2013 Lamborghini Veneno Kyosho - 05571MBK (diecast)
Published 08/11/17
Lamborghini introduced the Veneno as a limited production car based on the brand’s awesome Aventador, and was created to celebrate Lamborghini’s 50th anniversary. It’s the definition of a hypercar, thus made from exotic materials, mind-blowing performance and with an unbelievable price tag. To keep the weight down, the Veneno consequently features extensive use of carbon fiber reinforced polymer, including the entire tub and all exterior parts, plus aluminum front and rear sub-frames. The engine of the beast is a 6498 cm³ V12 with DOHC, 48 valves and MPI that produces 750 (!) hp. All those wild ponies are orderly delivered to all four wheels via a single clutch, 7-speed automated transmission. That allows a maximum speed of 355 km/h (222 mph) and permit the car to go from a standstill to 100km/h in just 2.8 seconds. Therefore, it’s fast, Saturn V fast.
Lamborghini only produced three (3!) of the coupe version of the car in 2013. Each costs just under US$ 4.0 millions (with that kind of money you can buy at least 17 Look Smarts), therefor this is a RARE car. Jeremy Clarkson, a few years ago, said that Lamborghinis were mental. Well, if he was right, the Veneno is the epitome of that concept. Look at it: it looks like a wingless fighter jet on wheels, almost like it came from a kid’s sketch book. Many people will say it’s fugly awful, and without a doubt, it’s far from pretty – just compare it to the elegant and graceful 8C Competizione.
But it’s not supposed to be harmonic or elegant; it truly is a fighter jet on wheels (sans guns), a true CF predator. This could possibly be the meanest looking car ever. Therefore, if Batman drives an Aventador, Sauron drives a Veneno. Yep, when His Evilness goes out for coffee in Mordor, he will drive a black Veneno. And doing burnouts from every stop light.
The Veneno is an hypercar and nothing else. It’s an exercise in automotive excess so absurd that it becomes interesting. And that’s what caught my attention: the thing is so far out there that it’s appealing. Come on, a fighter jet on wheels? The 12yo in me automatically finds that interesting. It’s an intriguing mental exercise to put it alongside some much more practical and elegant cars and try to understand “why?”. Definitively not a model for everyone, and I bet it will exclusively appeal to collectors with a broader taste. Or for people like me, who have a mental age of only 12. In model form it’s a top notch 1:43, and Kyosho once again delivered a VERY nice model*.
* Though I think it could have a Gatling plasma gun.