Skip to main content

The only thing missing from Lambo’s Veneno Roadster is wings

Lamborghini sure knows how to make an entrance … a very showy, expensive entrance.

Last night, onboard the deck of the Italian naval aircraft carrier Nave Cavour off the coast of the United Arab Emirates, Lamborghini officially unveiled the $4.5-million Veneno Roadster. Although only nine examples will ever be built, Lambo apparently spared no expense.

“The Lamborghini Veneno Roadster was unveiled in the presence of His Excellency Giorgio Starace, Italian Ambassador to the UAE and the Admiral of High Seas Forces, Paolo Treu. Guests on board Nave Cavour enjoyed hospitality from chef Corrado Corti of Italy’s famous Hotel Splendido in Portofino, who flew in especially for the occasion,” bragged Lamborghini in a prepared statement.

The extravaganza didn’t end there, though: “Singer and actress Elena Bonelli opened the event with the Italian national anthem; fashion designer Giada Curti offered a tableau vivant of her creations with ten top models. One of the happy few to sit in the Veneno Roadster was former captain of the national Italian soccer team and 2006 world champion Fabio Cannavaro.”

If you’ve been living under a rock for the last few months (welcome back, by the way), the Veneno Roadster is powered by a 750-horsepower, 6.5-liter V12 mated to a five-mode ISR transmission. The pair will hurl the open-top hypercar to 62 mph in 2.9 seconds and onto a top speed of 220 mph.

The Veneno Roadster isn’t just absolutely stunning from the exterior; it’s a remarkable sight inside as well. The carbon-fiber monocoque chassis is visible on the interior around the transmission tunnel and the sills. Lamborghini used a woven carbon fiber ‘CarbonSkin’ to form the bucket seats and even the headliner. Lambo considers the material like a lightweight, fine-looking high-tech fabric. Yes, it might be fine-looking but I’m sure it’s also unforgiving on rough roads.

We don’t have to wonder why Lamborghini unveiled the Veneno Roadster off the coast of the UAE. It’ll likely sell eight of the nine Roadsters there. Sure, the party might have been Italian-centric, but it was aimed directly at the nearby oilmen.

Nick Jaynes
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Nick Jaynes is the Automotive Editor for Digital Trends. He developed a passion for writing about cars working his way…
Mini’s infotainment system is very charming, but still needs work
Main screen of the Mini infotainment system

When you think Mini, you probably don’t think of infotainment. Personally, I think of the British flag taillights, the distinct exterior, and the surprising room on the inside. But after driving the Mini John Cooper Works Countryman over the past week, infotainment might well be something I think of more often when it comes to Mini. It’s charming.

It also, however, suffers from all the traps that other legacy automakers fall into when it comes to software design. Mini has something on its hands here — but it still needs some work.
Bringing the charm
The first thing that stood out to me about the system when I got in the car was how fun it was. That all starts with the display. It’s round! No, it’s not curved — the screen is a big, round display sits in at 9.4 inches, and I found it plenty large enough for day-to-day use.

Read more
Plug-in hybrids are becoming more popular. Why? And will it continue?
Kia Niro EV Charging Port

There's a lot of talk about the idea that the growth in electric car sales has kind of slowed a little. It's not all that surprising -- EVs are still expensive, early adopters all have one by now, and they're still new enough to where there aren't too many ultra-affordable used EVs available. But plenty of people still want a greener vehicle, and that has given rise to an explosion in hybrid vehicle sales.

That's especially true of plug-in hybrid vehicles, which can be charged like an EV and driven in all-electric mode for short distances, and have a gas engine as a backup for longer distances or to be used in combination with electric mode for more efficient driving.

Read more
EV drivers are not going back to gas cars, global survey says
ev drivers are not going back to gas cars global survey says screenshot

Nearly all current owners of electric vehicles (EVs) are either satisfied or very satisfied with the experience, and 92% of them plan to buy another EV, according to a survey by the Global EV Drivers Alliance.

The survey of 23,000 EV drivers worldwide found that only 1% would return to a petrol or diesel car, while 4% would opt for a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) if they had to replace their car.

Read more