We had a lot of fun this past year driving a host of new or significantly updated cars that push the envelope for luxury and performance. Nothing, however, pushes performance to the extreme like the Lamborghini Aventador SV. Come to think of it, this thing busts open all kinds of envelopes.

The case for the Lamborghini Aventador SV

The Lamborghini Aventador is a wild best. With a 691-horsepower 6.5-liter V-12 under situated behind the driver and space-age looks, it is the very definition of supercar. But to Lamborghini, that's not enough. The 2016 Aventador LP 750-4 SuperVeloce, or SV for short, is an even more outrageous, lighter, more powerful, less civilized version of the brand's top supercar. 

The SV's V-12 churns out 739 hp, and its redline increases from 8,350 rpm to 8,500 rpm, creating a wail that could make angels weep. It sends its power to all four wheels via a seven-speed automated manual transmission that cracks off bangshifts in "Corsa" (read: Track) mode that take just 50 milliseconds and jostle car and driver with their punch. All that power rockets the Aventador SV from 0 to 60 mph in less than 2.8 seconds on its way to a top speed claimed to be in excess of 217 mph.

2016 Lamborghini Aventador SuperVeloce (SV)

2016 Lamborghini Aventador SuperVeloce (SV)

If mechanical mantis looks don't reveal this car's soul, the sparse cockpit will. To cut weight and to underscore the mine of technical knowledge literally baked into each car, the interior's carbon fiber is left exposed and even more carbon fiber is used in the seats and door panels. All told, the SV trims about 110 pounds from the Aventador.

Horsepower and aerodynamics take the Aventador SV to such an extreme that it's clear this car's goal is to fly as close to the sun as possible. And yet the Aventador SV doesn't feel evil at all. It's just sharp and responsive.

The Aventador SV is an automotive peak with shatteringly high limits. Priced at $493,069, the Aventador SV isn't for just anyone. But something this good and this extreme has to be considered for our Best Car To Buy award.

For a deeper dive into the Aventador SV, see our First Drive

ALSO SEE: These Were The 10 Most Searched Cars On Google In 2015

We'll announce our Best Car To Buy winner on January 4, along with the winners from our sister sites, The Car Connection and Green Car Reports. We'll also reveal the winners in our Driver's Choice awards—as voted by you, our readers—at that time.

Be sure to tune in tomorrow when we make the case for the 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata.

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