<![CDATA[Jalopnik: lamborghini]]> http://tags.jalopnik.com/assets/base/img/thumbs140x140/jalopnik.com.png <![CDATA[Jalopnik: lamborghini]]> http://jalopnik.com/tag/lamborghini http://jalopnik.com/tag/lamborghini <![CDATA[Detroit Auto Show Pretends It Has Aston, Ferrari, Rolls, Porsche and Lambo]]> According to the Detroit Free Press, the 2010 Detroit Auto Show will see a limited return for Nissan, but more interestingly Aston Martin, Ferrari, Rolls-Royce, Lamborghini and Porsche will have completely separate, invite-only displays at the MGM Grand Casino.

After bowing out of the entire 2009 show season, Nissan will indeed return to the floor at the 2010 Detroit Auto Show, at least in some capacity. They'll at least be showing the Nissan Leaf in the dank basement which, for the second year, will be utilized as the Electric Avenue exhibit, a place for hybrids and EV's to show off their stuff with low-speed public ride and drives. The show is claiming a return to strength this year, with a roster of 54 manufacturers signed on the dotted line. That's all well and good, but there's some interesting show dynamics afoot, take for instance this passage from the Free Press:

...(Senior co-chair of the Detroit Auto Show, Doug) Fox is including several luxury automakers — including Aston Martin, Ferrari, Lamborghini and Rolls-Royce, in his total.

Those manufacturers will only be showing their cars at an exclusive event, the Gallery. Sponsored by American Express, the invitation-only event will be held Jan. 10 at MGM Grand Detroit for holders of the credit card company's exclusive Centurion card.

Considering this block of high-end automakers has taken up a primo real-estate right in the middle of the Detroit Auto Show floor for as long as memory serves, this seems like face-saving to us. Amex doesn't exactly hand out Centurion cards to the riff-raff. We're wondering if Jalopnik's motley crew will even be allowed in. [Detroit Free Press]

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<![CDATA[Italian Police Total Lamborghini Cop Car]]> Remember the gadget-laden Lamborghini Gallardo Italian police car gifted to the boys in blue by the boys in Sant'Agata? They've managed to plow one into a row of parked cars. Full gallery below.

According to The Guardian:

The Lamborghini Gallardo that crashed into parked cars on its way from an exhibition in Cremona. The crash occurred after the car, which belonged to the Bologna police was cut up (Ed. - We're assuming that's the Euro version of "cut off") by another motorist leaving a service station.

Yes, the selfless officers of the Italian police force just happened to be cut off by a motorist after they were returning from sort of swank exhibition and they crashed it into a line of parked cars. We're smelling some tomfoolery here. In case you don't remember, here's what the car used to look like.

(Hat tip to rognbrow!)
[The Guardian]

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<![CDATA[Jo Jo Dancer, Your $2,500 Crystal-Covered Lambo Model Is Calling]]> Hypothetical question: If you had 7,688 tiny Swarovski crystals, what would you do with them? You'd glue them to a cheap Murcielago model, you say? Oh! It's like we were separated at birth!

The glitzy trinket you see before you is made by Californian model company Maisto. It's offically dubbed the "Lamborghini Murcielago LP640 Made With Crystallized Swarovski Elements," and it wants to be your friend. There's only one catch: The model is only available in Europe. It's limited to 550 examples, it comes with its own box and commemorative mount, and it costs the equivalent of $2500.

Somewhere, someone wants this, and they want it badly. Just for the record, we have no idea who they are. (Hat tip to Andrew!)

[Maisto]

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<![CDATA[We Teach Batman How to Ferry Ladies in Lambos]]> Bruce Wayne has shown us it's possible to cruise with more than a single companion in a two-seater Lamborghini. Perhaps. But there is a more elegant way—worthy of both superheroes and mere mortals.

There is a scene in Batman Begins which is both a wink to the Lamborghini cognoscenti and a gesture of the kind of machismo which finds close contact between women exciting.

