When Lamborghini launched the Aventador, neither the carmaker, nor its parent company Audi, wanted the world to be too aware of the V12 supercar's German side.
Not once is Audi’s name mentioned in the Sant'Agata Bolognese press releases or in the National Geographic documentary on the Aventador. In fact, Ingolstadt brags that it wants to keep the Aventador as Italian as possible, as a result of the negative public response to Audi’s involvement in the Gallardo project.
As we wrote when we drove the Aventador, it’s not hard to see a few Audi influences when you meet the vehicle - the steering wheel, which shows a striking resemblance to that of the much more affordable R8, is the best example.
We are now back on topic, as we’ve come across a picture of a stripped Aventador steering wheel, which clearly shows Audi’s logo. Remove the wheel center and the airbag and you’ll see the four rings engraved on the metallic base of the wheel, right above the name of the company that makes the hardware, TRW Automotive.
One may not be bothered by the part sharing strategy - after all, the Aventador has a distinct, wild personality. However, it’s not easy to let this go when considering the $379.700 USD or €300,000 starting price of the Aventador.
Lamborghini and Audi seem to be doing a great job at keeping this part sharing trick a secret. For example, when Top Gear Philippines published a list of the best steering wheels in the supercar segment, they missed this point. The Audi R8 GT was placed at No.5, while the Aventador was ranked 3rd, with no connection between them whatsoever.
Original photo credits: MAcarbon
As we wrote when we drove the Aventador, it’s not hard to see a few Audi influences when you meet the vehicle - the steering wheel, which shows a striking resemblance to that of the much more affordable R8, is the best example.
We are now back on topic, as we’ve come across a picture of a stripped Aventador steering wheel, which clearly shows Audi’s logo. Remove the wheel center and the airbag and you’ll see the four rings engraved on the metallic base of the wheel, right above the name of the company that makes the hardware, TRW Automotive.
One may not be bothered by the part sharing strategy - after all, the Aventador has a distinct, wild personality. However, it’s not easy to let this go when considering the $379.700 USD or €300,000 starting price of the Aventador.
Lamborghini and Audi seem to be doing a great job at keeping this part sharing trick a secret. For example, when Top Gear Philippines published a list of the best steering wheels in the supercar segment, they missed this point. The Audi R8 GT was placed at No.5, while the Aventador was ranked 3rd, with no connection between them whatsoever.
Original photo credits: MAcarbon