As I bury the throttle past Race Control, the glorious yowls and screams of the big Lambo's 6.5-litre V12 filling up the empty grandstands of Yas Marina, I can see a small mob of tourists gathered on the verandah of the Viceroy hotel, cameras at the ready. A minor riot breaks out as I blitz past and the onlookers jostle to get the best shot. And it's the same story whether you pull up in front of a five-star hotel or are merely dawdling around town minding your own business. This car grabs some serious eyeballs.
It's not just the magnificent looks, or the V12 wail that makes it so special either. This all-new Lambo also packs a big wallop of performance. A 690bhp wallop to be precise.
It goes from a standstill to 100kph in 2.9 seconds while top speed is now perched at an exciting 350kph. But despite this furious turn of pace, it's much easier to handle than the recalcitrant Murciélago it replaces. It is now a proper driving machine.
And unsurprisingly so. The backbone comprises a carbon mono-tub, while racecar-style pushrod suspension and a finely honed chassis ensure that you won't end up wrapped around a palm tree if you get over-zealous with the accelerator.
After five thrilling laps of the south circuit and all the photography in the bag, it's time for a pit-stop. And even as I clamber out of the deep bucket seats I can't help but gawp at the Aventador's stunning lines. It lazes in the sun, its scaly form and yawning air scoops likening it to a reptilian beast from the future that's stumbled into our world by a happy glitch in the time-space continuum.
Everything about this car is superlative, be it performance, price or indeed the looks. It's your ticket to instant celebhood. It's your ticket to the upper echelons of performance motoring where a mere "supercar" isn't quite good enough. It's your wheels Exotic of the Year.
