2015 Lamborghini Veneno

Absolute lunacy is what Lamborghinis are supposed to be about, and it's something they have been neglecting a little bit over the last few years. They got rid of the scissor doors and replaced them with conventional ones, and have started making heavy use of Audi-sourced mechanicals. For high-end sports cars at least, Lamborghinis have gotten somewhat sensible, with only a few exceptions. They aren't boring by any means. They just don't seem to be on the same level of crazy that they used to be. But to celebrate their all-important fiftieth anniversary, Lamborghini pulled out all the stops and produced a car that is so wild that only they could have pulled it off. Unveiled at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show, the new Veneno is based on the flagship Aventador that was introduced in 2011. The engine is a development of the Aventador's 6.5 liter V-12, and produces 740 horsepower which, combined with the Veneno's futuristic and presumably aerodynamic bodywork, makes for a top speed of around 220 miles per hour. It also retains the four-wheel-drive, pushrod suspension and carbon chassis of the Veneno. All in all, it's the most bonkers Lambo since the Reventon.

might think that Lamborghini is running out of bullfighting words to name their new cars, but that is definitely not the case. Veneno was apparently a Spanish fighting bull, and one of the fiercest, during the early twentieth century. It also means poison in Spanish. Perhaps it's a hint at the deadly performance the car is capable of. In the styling department, all of the slits, juts and angles make for a shape that is not exactly graceful. In fact, it's kind of ridiculous. It is all very high-tech, however, and quite unmistakable.

Anyone itching to buy a Veneno will have to just put the checkbook down. Lamborghini only plans to build three of them, not including the Geneva show car (Chassis Number zero), and deposits have been taken on all three. What's the price? It's a stupefying $3.9 million, which makes it one of the most expensive automobiles ever built. While the silver Geneva car will stay with Lamborghini, the production versions will each be painted one color of the Italian flag. If the three owners ever get together, it should make for a fantastic photo opportunity. The Veneno may very well be a test car for technologies and features that will eventually make their way into the regular production Lamborghinis of the future. One example is the patented CarbonSkin, a kind of woven carbon fiber that is used in the seats and headliners on the Veneno. It's apparently soft to the touch and another example of how carbon is creeping into every aspect of automotive design these days. Other parts of the much talked about Veneno will probably make it into regular models, but hopefully the Lamborghinis of tomorrow are a just little bit prettier.