Lamborghini Murcielago LP640
The Lamborghini Murcielago is a high performance sports car produced by Italian automaker Automobili Lamborghini and is designed by Luc Donckerwolke. It was first introduced bacj in 2001 as the successor to the Diablo. The Murcielago is a two-door, two-seat coupe. To celebrate the company's 40 years in operation, 50 special edition Murcielagos were built during the Fall of 2003. An open-top version called the Murcielago Roadster was introduced in 2004 for the 2005 model year. The roadster features similar performance to the coupe with a more aggressive rear flank, as well as a much higher price tag. The Lamborghini Murcielago LP640 version was first shown at the Geneva Motor Show in March 2006, as a facelift for the coupe version.
Mechanics
Like the base Murcielago, the engine is mounted "backwards", with the transmission in front of the engine and the differential behind it, instead of a transaxle normally seen on mid-engine cars. There were also a few minor external changes, primarily to the low air intakes.
LP stands for Longitudinale Posteriore, referring to the longitudinally-mounted, 6.5-liter, V12 engine, capable of producing up to 633 horsepower at 8,000 rpm. Like the base Lamborghini Murcielago, the engine is mounted "backwards", with the transmission in front of the engine and the differential behind it, instead of a transaxle normally seen on mid-engine cars.
Hitting the Tarmac
Along with a new six-speed manual transmission, which can come in Lamborghini's optional paddle shift "E-gear" package, the LP640 can go from 0 to 62 mph in just 3.3 seconds: 0.4 of a second quicker than the previous Murcielago, and reach a top speed of 219+ mph. The Lamborghini Murcielago LP640 is accommodated by an electronic Launch control device called "Thrust."
Styling
The front and rear bumpers have been reshaped to channel air more efficiently, and the new exhaust has been shaped into the rear diffuser to minimize aerodynamic lift. The air intake on the left side has been enlarged to accommodate the feeding of the oil cooler. The car's body is made up of steel and carbon fiber, while underneath a revised suspension has been added to keep up with the car's performance. It also has an four-wheel-drive system that normally distributes 70% of the torque to the rear wheels, but can allocate up to 100% to the rear, or upt o 70% to the front, depending on where the available grip is. There are also new 18-inch (460 mm) Hermera alloy wheels running huge 335/30 tires at the rear. The LP640 retains the original car's scissor-opening doors.
The LP640's optional equipment includes Carbon fibre-reinforced Silicon Carbide (C/SiC) ceramic composite brakes for swifter braking, chrome paddle shifters and a glass engine cover, which shows off the LP640's engine.
A special edition version of the Lamborghini Murcielago LP640 was introduced at the Paris Motor Show. The Versace edition features a customized all-white exterior and a matching white interior. However, a one-of-a-kind black LP640 Versace and LP640 Roadster Versace were also presented by the factory.
Interior
Inside the LP640, the seating has been reshaped to accommodate greater headroom, while an upgraded instrument panel is flanked by an improved stereo system.
