Some people collect Vipers (the car or the venomous snake), some collect scale models and no doubt, there is someone, somewhere, who collects hubcaps from vintage Russian vehicles (hey, who are we to judge?). Then there are those extremely fortunate individuals who can afford to collect exotic and supercars from the likes of Lamborghini, which is more than happy to cater to their exclusive needs.
After producing three Veneno coupes, Lamborghini has now announced the release of a permanently open edition of the (street-legal) racing prototype of which only nine cars will be built during the course of 2014, each carrying a pre-tax price of €3.3 million, or about $4.5 million.
What you see in these pictures is what you get as the Veneno Roadster has no protective roof, just a rollover bar for safety. Other than that, it's the same Aventador-based supercar as the Veneno coupe we saw earlier this year, with highlights including a monocoque and a body made entirely from carbon-fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) and carbon-ceramic brake discs.
There's plenty more carbon fiber to be found in the interior of the Roadster, from the central tunnel and the sills to the structure of the lightweight bucket seats.
Lamborghini says it developed the “Rosso Veneno” seen in the (computer rendered?) photos exclusively for the Veneno Roadster, but each customer will be able to "individualize his own vehicle to suit his personal preferences".
The Roadster tips the proverbial scales at 1,490 kilograms (3,278 pounds) with the mid-mounted 6.5-liter V12 thrusting out 740bhp (750PS) for a power-to-weight ratio of 1.99 kg/hp (4.38 lbs/hp). The standard sprint to 100km/h (62mph) is achieved in 2.9 seconds with the car topping out at 355 km/h (221 mph).
