When Capristo Exhaust Systems sets out to work on top-of-the line sports cars with roaring engines and spectacular styling, you can be sure that the result will be a further improvement of an already impressive dream car, with better power-to-weight ratio, additional power and sophisticated details taking it to another level both visually and functionally.
The most recent object to undergo thorough optimization by thoughtful and perfectly crafted engineering solutions is the Aventador LP 700. This powerhouse from legendary Italian sports car maker Lamborghini has most to gain from the Capristo treatment by an improved power-to-weight ratio. Here, we will introduce you to the details of the project
The Lamborghini Aventador LP 700 in the workshop at Capristo Exhaust Systems
The Lamborghini Aventador was first revealed to the public in March 2011. The stage of the Geneva Car Show was deemed grand enough to present the successor to the Lamborghini Murciélago. The spectacular self-supporting body is largely made from carbon-fiber reinforced plastics. With 90kg less weight than its predecessor, it still weighs in at a hefty 1575kg. The car is powered by a roaring 6500cc-engine producing a staggering 700hp (515kw), giving it a power-to-weight ratio of 3,06 kg/kW or 2,25 kg/hp. The all-wheel-drive Aventador also sports a newly designed ISR gearbox able to shift gears within a fracture of a second. Experiences from motor sports construction can be found everywhere on the Aventador, making it a true road-going sports car.
In the spring of 2012, we brought the Aventador to our workshop at Sundern. As a specialist for performance-optimizing high value vehicles, we examined the powerful Italian for potential performance enhancements, particularly in the area of weight reduction. A wealth of experience, professional engineering and a lot of enthusiasm were necessary to get the car, which had already been reduced in weight compared to the Murciélago, even closer to an ideal power-to-weight ratio. After careful study, it was determined that the power-to-weight ratio could be improved by fitting additional carbon parts. In the end, we also installed a new exhaust system which also brings performance advantages for the 12-cylinder engine.
Piece by piece, the Lamborghini was stripped down to its components. Although the self-supporting body is mostly made from carbon fiber-reinforced plastics, we still found quite a large array of parts to be optimized regarding weight reduction, specifically among attachment and panelling parts, as well as air intakes and vents. We dissected the Aventador right down to the exhaust system, which we will tell you about later. In any case, we found many parts could be manufactured in carbon fiber, which led to a noticeable weight reduction and consequently an improved power-to-weight ratio. As is usually the case when we go about optimizing a car, the main aim with the Lamborghini Aventador LP700 was making it lighter by replacing as many components as possible with parts made from a different material, but of identical shape and construction, without changing the overall shape of the vehicle. Keeping this in mind, we reproduced components in light yet robust full carbon. While the colouring is different, owing to the properties of the material, the shape is exactly the same, so that the visual appearance of the car is not aversely affected in any way. To the contrary, some of our components actually look more impressive than their factory-made counterparts. This is especially true for the outside mirror casings and the rear wing, but also for other external parts such as the diffusor, front and side intakes and rear vents. Of course, we did not leave out the grille and front lip, and even the air vents above the front trunk now sport a slick carbon look.
While most tuners would consider their job done at this point, at Capristo, this is where the real work starts. It is customary for us to not only deal with the exterior, but also pay attention to the inner working of the car. A look under the trunk lid made it clear that additional room for performance enhancement by weight reduction was present here, leading us to replace the trunk liner panelling with carbon fibre, while the trunk liner itself remained untouched. Engine compartment panels were also replaced, with lightweight carbon panels now rendering the original plastic ones superfluous.
Finally, we also reworked the exhaust gas routing of the 12-cylinder engine. The result is an exhaust system made of highly durable 1.4828 stainless steel in a brilliant mirror finish. It comes with new exhaust flaps as well as a remote control included in every Capristo exhaust system kit. With the exhaust systems, we demonstrated what professional modifications can achieve even with a state of the art supercar.
Impressive changes, Impressive effects
The changes to the exhaust system of the Aventador result in small but measurable performance increases of the 6,5-litre engine. 0-100 km/h can now be reached in 2,8 seconds, 1/10th of a second faster than before. Top speed is raised by 3km/h compared to factory specs, to a staggering total of 354km/h
Even more pronounced of exchanging plastic components with 100% carbon-fiber one. The overall weight is reduced by 40kg, which mainly affects power-to-weight ratio. Of course, it also leads to fuel savings, but with an average consumption of 17 liters per 100km, this is probably not a top priority. Owners of an Aventador LP 700 very probably did not buy it with the aim of saving fuel in mind, since there are many other cars much more appropriate for this purpose.
Another chapter is added to the Lamborghini myth with the Aventador LP700, which already filled the order books one year before first delivery. We at Capristo have demonstrated with the newest Lamborghini that meaningful changes are possible without changing the overall shape of a car. It was merely intelligent analysis of weight and materials that enabled us to make even a top-of-the-line sports car even lighter and faster.
If you want perfection in you Aventador 700LP, not only in regards to driving pleasure and the thrill of speed, there is no way past the performance enhancements and weight reduction provided by Capristo Exhaust Systems. Fully functional, with sophisticated materials and visually true to the original, the exchangeable carbon parts offer a double-digit weight reduction. With this, the project goal of performance enhancement trough weight reduction has been fully and professionally attained.
Even more is to come in the future: Our engineers are not yet fully satisfied with the achieved optimizations to the Lamborghini Aventador 700LP. Further work on the underbody, the wheel housings and the sills is on the agenda, to save even more weight. This will not turn Lamborghinis raging bull into a docile lamb, but into a supercar with an even better balance of weight and power.
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