Remember the extreme Lamborghini Aventador SVJ that was rumored to debut at this year's Geneva Motor Show? Well, it didn't happen. Instead, Lamborghini lifted the wraps off the Huracan Performante Spyder, so we're going to have to wait a bit longer for the Aventador SV's successor to break cover. While all-wheel drive has been a staple of Lamborghini models for a long time, the automaker has occasionally dabbled with rear-wheel drive models like the Huracan LP580-2.

But if you were hoping the flagship Aventador will get the rear-wheel drive treatment, you're going to be disappointed. Speaking to Australian publication Drive, Lamborghini's chief engineer Maurizio Reggiani said that the Aventador will remain all-wheel drive because a two-wheel drive version would be "too difficult to manage" if pushed hard. "It's something we don't want to have," he said. "The four-wheel-drive system is the most safe and performance [focused] system we can have in their car." It seems a shame when there are rival cars with rear-wheel drive like the Ferrari 488 Pista that have nearly as much power as the Aventador S.

However, Reggiani insists that safety isn't his only concern, as he believes implementing rear-wheel drive would hamper the driving experience. Without AWD, "the traction control would be so invasive," he said. "You would have a lot of customers disappointed because the system cuts in too much." As well as the RWD 488 PIsta, Ferrari also offers track-only machines like the FXXK based on the flagship LaFerrari. Lamborghini, on the other hand, offers racing versions of the Huracan, but has yet to develop a track-only version of the flagship Aventador. "There are two different ways to develop the car."

"One is motorsport oriented, when you can take all the freedoms you want, more or less, and the other is a car that meets all the legal requirements," Reggiani said when asked about the possibility of a track-only Aventador. "There's a lot of profit when you don't have to homologate the car, but you have to be ready to have customers who will use the car only to go on track." There are so many customers who say 'yes, but I also want to drive it on the promenade'." Lamborghini's commercial director, Federico Foschini, refused to discuss specifics about a potential Ferrari FXXK, Aston Martin Vulcan, and McLaren Senna GTR rival.

He didn't, however, rule out the possibility, confirming that the automaker is "working on a lot of products." "The brand of Lamborghini is available at the moment to develop and to supply each and everything, he said. "So for sure we are working on a lot of scenarios, we're not here today to discuss this kind of project. I think you will see."