Bruce Wayne arrives at a party in a black Lamborghini Murciélago Roadster, that most Batman of road cars, disembarks, and is followed by two stunning young ladies who both emerge from the Murc’s single passenger seat:

While a perfect adolescent fantasy and a testament to the Murciélago’s image as a pussy magnet, would a superhero really want to transport his female companions stacked?

And have them pummeled and beaten and crushed by the savage acceleration, their only cushioning each other’s silk-clad body?

Scene from

In the film, Wayne’s companions end up having to cool their bruises off in a decorative pool, setting off a chain of events which will see our hero shamed in public, depicted as nothing but a moneyed oaf.

Thankfully, the kind people of Lamborghini have though of everything. Granted, their thinking is from back when Batman was a comic book instead of a motion picture franchise, but the decades have not corrupted their logic.

The elegant answer to Wayne’s need is very simply the four-seater Lamborghini Espada, shown here in a painting by Bill Klemm with room to spare in comfort for yet another companion:

Then again, good times do not necessarily require the presence of throngs:

Image Credit: Warner Bros., Bill Klemm, Balázs Fenyő

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<![CDATA[Over These Wheels, a 300 MPH Lamborghini Rolls]]> Remember that very cute Lamborghini doodle a kid was selling on Etsy a month ago? It went to a Jalopnik reader who was kind enough to share the booty with us. Top speed? 300 MPH!

As photographed by our reader Blake Egan, the young artist is a bit optimistic when it comes to the top speed of Sant’Agata Bolognese’s finest.

But pay no mind. You’re about as likely to travel at 300 MPH as at 200. The devil is in the artistic details. “The kid's specs were a bit off, but the wheel details were pretty stellar,” Blake writes and pretty stellar they are indeed.

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<![CDATA[Ten Vehicles That Don't Belong On BuisnessWeek's 50 Ugliest Cars List]]> We're convinced BusinessWeek intentionally created its "Fifty Ugliest Cars of the Past 50 Years" list to offend Jalopnik reader sensibilities as much as possible. We've pulled out ten cars that simply have no place on this list. Two-minutes hate ahead.


Car: Tata Nano
Place on the list: 49
Reason it's BS: The Tata Nano isn't ugly, it's simply space efficient. Given the constraints of price, footprint and upright packaging, it pulls off the microcar shape rather well actually. There are certainly uglier cars on the market in India and China right now.


Car: Ferrari Enzo
Place on the list: 42
Reason it's BS: Save the Enzo's! The Ferrari Enzo wasn't built to win beauty contests, it was designed to showcase Ferrari's F1 racing pedigree and tie those techniques and technologies to their road cars. Form follows function and while it's not classically beautiful it's fast and unique. In any case compared to the Mondial, it's a supermodel.


Car: Plymouth Prowler
Place on the list: 31
Reason it's BS: When the Prowler was introduced in 1997, it was the coolest car on the planet, bar none. Unfortunately it was packed with an engine from an Intrepid, and suspension tuning best described as one-of-a-kind. Despite its glaring flaws and how you might feel about the retro-mod style, it was certainly a car that got people looking. When you spot them today, you turn and look longer than you should, admit it.


Car: Lamborghini LM002
Place on the list: 25
Reason it's BS: BusnessWeek complains about "geometric doors, angular fenders, and a busy hood." Perhaps they forgot it was introduced in 1986 when everything cool was geometric, angular and busy. They don't even mention the fire-breathing (for the 80's) 5.0 liter V12 from the Countach under the hood and the take-no-prisoners attitude. You don't get a moniker like "Rambo Lambo" by being lame.


Car: DeLorean DMC-12
Place on the list: 20
Reason it's BS: Are they joking? The DMC-12? Of any car from the 80's this one still plays well on public streets. The stainless steel body is unique, the ridiculously heavy gullwing doors draw crowds and the fastback style screams 80's coke dealer, and nobody was more up on all things stylish in the 80's than coke dealers.


Car:Subaru Brat
Place on the list: 18
Reason it's BS: Apparently BusinessWeek's too busy adjusting its top hat and monocle to enjoy the finer things in life, like riding in the jump seats in the Subaru Brat's cargo bed. It's even got decent capability for an early soft-roader.


