Lamborghini’s new flagship model and Murcielago replacement, the 2012 Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4, has been caught testing wearing only minimal camouflage by our spy photographers. Despite some fancy paintwork, the wedge-like shape of this mid-engine Italian speed machine is easily discernible in the latest photos. There are hints of Lamborghini’s recent concept car, the Sesto Elemento shown in Paris, in the prototype’s pointier prow and more sharply defined rear end. However, Lamborghini styling hallmarks—such as side windows that plunge downward, a forward-louvered engine cover, a massive windshield and a giant rear exhaust—remain on this next-generation supercar.
If the overall design appears sharper than the outgoing Murcielago’s, so does the performance potential of the Aventador LP700-4. Lamborghini seems intent on revealing the car in pieces, and we’ve already gone into great detail about the new 60-degree V-12 engine and 7-speed transmission that will motivate the car. Producing 704 bhp at 8250 rpm and 509 lb.-ft. of torque at 5500 rpm, the new V-12 should be an absolute gem. And while purists might long for a manual transmission, the Aventador’s 7-speed electrohydraulically actuated gearbox is capable of changing gears in 50 milliseconds—in layman’s terms, that translates to really, really fast.
Lamborghini has even gone as far as letting us behind the wheel of a prototype (dubbed LB83X) back in December, before the car is officially unveiled later this year at the 2011 Geneva Auto Show. We found that the Aventador feels lighter on its feet than the Murcielago, and also feels smaller the harder it’s driven. The handling also received praise for being better balanced, with less of a propensity to understeer than its predecessor. Expect the new model’s performance stats to at least equal (or more likely exceed) those of the Murcielago. That won’t be an easy feat, considering the Murcielago can top 210 mph and sprint from 0 to 60 mph in less than 3.5 seconds. We should learn more about Lamborghini’s next supercar—including price and on-sale date—between now and the 2011 Geneva Auto Show.