What's all this about?

Lamborghini unveiled two stunning open-top cars at the Geneva Motor Show - one was the Huracan Evo Spyder, while the other was this beast. It's a Roadster version of the monster Aventador SVJ and the use of the R-word is important, because it says a lot about the SVJ's make-up.

How so?

Rather than having a folding roof, either of fabric or metal, the SVJ Roadster has a panel made of high-pressure carbon fibre. This can be detached using quick-release levers in the cabin, before being stowed under what we'd call the bonnet (although the Lambo's engine is, of course, amidships). Thanks to this arrangement, weight gain on the SVJ Roadster is just 50kg on top of the SVJ Coupe, leading to an overall figure of 1,575kg. As a result, performance is electrifying.

What sort of speeds are we talking about?

The Roadster is just a tenth slower to 62mph from rest than the Coupe and two-tenths behind for the 0-124mph run, recording times of 2.9 and 8.8 seconds respectively. Top speed is the same as the SVJ Coupe, somewhere north of 217mph, and the SVJ Roadster stops almost as well as it goes, as 62-0mph takes a mere 31 metres. These performance stats are attainable because it has the remarkable 770hp/720Nm version of the 6.5-litre, normally aspirated V12. And the Roadster should be as talented as the Coupe in the corners, as it features all the same hardware like ALA v2.0, all-wheel drive, four-wheel steering, magnetorheological dampers and Pirelli P Zero Corsa tyres, among more.

How many SVJ Roadsters will be built and how much will they be each?

A run of 800 examples of the Lamborghini has been confirmed, with the UK price pegged at £323,323.

Pricey. Any soundbites from the company?

"The Aventador SVJ Roadster inherits all the power, performance and ground-breaking aerodynamic technologies of the coupe, but with its own iconic presence and prowess," said Stefano Domenicali, Lambo's chairman and CEO. "It is as fundamentally exciting to drive as the Aventador SVJ but with an added exclusivity: the option of the open air. With the same extraordinary performance roof on or off, the Aventador SVJ Roadster incorporates the dynamism of the coupe with the unique spirit of a Lamborghini roadster."

Matt Robinson - 4 Mar 2019