster’s carbon monocoque keeps the dry weight down to an impressively low 1,625kg, the Veneno is even lighter at 1,490kg.
Weight is distributed 43 percent front, 67 percent rear, and the net result of all these incremental gains is a power-to-weight ration of 1.99kg/hp.
0-100km/h (0-62mph) comes up in 2.9 seconds, but it’s not a vehicle for straight-line drag racing.
The Veneno Roadster’s light weight pays dividends in braking, cornering and steering feedback, and the faster you go the more you sense the difference.
The rational for an open cockpit? If it was good enough for the LMP1 Le Mans Series prototypes, it was good enough for Lamborghini’s most extreme roadster.
The last Veneno Roadster to sell at auction fetched a staggering $8.3 million back in 2019.
