Say Hello to the Lamborghini Veneno

The new Lamborghini Veneno was supposed to be revealed at the Geneva Motor Show, but to everyone’s happy surprise, some photos leaked out a little early.

As expected, Lamborghini really went over the top with the Veneno. From the shark gill vents and fins to the ultra-sleek silhouette, the Veneno is a species all on its own. And it’s not just the auto body that will blow you away. Under the hood we find a 740 horsepower, V-12 engine. Top speed is 354 km/h and it hits 0-100 in 2.8 seconds. …Maybe Lamborghini just didn’t want to steal any fuel-efficiency spotlight from the Prius.

The design as a whole is a definite 180 compared to what Lamborghini has been releasing for the past while. After the Italian car maker was acquired by Audi in 1998, the company finally saw a growth in profits, but Audi kept the design side of things very simple and classic.

Granted, there is nothing “simple” about a Lamborghini. But if you consider the style and look of the 2013 Gallardo (left), the difference between it and the Veneno are hard to ignore.

Also, the $430,000 price tag on the Gallardo actually appears to be on the more moderate end in comparison to the Veneno. With only three up for sale, the Veneno was released as the ultimate exclusive car, and the price sits between $3.9-4.5 million. Sadly for those of you in auto sales and leasing, all three have already been pre-sold to lucky buyers.

The Geneva Motor Show officially opens tomorrow, and is known to debut some of the most extravagant and luxurious cars in the world. Thankfully, footage from the pre-show has already started making its way through YouTube and car blogs. But keep your auto mechanic training eye out for more jaw-dropping designs from Geneva.

In the meantime, here’s a quick clip on the Veneno.

How would you rate the Lamborghini Veneno? Is it worth the money? Is the design too much? What do you think Lamborghini’s next move will be?