Autoblog

Click above to view the Touring Maserati A8 GCS in hi-res

Since the news broke that Maserati was planning a new sportscar to rival the benchmark Porsche 911, Italian styling houses have been lining up to pitch their designs for how they think the new Trident sportscar should look. Following the Chicane concept unveiled in Geneva by the students of the Instituto Europeo di Design, the resuscitated Carrozzeria Touring Superleggera threw its hat into the ring this weekend with the A8 GCS concept you see above.

Together with Touring's other Maserati concept, the Quattroporte-based Bellagio Fastback, the A8 GCS design study was unveiled at the Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este, the annual Mecca of class and performance on the shores of trendy Lake Como in Italy. Inspired by Pininfarina's iconic Maserati A6 GCS Berlinetta of 1954, the Touring concept presents a compelling mix of modern design and retro touches. While it's hard to make the case that, with even the most well-established outfits struggling to get by, the industry really needs another Italian design house or coachbuilder, if these are the results then we can hardly complain. Check out the images in the gallery below to see what we mean.

[Source: OmniAuto.it]

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]

First there were pictures of a Murcielago with black doors and a giant wing doing laps at the 'Ring. It was immediately called out as the next evolution of the LP640, a superleggera sibling for the the Gallardo. Then Lamborghini said no, it wasn't -- it was just a mule with unpainted doors. Lamborghini President Stephan Winklemann even dismissed the idea, saying "The LP640 is wild enough." Whether or not he believed what he was saying, the new reality is this: there is no such thing as wild enough. And according to Car magazine, that wilder LP640 will probably be called "Superveloce" -- the sorely missed SV moniker not heard in these parts in far too long.

The SV will lose 100 kg, the same amount shed by the lightweight Gallardo, ending up with 409 bhp per ton. It will also get shorter gearing that keeps it near the 8,000 rpm mark when driven in anger. Even though it will remain an all-wheel-driver, the 0-60 time should drop to 3.0 seconds. Car also says that that walk-the-plank rear wing is supposedly provided by Boeing.

The SV is expected to hit the runway at Frankfurt this September. Oh, and it could be joined by a Gallardo SV, an even harder baby-Lambo meant to take the fight to the F430 Stradale. The good news from Sant' Agata just keeps on coming.

[Source: Car magazine]

Our mates across the pond at PistonHeads say they've got it on good authority that Lamborghini is indeed producing a Superleggera version of the too-hot-to-handle Murcielago.

Eyebrows were raised when spy photogs snapped a Murcielago test mule running test laps around the Nurburgring's venerable Nordschleiff in Germany, sporting a big ol' wing on the back and what looks like carbon fiber body panels. If the reports are correct – and we hope they are – the Murcielago Superleggera will get the same treatment as its little brother, the Gallardo Superleggera, which was unveiled at the Geneva show. That means carbon fiber and composite components will help bring the weight down, while some tweaks to the engine will bring power up, resulting in a delicious increase to the supercar's power-to-weight ratio. It's too early to tell how much extra juice the stripped-down Lambo will get, but it should be a daunting task considering that the engine's output was already augmented for the LP640. Could we be seeing a 700 horsepower figure?

The report suggests an official unveiling of the Murcielago Superleggera in March 2008, but with Lamborghini's pledge to have a new attraction at every major auto show, we wouldn't be surprised – delighted, mind you, but not surprised – to see it take its first bow earlier than that.

[Source: PistonHeads]

The Superleggera diet has worked wonders for the Gallardo, so why not also commit the Lamborghini Murcielago to a little weight loss? That may be Lamborghini's line of thinking, as this somewhat strange looking Murcielago was caught testing on Germany's famed Nurburgring.

The red tester is wearing black panels that are likely made of carbon fiber and/or plastic, just like certain body panels on the Gallardo Superleggera. According to The Car Connection, the doors, engine hood, central tunnel and that large rear wing will likely be comprised of the carbon fiber stuff, and some glass may also be swapped out for lighter clear plastic panels. One would assume that the Murcielago's rapid weight loss would also be accompanied by a corresponding bump in power, as was the case with the Gallardo Superleggera. The current Merc's 640 horsepower is a substantial number already, so who knows how much higher Lamborghini can push it. Hopefully the Murcielago Superleggera isn't merely vaporware and will make a grand entrance when the auto show season begins again this fall in Europe.

[Source: The Car Connection]

Big gallery of pics from the party available by clicking the images.

