Autoblog

Click above for high-res gallery of the Lamborghini Murcielago LP460

As we all know, there are supercars, and then... there's the Lamborghini Murcielago LP640. It has been called old and overweight, it has been called impractical and overpriced, it has been called out for its propensity to make 10-year-old boys lick its windows. When we got word that the LP640 would be stopping by the Autoblog Garage for a weekend, it was our chance to see if the childhood dream was still potent enough to answer adult desires. We've driven the Bugatti Veyron, Bentley Continental GT Speed, Porsche GT2, Corvette ZR1, Dodge Viper ACR and even Lambo's own Gallardo LP560, and they were showstoppers. But when we finally met this Lambo, we had only one thing to say: Great googlymoogly!

All photos Copyright ©2008 Drew Phillips / Weblogs, Inc.

Click above for a high-res gallery of the Lamborghini Reventon.

Speaking at the old Fiat Lingotto factory in Turin, Italy, Volkswagen Group's Design Director, Walter De Silva, discussed the future of VW, Audi and Lamborghini, keeping light on specifics, but offering more fuel for the speculative fire surrounding the future of Lamborghini.

According to CAR, De Silva waxed poetic about the aura of the group's Italian performance arm, with Design Head Manfred Fitzgerald making it clear that the Reventon's pointed proboscis and heavily canted intakes – which were supposedly penned before the launch of the Gallardo LP560-4 -- will be the primary influence for the next generation of Lamborghinis.

As for the future underpinnings of the Murcielago, Chief Engineer Maurizio Regginai wasn't willing to give up much, but said that "the power to weight ratio is key, and everything we can do to get the weight down is vital to the project" providing further proof that the welded steel chassis of current Lambos is on its way out and that aluminum will find its way under the composite skin of future models. All-wheel-drive, which has become an integral part of the "Lamborghini DNA" will continue, but when asked about the future of dual-clutch transmissions, Regginai simply said, "we have top performance in 0-100 kph with our cars, I don't understand why we'd want to change anything."


[Source: CAR]

Lamborghini has kept its promise to unveil a "new" model at every major auto show this year, and it's not stopping even though the show season has is pretty much wrapped up. Autocar has spied what's believed to be the Lamborghini Murcielago SV, a lightweight version of the Italian automaker's top model that will be sending its additional ponies to the rear wheels alone.

Based off the current range-topping LP640, the SV will putting out around 680 hp from its mid-mounted V12 and will tip the scales under 3,500 pounds. The weight savings will come from the abandonment of the front differential and drive shafts that would normally also power the front wheels, along with nixing the ICE stereo and the system that raises and lowers the rear spoiler. Naturally, plenty of carbon fiber is part of the equation, including the doors, smaller rear wing and other assorted parts.

There's no word on when the Murcielago SV will debut, but we've got a five-spot on the Paris Motor Show later this year.

[Source: Autocar]

Click the image above for more high-res pics of the Lamborghini Ad Personam program.

What's more exclusive than a Lamborghini? A Lambo individualized through the raging bull's Ad Personam program. The concept behind the program, due to be unveiled in Detroit in a few days, is to allow customers to create their own rolling masterpieces through exclusive colors and interior appointments.

The Gallardo Spyder will be available in Marrone Apus and the same matte brown finish originally debuted on the Reventon, which has apparently been requested by several owners. Blu Cepeus will be another hue available on both the Murcielago LP640 coupe and roadster, which also sports the same matte finish. The interior of the Gallardo and Murcie can be fitted with Marrone Gaia, along with a few other equally pompous lofty-titled leathers, plus Alcantara.

If you've got the means, then check Lamborghini's press release after the jump.

Click on the image above to view in high-resolution

How do you top a car like the Lamborghini Murcielago Roadster? It's simply one of the most desirable supercars on the market. But while the terms "practicality" and "Lamborghini" don't belong anywhere in the same sentence, the topless Raging Bull's roof is something best considered only for emergencies – just when the contraption's complicated installment procedures prove most frustrating (or so we hear).

Coming to the rescue are the American coachbuilders at Genaddi, who've designed a special roof for the special supercar. If the name rings any bells, Genaddi is responsible for such intriguing open-air conversions as the Corvette LSR Roadster, Maybach 62 cabriolet and the (limited) production version of the Ford GTX1 concept.

Genaddi's design for the Murcielago is far less complicated, but from the description, its simplicity could be its most redeeming quality. Made of carbon fiber, the six panels are designed to fit under the front hood of the roadster so it can be taken along with the car. They can be mounted in different configurations – completely open, completely closed, T-top or targa – and include a rear glass window. Genaddi expects to put the roof into production in May, when it will sell for $26,000.

