Born to test drive: A dib with the Lamborghini Aventador at Sepang
‘I CAN’T say I tamed the bull because in the first place, it never needed any taming, even on a full GP track that requires you to give out serious speed.’
I wish I could say that I was born to race. But that’s the favorite line of race drivers so I think born to test drive is something more appropriate for a motoring journalist like me. I’ve always enjoyed my track days though. Between 2002 and 2006, I’d be either at the Batangas Racing Circuit or Subic Raceway at least once a month, sometimes every three weeks. While I can never claim to be fast, I knew what was required to at least stay out of danger and be prepared out on track. By 2007, work was getting more hectic and I bade farewell to my old track/project car, my Lancer Evolution IV. Since then, work and Project Supra’s various problems in the past, drastically reduced my track time.
Imagine my surprise one day when I got an invite from PGA Automobile chair Robert Coyiuto Jr. to attend the Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4 test drive at Sepang’s Full Grand Prix track.
On a full, proper GP track for the first time, with only six Aventadors in the world at the moment combined with 700 hp is very daunting. My instructor for the day, Max, who will pass for a male supermodel, was impeccably cool and calm, showing me the proper lines, braking points and clipping points in English with his sing-song Italian accent.
Sepang is huge. You can get lost driving in the full-track, the lines are very unique due to the camber and the elevation changes, which you don’t see in the car until you need to see them, that is prior to hitting the clipping points or losing it. I was warned already by a couple of instructors to follow the prescribed lines and follow the turn-in and braking points properly lest I stuff the Aventador and myself into the wall.
Previous drives in Lamborghini’s older flagship, the Murcielago left much to be desired as the Murcielago, felt very heavy, very truck-like and difficult to drive smoothly at low-speeds, and felt like a runaway train at higher speeds. It lacked delicacy, smoothness and tactility, preferring either all-out throttle in a straight line or just standing still and looking pretty.
The Aventador was hugely different. Even with bald tires, the Aventador’s composure was amazingly good, making an average driver like me feel like a complete god on the track. Its straight-line stability was indeed impressive as I’d top out between 240-250 kph on Sepang’s twin straights. Taking corners 5 and 6, the trickiest section of the track with constant adjustments on both throttle and brakes would have left me in the kitty-litter but the Aventador’s composure and to faithfully remain on the intended course was amazing. The traction control and stability control systems were impressive as I never felt them working, only a flickering lamp on the dashboard signifying their presence like a guardian angel at the best of times (that is prior to crashing).
The ride was impressive: firm but compliant enough, it didn’t feel like cement-filled suspension at all. The seats were surprisingly comfortable as well despite looking straight out of an S&M shop in San Francisco and the steering wheel was just a joy to hold onto, be it for dear life fighting through a bit of understeer through a corner, or making sure the bull stays straight braking from 250++ kph into the U-turn at Sepang’s twin straights, the rear end playfully skittling about.
COYIUTO (left) with Automobil Lamborghini S.p.A. president and CEO Stephan Winkelmann after PGA Automobile Inc. was named as Lamborghini's authorized sole local importer and distributor.
I must confess I did have a moment on track. From just over 200 kph, I had to brake hard to a 2nd gear right hand corner followed by a long sweeping bend all the way to middle of 4th gear. Since the Pirelli P-Zero tires were bald and I was following the prescribed racing line, the track was heavily scarred with burnt rubber patches. The Aventador slipped through the skid marks and rubber patches with the rear end fish-tailing and the retaining ARMCO wall loomed into view. But the Aventador miraculously stopped sliding and surprisingly turned perfectly onto the clipping point and I was able to power out and catch-up with my instructor in the slower Gallardo pace car.
Far from the wild bull I was expecting, the Aventador has proven to be surprisingly lithe and agile on its feet, but heavy-handed enough to feel the power and weight better through the turns. It’s also surprisingly easy to get in and out despite the suicide doors. But the tactility of feeling the entire chassis move organically through the turns and being able to judge the weight versus braking effort required, as well as the speed through the turns makes the Aventador, a surprisingly faithful, steady and willing partner on the track. I can’t say I tamed the bull because in the first place, it never needed any taming, even on a full GP track that requires you to give out serious speed. But don’t even think it’s a car you can get in and just drive away. You still need to give it lots of respect.
