From pre-historic times until now, the Alps have been Italy’s natural barrier against invasion. Training in thin air is a proven technique for success because oxygen is severely limited as altitude increases. That is why Lamborghini’s cold weather track is used to test technologies destined for production cars. As part of their Winter Accademia, the “Twelve hours of Livigno” is a great way to learn the abilities of your new Aventador S. Hannibal’s invading elephants would have turned back if they saw such a horde of raging bulls guarding the border.
With less oxygen at your disposal, the demands of driving a 730 horsepower AWD supercar are exacerbated. Reactions are slower, which pushes drivers to their limits. The Aventador S comes standard with magnetic suspension which adapts to the frozen surface hundreds of times each second. Also new is the four-wheel steering system which allows for smoother transitions in and out of the corners. But all these changes can’t overcome the engine’s need for oxygen. Just like our bodies, naturally aspirated machines are limited at high altitudes. Turbo and supercharged cars are able to quickly adjust to limited air by dialing up the pressure, but the lack of power helps traction on the frozen surface. Once driver and car are back at sea level, the true potential can be unlocked. We’ll cover high altitude performance another day, so stay with us for more wild Lamborghini updates.