Yes, that's enough to buy a decent complete car, but it's a small price to pay if it means getting more use out of your Lamborghini. And that's a worthy cause which we here at Autoblog support whole-heartedly.

Check out the press release after the jump and more images in the high-res gallery below.

Lamborghini's pushing to ring up 3,000 sales per year, about 500 more than they currently move. Were they to drop a new Miura, revived LM002, or some other new model, they'd likely reach that target without any problem. Lambo Capo Rupert Stadler isn't in favor of spending the considerable development dollars it would take to bring a new model to market. Before coming out with a new car, it's more prudent for Lamborghini to sell its capacity of Murcielagos and Gallardos first.

So, if you're not coming out with a new car, but you want to move more units, what's an automaker to do? We somehow doubt that LP640s and Reventons will be showing up in rental fleets, and there's no such thing as incentives when it comes to supercars, so that strategy's out, too. Extra-special editions of the already special Italian cars, like the Murcielago SV and Superleggera versions of both vehicles should entice more buyers to pony up. If that doesn't work, they could always have a "push, pull or tow" event.

Follow the read link for a Google-translated version of the original story.

[Source: Caradisiac]

click above image to view video

The Lamborghini Murcielago LP640 is a pretty incredible piece of machinery. A road car capable of speeds one would normally associate with an open-wheel racer will always be impressive, especially when you consider it's laden with government-mandated safety equipment, plus niceties like a stereo and air conditioning. Only a fool would explore the car's outer performance limits on public roadways, however. That's best saved for a closed course, and if you can afford an LP640, you should be able to buy yourself some track time to see what it can really do.

The driver (and owner?) of the car in the video above was apparently too foolish to do that, and embarked on a quest to set the "world speed record" for an LP640 on Arizona public highways. Sure, the sound the car makes as it flies past static camera points at some 200 mph is nothing short of incredible, but the act itself is disturbing, because no matter how late at night this film was taken, there are other drivers out, and at 200 miles per hour, the margin for error is exactly zero. Make a mistake, and people are going to die.

[Source: YouTube]

Photo for illustration purposes only

Autocar is reporting that Lamborghini is preparing a lightweight, more powerful RWD SV model for 2009 that will end the Murcielago's production with a bang (or crazy amounts of burning rubber and engine revving, whichever you prefer). As with the Gallardo Superleggera, weight savings will be a key, and anywhere from 100 to 130 kg could be dropped from the LP640. The removal of the front differential and driveshaft will save 40 kg alone. Other weight savings will come from the use of carbon fiber and magnesium components, lightweight wheels, and the removal of the sound system, although it can be added back in at the request of the customer (who needs a stereo when you have Lamborghini's V12 behind you?). The final version of this 6.5-liter motor could have as much as 680 horsepower and 516 lb-ft torque that will be mated to Lambo's E-Gear transmission. Take that, Ferrari!

[Source: Autocar]

Some people just can't leave exotic-enough alone, and IMSA is all too happy to help out – sometimes to unfortunate ends. The firm has had its hand in developing aero parts for both the Lamborghini Gallardo coupe and spyder, and has now put the larger, more powerful Murcielago LP640 under the knife. The result is the rolling anathema you see above, which eschews the clean lines of the Murcie in favor of excessive excess.

The carbon fiber body kit can be had either unpainted or color matched, and includes a new front clip, additional air ducting, a new rear diffuser, rear spoiler and fender flares that bring the track out an additional 70 mm in total. If money, and taste, is no object, IMSA is taking orders now and will begin manufacturing parts for the base Murcielago in the future.

[Source: Carscoop]

UPDATE: Check out the live reveal here!

Click image for high-res gallery

The Volkswagen Group threw a major shindig in Frankfurt earlier tonight at which it showed off all the new wares its introducing to the public at the Frankfurt show beginning tomorrow. The car that has assuredly generated the most heavy breathing this evening is the holy-crap-that-thing's-effing-badass Lamborghini Reventon (click for Engadget's perspective). Named for the bull that killed toreador Felix Guzman in 1943, the Reventon is basically the ultimate Murcielago in all respects, including price. The super-limited (only twenty cars are being built) supercar costs a cool $1,000,000, and all of them are already sold. Power from its V12 is up around 20 horses over the regular Murcielago LP640, so you get a little extra juice for the added dough.

Follow the jump for more.

[Source: Lamborghini via Motor Authority, Jalopnik, Straightline]