Geneva show: Lambo’s one-off roofless Aventador

LAMBORGHINI has used the Geneva motor show to reveal the Aventador J – an extreme, fully road-legal roadster that the marque calls its “most uncompromising” to date.

It will also be unique because Lamborghini said the Geneva car is the only one it will ever produce.

The J is an open-topped sportscar in the truest sense of the word, with the Raging Bull brand having not only discarded the roof, but also the windscreen. In its place are two small wind deflectors, which are said to emulate the experience of riding a superbike.

Lamborghini president and CEO Stephan Winkelmann said the J was the most radical open supersportscar in the company’s illustrious history, and a testament to its desire to continue pushing the envelope.

“Nowadays we are confronted with several regulations that we face in the spirit of challenge,” he said. “The Aventador J is the proof that, despite the rules, Lamborghini will always make people dream, even in the future.”

The J is based on the standard Aventador’s carbon-fibre monocoque bodyshell, but includes roll-over bars behind the seats and a periscope-style mirror mounted on the dash in light of its unique roofless structure.

The carbon-fibre front air scoop is narrower than the standard Aventador and is said to have been inspired by a Formula One racecar, while the chrome-effect red paint is unique to the one-off J.

Special aluminium wheels (20-inch front and 21-inch rear) are also exclusive to the J and feature an additional carbon-fibre insert that functions like a small fan for better brake ventilation.

Lamborghini removed the air-conditioning, audio and navigation systems as well as the roof and windscreen, adding thinner scissor-lift doors to further cut weight from the 1575kg standard Aventador.

Underneath the outrageous body sit regular Aventador underpinnings, including permanent all-wheel-drive, automated transmission and pushrod suspension.

Power comes from the same 6.5-litre V12 engine, which produces 515kW of power at some 8250rpm and 690Nm of torque.

Inside, the J gets special seats clad in Lamborghini’s trademarked Forged Composite material. This carbon-fibre fabric called “Carbonskin” is made of woven carbon fibres soaked with a special epoxy resin to stabilise the structure and keep the material soft.

The letter J in the model name is derived from the FIA world motorsport organisation’s ‘Appendix J’ technical regulations but also draws inspiration from the 1970 Lamborghini Jota, a one-off high-performance version of the company’s legendary Miura coupe.

Lamborghini claims the J can be driven on the road – although occupants are advised to wear a helmet at speeds above 300km/h.

This unique car will not, as might be expected, occupy a place in the Lamborghini museum, but will instead be sold to one exceedingly well-heeled member of the public.

The car-maker did not reveal the price, but as the adage goes, if you have to ask…