Car: Aston Martin Lagonda
Place on the list: 16
Reason it's BS: Oh come on? Really? The Lagonda? It pushed the limit of longer, lower, wider to absurdity and mixed in out of control braggadocio. By all account it was admittedly every bit British reliable, but who cares? Hire a team of mules to pull it around town as you look out upon the unwashed masses from your obnoxious 80's chariot.


Car:Volvo 240
Place on the list: 13
Reason it's BS: Don't you go messing with the 240 BusinessWeek. You have no idea the depths of Volvo love out there, especially by the boxy-but-trusty 240. We dare you, dare you to find a more dedicated owner base. Fine, it's a bit boring, but so is the Camry and that's not on the list. We actually find it handsome, especially with the quad headlight design. You best watch your back BusinessWeek.


Car: Bricklin SV1
Place on the list: 11
Reason it's BS: Okay, this one's a bit on the ugly side, if you look only at the outside, but it was one of the first cars to push the idea of safety in a sports car, even though because of its heavy construction it wasn't particularly sporty. It's got a logical shape, and the nose is designed to prevent expensive damage repairs. Sure it's a bit cluttered in places, but come on, gull-wing doors.


Car:Chevy El Camino
Place on the list: 1
Reason it's BS: Number one. They've got to be kidding. Two words on this one: Screw. Off. First of all, lumping the entire series into one big pile is just plain ignorant. Secondly, it's rude. The El Camino from the outset was a looker and stayed a dynamite design all the way until the fall in the 70s. But then again, everything was pretty fug in the 70s. If they even try to say the 1960 and 1972 were ugly, they might get a Jalopnik-shaped shoe to the butt.

Photo credit: SuperChevy

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<![CDATA[IMSA GTV Lamborghini Gallardo LP 560-4]]> The IMSA GTV Lamborghini Gallardo LP 560-4 is a Gallardo LP 560-4 with IMSA-style racing wheels, carbon fiber doo-dads scattered around, and a stainless steel exhaust adding 29HP and 15 lb-ft of torque. Kinda reads like our fake Lexus LFA.

The car is based on Lamborghini's height-adjustable sports chassis and gets some ravishingly expensive central locking wheels, a carbon fiber body kit of some extent, bespoke spoiler and carbon fiber seats along with interior carbon fiber widgets. The polished stainless steel exhaust is the only performance improvement, adding 29HP and 15 lb-ft of torque to the output of the 5.2-liter V10 for a total of 581 HP and 413 lb-ft of torque. [WorldCarFans]

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<![CDATA[Step 1: Lambo LP640. Step 2: Lingerie Model. Step 3: Children's Charity?]]> Lana Jones Magazine is producing a "2010 Glam Cars" calendar featuring lingerie models and exotic rides. Proceeds will benefit children's charities but it looks to us like the effort is more about raising guys "excitement" and writing off the expense.

[AussieExotics via Motive]

Photo credit: Ash Simmons

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<![CDATA[Glam Cars Calendar Images]]>







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<![CDATA[Even In Death, The Lamborghini Murcielago Is Beautiful]]> Totaled in a crash, a Lamborghini Murcielago LP640 awaits a final ride to the crusher. Surely, the ultimate test of car design is the ability to create lust, even while mangled. [via PacePirate]

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<![CDATA[Lamborghini LP640 JB-R: Blood Diamond In The Rough?]]> JB Design has "upgraded" the Lamborghini LP640 with a mess of carbon fiber, a body kit, custom "Blood to Black Diamond" paint job, dark red ultrasuede interior and oh yes, a power upgrade to either 710 or 750 HP.

Frankly, we're already impressed with the base model Lamborghini LP640, so any tuner's got an uphill battle in our book to make it look better. Still, the full press release below if you're still interested:


Lamborghini LP 640 JB-R - by JB Car Design

JB Design presents the ultimate car among the coupés. The LP 640 JB-R is a sports car of breathtaking fascination, menacingly power and uncompromising luxury. The 12-cylinder engine performs now after power level I (28.000,00 Euro) 525 KW (710 hp). The Lamborghini comes in combination with a changed underbody (ground effect) to an unbelievable final velocity. Not until the sports car has reached 370 km/h the air drag decelerates it. Gears are changed using a F1 steering wheel rocker switch.

