Skip to main content

Lamborghini Aventador SVJ sets Nürburgring lap record ahead of public reveal

Lamborghini Aventador SVJ full onboard record lap at Nürburgring
Germany’s Nürburgring Nordschleife  is the modern benchmark for performance cars, and Lamborghini just broke the lap record at the 12.8-mile track. The Lamborghini Aventador SVJ — a new high-performance version of the Aventador supercar — lapped the ‘Ring in 6:44.97, making it the quickest production car to ever turn a lap there.

Records fall quickly at the Nürburgring. The previous record of 6:47.3 was set by a Porsche 911 GT2 RS in September 2017. The test driver Lamborghini used for this most recent record run, Marco Mapelli, set what was then a production-car record of 6:57 in a Huracán Performante in 2016. In roughly two years, the record has tumbled by 10 seconds — a huge leap in the automotive performance world.

Recommended Videos

The Aventador SVJ wore camouflage because Lamborghini hasn’t actually revealed this new model to the public yet. That will happen next month during Monterey Car Week. The record run was made using Pirelli P Zero Trofeo R tires, which will be an option when the SVJ goes into production. Pirelli P Zero Corsa tires will be fitted as standard. Lamborghini also fitted the record-attempt car with cameras and telemetry equipment. The record was certified by independent firm Remak, using GPS and data from a VBOX-Racelogic data recorder.

Please enable Javascript to view this content

Lamborghini hasn’t revealed much regarding the Aventador SVJ’s specifications, but did say the car will have a power-to-weight ratio of 1 horsepower per 4.36 pounds. That will be achieved in part through lower weight, although the Aventador’s 6.5-liter V12 may get an increase in power as well. Lamborghini also retuned the Aventador’s all-wheel drive system, rear-wheel steering, and stability control for SVJ duty.

The SVJ will also feature the Aerodinamica Lamborghini Attiva (ALA) active aerodynamics system first seen on the Huracán Performante. ALA uses movable flaps and channels to adjust airflow, with the aim of create grip-enhancing downforce in corners without sacrificing straightline-speed. Fixed spoilers and other aerodynamic aids can generate lots of downforce, but they also create drag that can limit a car’s top speed. ALA is designed to offer the best of both worlds.

While the SVJ now holds the record for production cars at the Nürburgring, it doesn’t have the overall record. Just a couple of weeks ago, Porsche showed up with a modified version of its 24 Hours of Le Mans-winning 919 Hybrid race car. In the hands of racing driver Timo Bernhard, the speedy hybrid lapped the circuit in 5:19.55. It beat the previous record, which had stood for 35 years, by 51.58 seconds.

Stephen Edelstein
Stephen is a freelance automotive journalist covering all things cars. He likes anything with four wheels, from classic cars…
Hyundai Ioniq 5 sets world record for greatest altitude change
hyundai ioniq 5 world record altitude change mk02 detail kv

When the Guinness World Records (GWR) book was launched in 1955, the idea was to compile facts and figures that could finally settle often endless arguments in the U.K.’s many pubs.

It quickly evolved into a yearly compilation of world records, big and small, including last year's largest grilled cheese sandwich in the world.

Read more
Global EV sales expected to rise 30% in 2025, S&P Global says
ev sales up 30 percent 2025 byd sealion 7 1stbanner l

While trade wars, tariffs, and wavering subsidies are very much in the cards for the auto industry in 2025, global sales of electric vehicles (EVs) are still expected to rise substantially next year, according to S&P Global Mobility.

"2025 is shaping up to be ultra-challenging for the auto industry, as key regional demand factors limit demand potential and the new U.S. administration adds fresh uncertainty from day one," says Colin Couchman, executive director of global light vehicle forecasting for S&P Global Mobility.

Read more
Location data for 800,000 cars exposed online for months
VW logo.

A data leak led to around 800,000 Volkswagen (VW) electric vehicles (EVs) having their location exposed online for several months, according to a report by German news magazine Der Spiegel.

The global incident impacted owners of EVs from VW, Audi, Seat, and Skoda, with real-time location showing for the affected vehicles, whether they were at home, driving along the street, or, in the words of Der Spiegel, parked “in front of the brothel.”

Read more