Announced in March at the Geneva Motor Show, the exclusive Lamborghini Murcielago LP640 is scheduled for delivery this September to 300 eagerly awaiting owners. Those wealthy waiters better hope they can tame this bronco buster, as Wrecked Exotics has recently reported that the second LP640 that has crashed and burned on public roads. The latest occurred in St. Andrae, Austria on June 15th while the rarest of Murcielagos was being driven to a press event. Witnesses report that the Lamborghini lost control, ran into a tree and then burst into flames. The driver was flown to a nearby hospital to be treated for a severe burns.
[Source: Wrecked Exotics]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
KML @ Jun 20th 2006 4:58AM
That's worse than murdering infants.
Richard Warren @ Jun 20th 2006 5:40AM
High performance car. Low performance driver. Always a bad combination.
dejal @ Jun 20th 2006 5:56AM
Just because you have a great car doesn't make you a great driver.
If you notice, the car is in a thickly settled area (houses,stores, side streets). Thank god he only screwed himself over.
I hope the driver is scarred for life.
me @ Jun 20th 2006 5:57AM
The Lamborgini lost control?
A Lamborgini doesn't lose control, it just is. A driver loses control.
Maria Wikfors @ Jun 20th 2006 6:12AM
Gosh, I'm really going to miss that Super awesome car.
The way it sounded roarin' into gear. I can only imagine and dream. God be with the driver.
Ralf @ Jun 20th 2006 6:55AM
It is a pity such good car. But I think, that its owner buy to itself one more... :)
JZeke @ Jun 20th 2006 8:06AM
There seems to a be disturbing trend of supercar crashes published in the media recently. From the high-profile death of an internet marketing guru last year riding shotgun in a Carrera GT to the much debacled "Enzogate" I see more and more exotics smashing to pieces.
Was it always this way? I'm sure plenty of people have crashed (and lost their lives in) F40s, 911 Turbos, Countachs... but I dont remeber so many stories about them.
My concern is the litiguous nature of people these days versus the heavily computer controlled hyper-cars being produced. One side of the argument is the critcism that most drivers simply cannot handle these cars, on the other that companies are making them too powerful, too reliant on traction aids yet too readily available.
The question is then, at what point do engineers decide enough is enough and focus on alternative means of creating hyper-excitement behind the wheel? Conversely, how long til the lawyers make landfill of our dream cars?
Manolo @ Jun 20th 2006 8:31AM
C'mon guys, it was a pre-production LP640, so the owner was the manufacturer and the driver was -most probably- a very experienced factory test driver....
Auto Yoda @ Jun 20th 2006 8:54AM
I felt a strange disturbance in the force the other day......
Shane @ Jun 20th 2006 9:11AM
I don't see much impact damage here. What did the car hit? Also, most cars won't catch fire even after a pretty severe collision, so this seems to point to a couple of safety issues.
It can be more than just bad driving. The Bugatti Veyron was delayed because at first, not even the test drivers could handle it. They had to do some serious revisions to the chassis to allow it to handle 1000 hp. If test drivers are crashing pre-production Lambos, then something similar could be at work here
Buster Hymen @ Jun 20th 2006 11:05AM
Looks like this is one BULL they can't control! OUCH!!!!
Buster Hymen @ Jun 20th 2006 11:11AM
oh, one note to make..these cars were supposedly going to Press events. One might assume capable hands were driving the car (hence a lambo employee) and not your average italian shmoe. Lambo might have a problem with handling. I say it's a job for JEREMY CLARKSON TO LOOK INTO!!!
I just came across TOP GEAR and I just love the show!
Btw, Jeremy is in trobule yet again read...
http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/transport/article1090422.ece
Takeo @ Jun 20th 2006 11:28AM
You know though, I'm with #10, cars that aren't crumpled into a mass of metal shouldn't be catching fire. Not even the worst of the passenger car makes bursts into flame unless suffering some horrific damage. I guess all you Lambo drivers better start wearing nomex flight suits on your way to the party eh?
Richard Warren @ Jun 20th 2006 12:25PM
13, the right 1/4 panel is gone, not crumpled, gone, it does not take a lot to split a line, hot engine, fuel ignites, it's called a fire. You know heat source, Oxygen, Fuel.
#10 It hit a tree, it's in the story.
Auto Usate @ Jun 20th 2006 12:50PM
hoooo noooo! What a shame!! Isn't better that drivers so stay at home to watch tv and drink beer @@!
Aki @ Jun 20th 2006 1:26PM
"If test drivers are crashing pre-production Lambos, then something similar could be at work here"
Test drivers test race cars on closed circuit roads, not public residential areas. He was trying to pass a car and lost control, probably trying to show off and floor the car.
Are these cars dangerous? Well, any car that goes 0-60 in under 4 seconds is dangerous, no matter how stable they are. And anyone would be foolish to not be extremely careful with them. But ultimately, it's up to the driver to make sure he doesn't push the car past its limits. And these rich business men who all of a sudden have access to these supercars don't have that. Why else are all these exotic wreck stories about businessmen and not race car drivers?
Autonews @ Jun 20th 2006 2:26PM
Few weeks ago in Bucharest an Ferrari 612 Scaglietti made in 2006 was destroyed by the fire
JT @ Jun 20th 2006 2:56PM
How many more mid life crisis men are going to destroy these great sports cars? Maybe since they have enough money to buy one they should learn how to drive one.
Fabulo @ Jun 20th 2006 7:39PM
"I don't know what happened. I think I gave a kick to the wheel, and then, the next thing I see is the cars bursts in flames! How did that happen?"
maranellomaster @ Jun 20th 2006 10:35PM
#3, a little harsh there...
IDK how cars of this caliber can "lose control" so easily. Most of the time it is the driver's fault, but you can only control so much...