No question, with the upgraded LP 640 JB-R JB Car Design has raised the bar for competition in the section super sports cars again a lot: with his increased performance up to 710 respectively 750 hp and his VIP-finishing in "Blood to Black Diamond" he not just delivers again a clear growth in output but an individual visual appearance as well. The patent registered finish is only available through JB Car Design. It costs (ready to be sprayed on) 280,00 Euro per litre and is limited to 911 litre worldwide, whereby the exclusivity is guaranteed.

The sharpened version of the LP 640 JB-R is as close to racing as no other car with MOT approval. But luxury is also to be found, as for example in the interior. The whole interior was colour adjusted to the exterior by using high quality materials in combination with dark red Ultrasuede and black smooth leather in bi-colour as well as little extras made of carbon fibre. In addition very decent and in black: tinted windshield, back and side windows (2.370,00 Euro including the approval of the Technical control board).

After having made over the interior it is now turn of the wheelset. New three part 20" Schmidt Revolution aluminium rims with hardened outer rim made of stainless steel in combination with Michelin wide base tires size 265/30-20 and 335/30-20.

As impressive as the sprint on the long straight stretch might be, most fun with the LP 640 JB- R you have in the curves. This is the reason why JB Car Design has intensified the abrasion by using their own aerodynamic-package consisting of front- and rear spoiler, rear diffusor, air intake in the front, side coverings, side skirts, the front opening hood as well as the engine hood. They have newly adjusted the running gear and tuned the super athlete thus he practically sticks to the street.

The built in, premium flap controlled sport exhaust systems offers the best sound at the push of a button. With the provided remote control the customer can change the sound of the exhaust pipe while driving.

The demonstration car is available for a price of 355.000,00 Euro ( YOC 2008, 9.000 km). The original price incl. the costs of the conversion is 500.000,00 Euro!

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<![CDATA[The Business Case For Lamborghini Doodles]]> Drawing Lamborghinis in magic marker is great fun. But actually offering such a drawing for sale is pure, unadulterated chutzpah. Click for a wonderful description by the artist.

This water based marker drawing is of a red, 2009 Lamborghini car. It measures 9 × 11 inches on water color paper. I really enjoyed drawing it. It is one of my favorite cars.

As Lamborghini has essentially been making the same car since the Countach debuted at the Geneva Motor Show in 1971, artist bfdesigns had plenty of time to perfect the signature Lamborghini swoop from headlights to taillights. It can be yours for the low, low price of six dollars (plus shipping) on Etsy.

Image Credit: bfdesigns/Etsy

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<![CDATA[National Geographic Tours Lamborghini Factory In HD]]> The documentarians at National Geographic are turning their lenses towards the great factories of the world in a new Ultimate Factories series. First up is Lamborghini and if the still shots and video below are any indication, it's a must-see.


[Sub5Zero]

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<![CDATA[The Picture Proving Men Like Cars More Than They Like Women]]> Why is this blonde scowling at the camera? Because she's being ignored. The object at the root of her furious anger makes the full picture, below the jump, hilarious.

She, and her deux amis are pitch girls in front of a parked display in Paris, France advertising a European drink called Oasis. Trouble is they're being completely upstaged by the Lamborghini Gallardo in a display advertising Need For Speed: Shift. Keep in mind those are Frenchmen back there ignoring a trio of ladies, and instead playing video games and gawking at an Italian exotic. In this context, the blonde's cold scowl is nothing short of hilarious. Thanks to tipster "Ant" for sending us this photographic proof that guys think cars are better than girls. [anthonygrimley's Flickrstream]

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<![CDATA[What Are The Chances You'll Own A Lamborghini Reventón Roadster?]]> With only 20 being built, the chances of owning a Lamborghini Reventón Roadster are supposedly 1-in-700,000,000. Lamborghini's created this morbid-yet-awesome promo video to show us exactly where those odds stack up against, say, being hit by a meteorite.

