AIMS: Stunning Lambo Sesto Elemento hits Sydney
BY HAITHAM RAZAGUI | 18th Oct 2012
But show-goers will have to be quick as the Sesto Elemento will only be on show over the weekend before it jets off to Hong Kong, after which it will be replaced by a Gallardo LP550-2 Tricolore special edition.
Also drawing crowds to the Lamborghini stand is a world public debut for the grey Aventador that features in the latest Batman movie.
Lambo’s fastest convertible, the Gallardo LP570-4 Spyder Performante based on the Superleggera coupe, is also on the stand.
Weighing just 999kg and packing the same 419kW as the Gallardo Spyder Performante, the jaw-dropping Sesto Elemento can blast to 100km/h even quicker than the more powerful Aventador – just 2.5 seconds.
The seemingly unfeasible light weight – especially when factoring in the big 5.2-litre V10 mounted behind the cockpit and the all-wheel-drive system – was achieved through the extensive use of carbon-fibre in the Sesto Elemento’s construction, including a forged carbon-fibre composite monocoque chassis.
Revealed for the first time as a concept at the 2010 Paris motor show, the Sesto Elemento – Italian for sixth element as a reference to carbon’s position in the periodic table – was confirmed for a production run of just 20 units at last year’s Frankfurt show.
None of the cars built will be road legal so that €2 million price tag means it will be a seriously expensive and rare track weapon.
Its replacement at the show next week, the Gallardo Tricolore special edition, signifies Lamborghini’s tribute to 150 years of Italian unity and has a stripe with the colours of the Italian flag running across the car from front to rear.
The colours are also stitched into the driver’s seat, which is trimmed in Nero Perseus black leather and also bears Tricolore embroidered lettering, while carbon-fibre trim adorns the gear selector and steering wheel.
Based on the entry-level Gallardo LP550-2, the Tricolore deploys a 405kW version of Lamborghini’s 5.2-litre V10 engine and drives the rear wheels, which in Lambo’s words means “controlled oversteer is no problem”. The 0-100km/h sprint comes up in 3.9 seconds.
Although the Sesto Elemento has the look of a Batmobile, closer to the real thing is the Grigio Antares (dark metallic grey) Aventador LP700-4 from the Dark Knight Rises movie.
Looking menacing with its matte paint finish and black alloy wheels, the Aventador driven by Batman’s alter ego Bruce Wayne – played by Christian Bale – also bears a Gotham City numberplate.
The standard $754,600 Aventador was one of the biggest crowd-pullers during its Australian debut at last year’s Melbourne show, where at least one order was placed.
In the 15 months since it went on sale, more than 1000 Aventadors have been sold worldwide, a record for V12-powered Lamborghinis.
The Aventador’s 6.5-litre V12 engine produces 515kW of power and 690Nm of torque, which combined with the traction of its all-wheel-drive system enables it to sprint to 100km/h in just 2.9 seconds on the way to a top speed of 350km/h.
By contrast, the smaller and less expensive Gallardo Spyder Performante with its 419kW/590Nm 5.2-litre V10 engine takes an extra second to hit triple digits
