Cars & Coffee Symbolic Round Two Highlights

Symbolic hosted another Cars & Coffee (and Krispy Kremes) event this past weekend and as always there were certainly quite a few interesting cars to check out. Along with the usual collection of Audi, Bentley, BMW, Mercedes, Ferrari and various other exotics there were certainly a few standouts in the Carrera GT, Bugatti Veyron Vitesse and the brand new Lamborghini Huracan. Follow the link for more photos and impressions.

New Styling Element Spreads like Wildfire

A blast from the past styling element is the new trend in the auto industry, and this might not be a good thing. It is showing up on compacts, sedans, vans, hybrids, super cars and everything in between and the results are a mixed bag. We are talking about the A-pillar quarter glass not seen since the days of vent windows of the 1960s. The modern version doesn't provide fresh air but looks to be a necessity in the world of big wheels, wide pillars and sleek rooflines. While some cars like the Lamborghini Aventador, McLaren MP4-12C, Volkswagen Touareg, and Toyota Prius V are able to employ the benefits of the A-Pillar without compromising their design others are not so lucky and end up ruining their design. What's scary is that it appears that the quarter window is growing in size with every new generation, the Honda Fit is a good example of this. If designers don't slow down the quarter glass will turn into a half glass or worse.
 

The "vent" quarter window prevents the SX4 from having any chance at a cohesive design

The Fit has one large "quarter" glass at the A-Pillar

The MP4-12C keeps its quarter glass small and doesn't hurt the design

The Prius V integrates its quarter window decently well

Thankfully this is not sold in America

This quarter window blends in with other creases in the Aventador

Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4

Another day and yet another Geneva debut, this time its the official debut of the Lamborghini Aventador. Featuring a brand new 700 horsepower V12 engine coupled with a 7 speed quick shift transmission, carbon fiber monocoque and pushrod suspension front and rear the Aventador promises tremendous performance. And it delivers with a 0-60 time of only 2.9 seconds and a top speed of 217 mph while reducing fuel consumption by about 20% compared to the Murcielago. While the incredibly high performance was a given the pressing question was always going to be the Aventador's styling. Considered by many to be the definition of supercar styling Lamborghini had a reputation to uphold. The Aventador does not dissapoint with a blend of Gallardo, Reventon and Estoque concept elements. The Estoque's influence is most visible in the rear taillight design. As with the Murcielago air scoops and vents play a prominent role in exterior styling. Inside the Aventador uses a TFT-LCD display in place of a traditional speedometer and tachmoeter, a separate 7 inch display is used for navigation and multimedia through a Human-Machine Interface (HMI) system. The interior design is dominated by a prominent central console and is clean and luxurious.

Like previous Lamborghinis the Aventador is named after a fighting bull, a particularly famous one that won the "Trofeo de la Pena La Madronera" for its courage in 1993. Click on the image below to see the Aventador in its full glory.















Specifications

Horsepower: 700 hp @ 8,250 RPM

Torque: 509 lb-ft @ 5,500 RPM

0-62: 2.9 seconds

Top Speed: 217 mph

Engine Weight: 518 lbs

Gearbox: 7 speed ISR with 50 millisecond shift times

Length/Width/Height: 188.19/88.98/44.72 inches

Wheelbase: 106.29 inches

Dry Weight: 3,472 pounds

Price: 379,700 US dollars