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<![CDATA[Hamann Lamborghini Gallardo Victory: Awesome Like a Super Car, Radical Like A Jet]]> Acknowledging the unspoken contradiction that supercar buyers somehow have buckets of money, yet the mental faculties of small children, Hamann has combined the super sweetness of a Gallardo with the total bitchingness of a fighter jet.

The Hamann Lamborghini Gallardo Victory can be based on any Gallardo of your choosing and comes with an exhaust that boosts power a little bit and noise a lot. That, in addition to all the fake rivets and faux warnings should easily boost the amount of money Vegas hookers charge to spank you by at least 15%. [via Autogespot]

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<![CDATA[Lamborghini Reventón Roadster Shows Off That $1.6 Million Body]]> Looking to drop around $1.6 Million on a two-seat convertible? You and 19 of your fellow oil sheikhs might want to consider the 205 MPH Lamborghini Reventon Roadster. Think of it like buying a jet plane cockpit without the canopy.

The Lamborghini Reventón roadster's pretty much exactly like the non-drop-top Reventón, except, you know, the roof comes off. Full press release below.

Lamborghini Reventón Roadster – ultimately open Designer piece with uncompromising performance

Sant'Agata Bolognese, 14 th September 2009 - Lamborghini presents the ultimate driving machine among open-top two-seaters – the Reventón Roadster is a sports car of breathtaking fascination, menacing power and uncompromising performance. The 6.5 liter twelve-cylinder generates 493 kW (670 PS), catapulting the Roadster from 0 to 100 Km/h (0 to 62 mph) in 3.4 seconds and onwards to a top speed of 330 KM/h (205 mph). The open-top Reventón is not only one of the fastest, but also one of the most exclusive cars in the world – Lamborghini has limited the series.

The Lamborghini Reventón is not destined to remain a one-off. Less than 20 Lamborghini friends and collectors will be able to own this extraordinary car and, naturally, enjoy the incomparable pleasure of driving it.

Each Reventón Roadster will be sold for 1.1 Million Euro (without taxes). Deliveries will begin October 2009.

"The Reventón is the most extreme car in the history of the brand," comments Stephan Winkelmann, President and CEO of Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A. "The new Roadster adds an extra emotional component to our combined technological expertise – it unites superior performance with the sensual fascination of open-top driving." The Reventón Coupé was presented at the 2007 IAA in Frankfurt and was sold out immediately.

Open-top sports cars are a tradition at Lamborghini that stretches back over 40 years. In 1968, the company from Sant'Agata Bolognese built a Miura without a fixed roof as a one-off. The Diablo Roadster appeared in 1995 with its targa roof anchored to the engine cover.

Sculpture with extreme dynamics

All Lamborghinis are created with an avantgarde approach to design; a fast-moving technical sculpture. The Reventón Roadster is derived from the same creative thinking as the Coupé. Its designers found their inspiration in aviation – the aggressive wedge shape evokes images of fighter jets.

The powerful arrowhead form at the front, the mighty air intakes pulled way forward, the broad side skirts, the upwards opening scissor doors and the rear end with its menacing edges – the Roadster is clad in a design of maximum functionality and spectacular clarity. Details set stylish accents, such as headlamps featuring bi-xenon units with LEDs forming the daytime running lights and indicators. The rear lamps are also equipped with LEDs.

Like the Coupé, the Reventón Roadster measures 4700 mm (185 in.) long. It has
a wheelbase of 2665 mm (105 in.) and is 2058 mm (81 in.) wide and 1132 mm (45
in.) high. The driver and passenger seating positions are low and sporty,
separated by a substantial central tunnel.

Behind the two seats are two hidden pop-up bars that deploy upwards in just a
few hundredths of a second in the event of an imminent rollover. A fixed,
horizontal wing-shaped member behind the seats bears the third brake light. The
design of the Roadster's long back is also quite distinct from that of the Coupé.
The engine bonnet is virtually horizontal and a total of four windows made from
glass provide a view of the mighty V12 in all its technical elegance.

Stiff bodyshell base

The base bodyshell of the Reventón is already so stiff that the Roadster requires
only minimal reinforcement. It has a dry weight of only 1690 Kg (3,725 lbs.), just
25 Kg, (55 lbs.) more than the Coupé.