Lamborghini of Orange County (LOC), which accounted for 15% of Lamborghini sales in the U.S. last year, has a little clout. While the rest of the automotive world was looking to Geneva and New York to see the new Superleggera, LOC had one of its own to display. Well, for one night at least. It was unveiled during a VIP reception so that the dealership's customers could see it for themselves. While it looked pretty hot in its searing Aranco Borealis finish, the new Lambo seemed to be missing something. When one customer asked where the window sticker was, another said, "It doesn't really matter anymore, they're all gone. The lucky bastards." This limited edition, track-friendly Gallardo is limited to 350 units for 2007, all of which are already spoken for.

Weighing about 200 pounds less than the regular Gallardo, the carbon fiber diet is readily apparent. Just like Ferrari did with the CS version of their 360, the carbon fiber mirrors are the easiest tipoff that this is the sportiest variant. Lamborghini goes one better with an unpainted carbon fiber rear decklid as well, though, and carries that theme through with an oddly proportioned, but functional, optional rear spoiler. We might pass on that bit if we were doing the buying. The black side strip is a bit odd-looking, too, but we have no complaints about the Alcantara interior with racing seats and harnesses.

With a slight bump in power and a modest reduction in weight for a whole lot more cash, some might see this as much ado about nothing. But the devil is in the details, as they say. A not-insignificant 12 pounds has been shaved from each corner resulting in less unsprung weight and sharper reflexes for this somewhat hefty awd machine. That, coupled with a switch to Pirelli P Zero Corsa rubber, means sharper turn-in and overall quicker responses to inputs. The powerband is said to have been remapped for more immediate reaction to stabs at the loud pedal. We begged and pleaded to get one for our garage, but this Superleggera was headed out for another stop the next morning.

Less is more when it comes to exotic sportscars. Less weight, that is. Enthusiasts know that taking extra weight out of a sportscar makes it go faster. No wonder, then, that the Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera that was unveiled last month at the Geneva show was such a hit.

Although Lamborghinis are decidedly built for the road, the results of the Gallardo's high-perfomance diet can best be seen (and heard) on the race track. This video comes courtesy of the Swedish Auto Motor & Sport, who took the new Superleggera out for a spin at the Phoenix International Raceway in Arizona. Follow the jump and turn up your speakers, 'cause this is one raging bull with a sweet sound.

While sharing the stage with the Gallardo Superleggera, Lamborghini's CEO, Stephan Winkelmann, has outlined the future of Italy's raging bull, and for those burdened with disposable income, the future doesn't look half bad.

Lamborghini projects an increase in sales of around 2,300 vehicles in 2007, 350 of which will be the recently unveiled Superleggera. Since the development costs of Lambo's lineup make it difficult to produce new models quickly, we'll be seeing other vehicles adopting the Superleggera's ethos. Specifically, lightweight versions of both the Gallardo Spyder and Murcielago are rumored to bow at this year's Frankfurt and Tokyo auto shows, although the CEO was hesitant to address specifics.

As for new models, we won't be seeing hybrids, turbos or diesels finding their way under the hood, but Lamborghini intends to equip all its new models with four-wheel-drive. According to Winkelmann, that particular feature has become part of the brand's cache, and in addition to providing higher levels of performance, it will further solidify Lambo's identity.

As for a successor to the LM002: don't expect to see it anytime soon. Winkelmann has said that they certainly would like to add an SUV to the lineup, but "the company has other priorities."

[Source: TCC]

Click the pic for our full gallery.

If you're reading these words, you're already well aware of Lamborghini's hard-edged Gallardo. So it would be a waste of time to tell you that the Superleggera dropped 154 pounds since it was last seen as a Gallardo, got a 10-horsepower bump in output and can now rocket to 60 in just 3.8 seconds.

All the carbon fiber bits weren't lost on our lenses, but one particular blonde thought that the composite wing on this very expensive, very rare supercar would make a nice place to lean while we were shooting. If she were our girlfriend and that were our Lamborghini Superleggera, one of them would be not be welcome home tonight.

Check all our live pics, along with a myriad of studio shots, below.

Click the image for five high res images

The cat, errr, bull is out of the bag, with both images and the press release about the Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera circulating the web. The 'purist' Gallardo gets an extra 10 hp and 154 fewer pounds (in U.S. trim), allowing the Italian hyper car to sprint to 60 in 3.8 seconds, .2 seconds less than the standard Gallardo. The weight reduction comes from swapping out a number of components with carbon fiber bits, including the wing mirrors, door panels, engine cover and the central tunnel's covering. After the diet, the Superleggera tips the scales at just 3,152 pounds -- 5.5 pounds/hp.

Those of you financially solvent enough to put a down payment on the lightweight Lambo should read the press release after the jump, since you'll want all the details before orders are accepted next month.