With things like fuel economy and emissions taking the front seat in a buyer's mind, most auto manufacturers are looking for ways to increase mpg. Lamborghini->ke44 has been one of the stragglers in this revolution, but now it appears as if the supercar builder is ready to concede to the fact that fuel economy and emissions matter, even in supercars, with the announcement that it’ll include stop-start technology and cylinder deactivation in the 2013 Aventador LP 700-4.

For 2013, the Aventador will receive some mild updates, but Lambo is being very careful not to completely overhaul its popular flagship supercar. With the 2013 model year approaching fast, Lamborghini has chosen to release just a little bit of information regarding the 2013 Aventador. The vast majority of the information now is on the new fuel- and emission-reduction changes, but there are a few other changes of note.

We’ll continue to monitor the production of the 2013 Aventador and update this review as information hits the wire.

Click past the jump to read our review of the 2013 Aventador.

2013 Lamborghini Aventador LP 700-4

Specifications
  • Make: Array
  • Model: 2013 Lamborghini Aventador LP 700-4
  • Engine/Motor: V12
  • Horsepower: 700 @ 8250
  • Torque: 507 @ 5500
  • Transmission: 7-speed automated manual
  • [do not use] Vehicle Model: Array
Pros
Cons

Exterior and Interior

The short press release that Lamborghini released regarding the 2013 Aventador leads us to the believe that the basic body style will be a carryover from 2012. That’s not a bad thing, however, as the Aventador definitely suits its fan base well, boasting the traditional triangle and trapezoid styling that Lamborghini enthusiasts have come to know and love.

Also carried over is the ultra-modern carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic (CFRP) monocoque. This provides the Aventador with a safe capsule for the driver, as well as added rigidity to help increase its handling.

The only change that Lamborghini has let us in on is the addition of several carbon-fiber exterior options that were not previously available. These components include: front spoiler, air intakes, engine cover panel and powertrain cladding. These optional carbon-fiber panels will simply add a little something extra to the already potent Aventador exterior.

On the inside you also get a carryover with the addition of some extra carbon-fiber add on pieces. Lamborghini did not get into the specifics of what pieces you can add on, but we assume them to be the dashboard insert, door inserts, center stack and other various bezel and surroundings.

Engine and Drivetrain

Carried over from 2012 is the mighty 6.5-liter V-12 engine that pumps out an astonishing 700 horsepower and 509 pound-feet of torque. We also anticipate that the 7-speed automated manual transmission and all-wheel-drive system will both make the cut in 2013. We’ll get confirmation on those items when the information is released.

Lamborghini went into great lengths about the newest additions to the Aventador’s drivetrain for the 2013 model year: the Cylinder Deactivation System (CDS) and the start-stop technology.

The stop-start system will shut the engine off when the car is stationary at a stop light and it will use supercaps – high-performance capacitors – to restart the engine just as soon as you press the gas pedal. Well, maybe not as soon as, but 180 milliseconds after touching the gas. Yeah, that’s faster than any human can ever notice. To boot, this system will also save the Aventador about 3 kg (6.6 lbs), as the supercar will now use only a small battery to power the vehicle electronics, since it is no longer needed to start the car.

Additionally, the CDS will shut down one bank of the V-12 engine under low loads at speeds less than 135 km/h (83.9 mph). This will leave the Aventador cruising around as an in-line 6-cylinder until you need the extra power. No need to worry is a 12berlinetta comes up on your tail, as a quick tap of the throttle and all 12 cylinders start pumping again like nothing happened.

All of this will decrease the 2013 Aventador’s combined fuel consumption to 16 l/100 km (14.7 mpg) and its CO2 emissions from 398 g/km to 370 g/km. Total emissions and fuel consumption at 130 km/h (80.77 mph) is estimated to drop by about 20 percent.

Engine and Drivetrain Specs:

Engine Type

6.5-liter V-12 DOHC

Engine Output

700 horsepower at 8,250 rpm and 509 pound-feet of torque at 5,500 rpm

Transmission

7-speed automated manual (unofficial)

Fuel Economy

16 l/100km (14.7 mpg) combined

Emissions

370 g/km


Chassis and Handling

The Aventador has received rave reviews on its handling capabilities and it looks as if Lambo is ready to build onto its already stout handling for the 2013 model year. Lamborghini is adding in stiffer springs and optimized dampers to both improve handling and soften the ride that every critic has complained about.

Also added in are all-new forged alloy wheels in the Dione design.

We’ll update you with all of the official info on the suspension, brakes and chassis once we receive word from Lambo.

Pricing and Release Date

Lamborghini did not offer up any pricing or release date information. We assume that we should see a slight bump in price to compensate for the extra technology in the start-stop system and the CDS. You can anticipate a price in the $390,000 to $395,000 range.

Competition

Well, there is only one legit competitor to the Aventador and that is the F12berlinetta from Ferrari. Sure, there may be others that you can technically pit against it, but nothing better than a good old Ferrari vs. Lamborghini match.

We’ve already compared the 2012 Lamborghini Aventador to the F12berlinetta and the results are pretty clear. The F12berlinetta is, in our opinion, a sexier car. The Aventador is stylish, but an extreme stylish and there is little that is sexy about it. The Aventador, however, stomps the F12berlinetta in just about every power section, except overall horsepower where the F12berlinetta has a 29-horsepower advantage. Fortunately for Lamborghini, the Aventador’s AWD system compensates for the horsepower by using the 700 ponies that its engine produces more effectively.

Here’s a quick rundown on that comparison:

Engine and Drivetrain Comparison:

Spec

Lamborghini Aventador

Ferrari F12berlinetta

Advantage

Engine

6,498 cc V-12 with MPI

6,262 cc V-12 with direct injection

N/A

Horsepower

700 horsepower at 8,250 rpm

729 horsepower at 8,250 rpm

F12berlinetta

Torque

507 pound-feet at 5,500 rpm

508 pound-feet at 6,000 rpm

F12berlinetta

0 to 100 km/h (62 mph)

2.9 seconds

3.1 seconds

Aventador

Top Speed

217 mph

“Over 211 mph”

Aventador

Transmission

7-speed dual-clutch ISR transmission

F1 7-speed dual-clutch with E-diff 3

F12berlinetta

Fuel Economy

16 liters per 100 km (14.7 mpg) combined

15 liters per 100 km (15.6 mpg) combined

F12berlinetta

Emissions

370 grams per km

350 grams per km

F12berlinetta


Our opinion still remains that if you are looking for refinement, go to the F12berlinetta. If you prefer that edgy look and a little more face-morphing performance, head to Lamborghini. For our cash, we prefer the entire package that Ferrari offers us.

Conclusion

For now these are the only details that we have, but the upgrades seem very subtle over last year’s model. So there is no need to run to trade in your 2012 model for this 2013. However, if you are looking to get into an Aventador for the first time, now is the model year to get into it.