Lamborghini donates America's first ever Aventador to the Petersen Automotive Museum in 'milestone moment'

The first Aventador to arrive in America, a landmark Lamborghini Aventador, has been donated to the Petersen Museum in Los Angeles.

Built in 2011, it was one of the earliest examples of the model.

The car was shown at private events in New York and Miami and took part in track sessions.

Now it is part of the museum’s public collection, where visitors can see one of the most significant cars in Lamborghini’s modern history.

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The first Aventador was a historical one

The first Aventador succeeded the Murciélago as Lamborghini’s V12 flagship.

Its arrival marked a new stage for the company, both in design and in engineering.

The car introduced North American audiences to the Aventador before any production models were delivered.

The Lamborghini Aventador was built around a carbon fiber monocoque that weighed just over 325 pounds.

This structure increased strength while reducing overall mass compared with earlier V12 cars.

Power came from a 6.5-liter V12 engine producing 700 horsepower, allowing a top speed beyond 217 mph and acceleration to 62 mph in 2.9 seconds.

Gear changes took just 50 milliseconds through a new automated manual system.

Terry L. Karges, executive director of the Petersen Museum, described the donation as an important addition to the institution’s mission of recording major vehicles from the past 25 years.

The first Aventador now stands among other milestones in that timeline.

Inside the Petersen Vault

The Petersen Museum has placed the first Aventador in its Vault exhibition, which holds more than 300 cars.

Alongside it are other Lamborghini models, including a 1985 Countach 5000 S and a 1989 LM002 SUV.

Automobili Lamborghini Americas CEO Andrea Baldi noted that the V12 engine has been central to the company’s identity for decades.

The Aventador continued that tradition and now takes its place among other examples preserved in the museum.

Past displays have included the Miura and the Countach, and the Aventador extends that line into the 2010s.

The first Aventador may no longer be on the road, but Lamborghini has moved forward with the Revuelto, its first hybrid V12 model.

This transition shows the company’s future direction while the original Aventador remains on display as a reference point.

By donating the debut Lamborghini Aventador to the Petersen Museum, the company has ensured that its role in modern automotive history is preserved for visitors and researchers alike.

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