Lamborghini celebrated its 50th anniversary at the Geneva motor show with the Lamborghini Veneno, a 740bhp road-going racer based on the Aventador.

Lamborghini has said that all three units of the Veneno it will make have already sold for about €3 million (Rs 21.4 crore) each. The Geneva model is a Lamborghini prototype that it will continue to be tested on road and track.

The fundamental design is based on the Aventador, but there are several key changes to create what Lamborghini calls a “street-legal racing car”.

Its body, like the monocoque chassis, is fashioned entirely from carbon fibre-reinforced polymer. The bodywork is optimised for aerodynamic efficiency, creating downforce, reducing drag and cooling the 6.5-litre V12, which has had a 50bhp hike from its 690bhp state of tune in the Aventador.

The front end works as one large aerodynamic wing. The front wings are separated from the body, as on sports prototype racers.

The car’s underbody is smooth and channels air into a large diffuser, which houses four integrated exhaust pipes. Other features include an adjustable rear wing. The flared wheel arches house 20-inch alloy wheels at the front and 21-inch alloys at the rear.

The carbon fibre tub and aluminium subframes from the Aventador are carried over to the Veneno but adapted for its more extreme performance.

The engine benefits from enlarged air intakes, a higher rev limit and an exhaust system with a lower back pressure. The seven-speed automated manual gearbox, all-wheel drive system and pushrod suspension are also adapted from the Aventador.

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