Lamborghini Murciélago

Lamborghini Murciélago

Manufacturer	Lamborghini
Production	2001-2010 4,099 built[1]
Assembly	Sant'Agata Bolognese, Italy
Predecessor	Lamborghini Diablo
Successor	Lamborghini Aventador
Class	Sports car
Body style	2-door coupé 2-door roadster
Layout	Mid-engine, four-wheel drive
Engine	6.2 L V12(572 HP) 6.5 L V12(630 HP)
Transmission	6-speed manual 6-speed e-Gear semi-automatic
Wheelbase	2,665 mm (104.9 in)
Length	2002-06: 4,580 mm (180.3 in) 2007-10: 4,610 mm (181.5 in)
Width	2002-06: 2,045 mm (80.5 in) 2007-10: 2,057 mm (81.0 in)
Height	1,135 mm (44.7 in)
Curb weight	Dry weight: 1,650 kg (3,638 lb) 1,665 kg (3,671 lb) LP 640 1,565 kg (3,450 lb) LP 670-4 SV
Related	Lamborghini Reventón
Designer	Luc Donckerwolke

The Lamborghini Murciélago is a two-door, two-seat sports car produced by Italian automaker Lamborghini between 2001^[2] and 2010. Successor to the Diablo and flagship of the automaker's lineup, the Murciélago was introduced as a coupé in 2001. The automaker's first new design in eleven years, the car was also the brand's first new model under the ownership of German parent company Audi. It was styled by Peruvian-born Belgian Luc Donckerwolke, Lamborghini's head of design from 1998 to 2005.^[3]

Murcielago

The 6.2-liter V12 from a first-generation Murciélago

The Murciélago is an all-wheel drive, mid-engined supersports car. With an angular design and an exceptionally low slung body, the highest point of the roof is just under 4 feet above the ground. One of the vehicle's most distinguishing features are its scissor doors. which lends to the extreme image. First-generation Murciélagos, produced between 2001 and 2010, were powered by a Lamborghini V12 which traces its roots back to the company's beginnings in the 1960s. The rear differential is integrated to the engine itself, with a viscous coupling center differential providing drive to the front wheels. Power is delivered through a 6-speed manual transmission. The Murciélago suspension uses an independent double-wishbone design, and bodywork features carbon fiber, steel and aluminum parts. The rear spoiler and the active air intakes integrated into the car's shoulders are electromechanically controlled, deploying automatically only at high speeds in an effort to maximize both aerodynamic and cooling efficiency.

Murcielago LP 640 Roadster

A Murciélago LP 640 roadster

At the 2006 Los Angeles Auto Show, Lamborghini announced that the roadster version of the Murciélago will also be updated to LP 640 status.^[8]

Murcielago LP 670-4 SuperVeloce

A Lamborghini Murciélago LP 670-4 SuperVeloce

At the 2009 Geneva Motor Show, Lamborghini unveiled the ultimate version of the Murciélago, the LP 670-4 SuperVeloce.^[9] The SV moniker had previously appeared on the Diablo SV, and Miura. SV variants are more extreme and track-orientated, and are released at the end of each model's production run. ^[10]
The SuperVeloce's V12 produces 670 PS (493 kW; 661 hp) at 8000 rpm and 490 lb·ft (660 N·m) of torque at 6500 rpm, thanks to revised valve timing and upgraded intake system. The car's weight was also reduced by 220 lb (100 kg) through extensive use of carbon fiber inside and out. A new lighter exhaust system was also used. As a result of the extensive weight loss, the SV produces a power-to-weight ratio of 429 Bhp/long ton. Also standard were the LP 640's optional 15-inch carbon-ceramic disc brakes with 6 piston calipers. In its June 2009 issue, Car and Driver magazine estimated that the LP 670-4 SV was capable of accelerating to 62 mph (100 km/h) from a standing start in just 2.9 seconds and on to 124 mph (200 km/h) in 7.4 seconds. Subsequent testing by "Road and Track" revealed a 0-60 time of 2.8 seconds and a quarter mile time of 10.9 seconds at 129.4 miles per hour.^[11] Lamborghini claims a top speed of 213 mph (343 km/h) when the car is fitted with an optional smaller spoiler, or 209 mph (336 km/h) with the standard Aeropack wing.^[12]
According to Maurizio Reggiani, head of Lamborghini R&D, the LP 670-4 SV's steering was tuned for high-speed sensitivity. The original production plan of the ultimate Murciélago was limited to 350 cars, and cost $450,000 US (before options) £270,038 in 2009). However, only 186 LP 670-4s were produced before the factory had to make room for the new Aventador production line. Numbered cars 1-350 do not represent the order in which cars were manufactured.
In April 2010, Lamborghini released a variant of the LP 670-4 called the SuperVeloce China Limited Edition. The car was offered for sale exclusively in China (with 12 retail outlets, China overtook Italy as Lamborghini's 2nd largest market after the USA), and is distinguished by special exterior markings.^[13]