These days, when a new car's more powerful than the one it replaces, the advantage is usually limited by an increase in weight. Not the Lamborghini Jota, the bull-headed brand's Murciélago replacement. It should be lighter and make 700 HP.
For starters, lets talk about weight savings. We're told the Jota will benefit from Lambo-owning Audi's expertise in both direct fuel injection and aluminum construction. The current Murciélago uses a steel-tube frame with structural elements composed of carbon fiber. The body is also a mix of metal and carbon, with relatively heavy items like the roof still being made from steel. On the Jota, we're told by our sources aluminum is expected to be used extensively and we should expect the ratio of carbon to metal to increase, with most of that metal being lighter aluminum.
There's also an all-new direct-injection V12 planned, with most Lambo watchers indicating a power figure in the 700 HP range. The current Murciélago LP 670-4 SuperVeloce makes the most power in the Murci range — 661 HP — thanks to a 6.5-liter V12. The lighter, more powerful Jota should be able to eclipse that car's 3.2-second 0-to-60 MPH time and 213 MPH top speed.
There's also talk of an all-new all-wheel drive system being developed with Haldex. Haldex is the company responsible for the Saab 9-3 Turbo X's torque-vectoring rear differential and as systems like that are becoming increasingly fashionable in performance circles, it seems plausible that torque vectoring could be coming to the Jota. Torque vectoring works by directing power to individual wheels with the most available grip. In practice, it works like stability control, but helps the driver drive faster rather than slowing them down. It makes controlled slides easy in big, heavy vehicles like the BMW X6 M, so it should make the light, low Jota amazingly capable — or at least amazingly capable of not killing its wealthy owners outright.
The "Jota" name was first used on the Lamborghini Miura SVJ, "J" for "Jota," a high-po version of the plain ol' Miura that became one of the sexiest, most desirable vehicles ever made. That gives the Jota a lot to live up to. We hope it does.
Photo Credit: Autobild