THE ONLY WAY IS ESSEX
LAMBORGHINI SVJ ROADSTER
Price: £388,000
Engine: 6.5 V12, 759bhp, 720Nm, 4WD
Performance: 0–100kph in 2.9secs, 350kph
Weight: 1,525kg
“Dear TopGear, we need someone to drive our Aventador SVJ Roadster from the factory to the UK – can you help?”
When I first dreamt about getting into this business, the chance to drive a new car – in place of my overheating, decade-old Renault Clio – was almost too much to compute. The thought that, one day, I might be entrusted with something from the upper echelons of the automotive cabinet was ludicrous. That sense of wonder has never worn off, nor has the clear privilege of the position, it’s something that unites all of us at TG and is a driving force in all we do. So when the email above landed in my inbox, it wasn’t widely distributed.
Some weeks later and I’m stood outside Lamborghini’s Sant’Agata HQ, breathing in the angular drama of the Vathys blue SVJ on Leirion forged bronze wheels. At 5m long, over 2m wide and just over a metre tall, it’s an imposing angular supercar assault. Combine the visuals with a 6.5-litre V12 delivering 759bhp and Lambo’s patented ALA Active aerodynamics system, and it ticks all the supercar boxes.
The other half of the team is Rowan Horncastle. Rowan is the ideal extreme-road-trip companion, meeting most of the key criteria: ability to take world-class images, being
