The other day, my husband had the chance to test drive a friend’s Lamborghini Aventador SV on the Royu Driveway. I’ve seen it once before, and even though I know nothing about Lamborghinis, its presence and extraordinary aura made me think, “This must be an incredibly serious car…” (I’m quite clueless, though…)

I’m so jealous that he got to drive such a car! So, here’s the test drive report he wrote—please enjoy.

Test Driving the Lamborghini Aventador SV

Recently, my husband was fortunate enough to get behind the wheel of the Lamborghini Aventador SV, so here’s a brief report on that experience.

The model he drove was the Lamborghini Aventador LP750-4 SV. The “SV” stands for Superveloce, a name given to Lamborghini’s top-tier models. It’s an extremely rare car, limited to just 600 units worldwide, boasting a 6.5-liter V12 engine with 750 horsepower that rockets from 0 to 100 km/h in 2.8 seconds.

First, lifting the large vertically opening scissor door and sitting in the driver’s seat, the initial impression was how low the seating position was and how tight the headroom felt. I’m used to driving low cars, so the low seating wasn’t shocking, but the Lamborghini’s low stance still felt fresh. At about 177 cm tall, my head nearly touched the roof.

I wonder how it would be for someone wearing a helmet on the track or for a taller person.

Starting the engine, the 6.5-liter V12 surprisingly wakes up smoothly. The sound is loud but not the ear-piercing roar typical of many Lamborghinis seen around town. This particular car has the original muffler, producing a fairly clear “Gooon!” exhaust note.

Incidentally, the owner also has an Aventador SVJ Roadster, whose engine start-up sound I’ve heard—it’s more of a roaring “Gaoon!” sound.

Shifting into first gear and moving off, the start was surprisingly smooth, with no unpleasant shift shocks. Despite the 750 horsepower, the engine feels manageable at low speeds, and there’s no need to be overly cautious with the throttle.

The ride comfort is also surprisingly good. Of course, the suspension is firm, but it absorbs road shocks well, making the ride much milder than you’d expect from its looks.

Switching to manual mode and revving the engine to around 4000 rpm, the owner advised, “It’s better to ease off the throttle slightly when shifting up.” Unlike Porsche’s PDK, where you can keep your foot down, the shifting etiquette here is different.

Taking a light corner, the steering is very sharp with minimal play. I’ve ridden in my brother’s Huracán a few times, and although it’s the same brand, this feels like a very different car.

The Huracán is tuned to be milder and more like a regular car, but the Aventador feels more suited for advanced drivers, with a vivid, lively character.

The minimal steering play reminds me somewhat of Ferrari, but it’s a bit different. To me, Ferrari’s steering feels like it amplifies the driver’s inputs, whereas this Aventador faithfully transmits the driver’s commands without amplification.

For example, if you turn the wheel just 1 cm, the front wheels move exactly 1 cm—there’s no sense of the car exaggerating your input.

On the other hand, there’s no slight “lag” between steering input and vehicle response like you find in Porsche. After a few corners, I started to think this feeling is similar to the McLaren 650S I used to own. That car also had tight, precise handling and incredible performance, and this seems to share that character.

Since the engine was borrowed, I kept the revs moderate and didn’t push it hard, but the engine response and sound were very satisfying. Even at low speeds, the sound was pleasant, not annoying or tiring, so it’s perfectly fine for everyday driving.

When pushed, the V12’s perfectly tuned note is a delight. Unlike other engines that sound like a mix of explosions, gear noise, intake, and exhaust, this sounds like a single musical instrument playing a pure tone.