Like the Coupé, the cell of the Roadster is made from high-strength steel profile
and carbon components joined with specialist adhesive and rivets. The bodyshell
is made almost entirely from carbon fiber elements, with sheet steel used only
for the outer door skins.

Exclusive grey paintwork

A unique paint finish completes the razor sharp design language of the
Lamborghini Reventón Roadster. For this exclusive special edition, designers
have created a new shade of matt grey called Reventón Grey. As for the
Reventón Coupé, which is a slightly different shade of grey, this is a matt paint
finish that, in the sunlight, displays an unexpected impression of depth thanks to
its special metal particles.

The wheels of the Reventón Roadster also incorporate the interplay of matt and
glossy elements. The five spokes of the rims each bear a Y-form, and on each
spoke are mounted small crescent-shaped wings made from matte carbon. These
provide not only an unusual visual impact, but also a turbine effect that further
improves cooling of the mighty ceramic brake discs.

Aircraft-style displays

The interior of the Reventón Roadster conveys the same powerful design as the
exterior. The cockpit is structured with technical clarity, the interfaces arranged
for functionality. Like a modern aircraft, the open two-seater no longer has
classic analogue instrumentation – instead, information is delivered via two
transreflective and one transmissive liquid-crystal displays.

The driver can switch between two modes at the touch of a button – one digital
view with illuminated bars and one level with classic round dials, albeit with
changing color graphics. Centrally located at the top of the display is the G-force
meter. It represents the intensity of the forces acting on the Reventón Roadster
under acceleration, braking and heavy cornering; the same format used in
Formula 1.

The instruments are mounted in a casing machined from solid aluminum which is
housed in a carbon fiber dashboard. The interior displays uncompromisingly
clean craftsmanship and features a host of carbon fiber applications – e.g. on the
center tunnel – aluminum, Alcantara and leather. The central panels and the seat
cushions are perforated, with precision stitching gracing their outer edges.

Lamborghini has equipped the Reventón Roadster with full options.

An icon of engine design

The twelve-cylinder engine that powers the Reventón Roadster is a Lamborghini
icon – and the technical feature that defines the character of the car. It is one of
the world's most powerful naturally-aspirated engines. With a compression ratio
of 11 : 1 and a displacement of 6496 cc (396.41 in
3
,) it generates 670 PS (493 kW)
at 8,000 rpm. Its maximum torque of 660 Nm (487 lb-ft) kicks in at 6,000 rpm.

The V12 engine is a masterpiece of Italian engineering. Two chains drive its four
camshafts that, in turn, operate the 48 valves. Together with the three-phase
adjustable intake manifold, the variable valve timing delivers a meaty torque
build-up. Dry sump lubrication ensures that the hi-tech power unit has a constant
supply of oil, even under heavy lateral acceleration. The absence of the oil sump
means a low mounting position – benefitting the car's outstanding handling
characteristics.

The V12 catapults the Reventón Roadster from 0 to 100 Km/h (0 to 62 mph) in
3.4 seconds and onwards to a top speed of 330 Km/h (205 mph). It reacts with
the eagerness of a racing engine to input from the right foot, revving to 8,000
rpm and beyond, and performing a symphony that sends shudders along the
spine. The deep booming bass, the powerful mid-range and the exultant horn
section play music that, once heard, can never be forgotten.

All-wheel drive for maximum traction

In classic Lamborghini style, the aluminum engine is mounted longitudinally in
front of the rear axle, with the transmission ahead of it beneath the center
tunnel. This layout results in 58 percent of the overall weight being borne by the
rear wheels – ideal for a powerful sports car.

This layout accommodates the Viscous Traction permanent all-wheel drive.
Under normal conditions, it sends the vast majority of the driving force to the
rear wheels. Should they begin to spin, the central viscous coupling sends up to
35 percent of the power via an additional shaft to the front axle. Limited-slip
differentials are located there and at the rear axle with 25 and 45 percent lock
respectively.

Lamborghini introduced the all-wheel drive principle with the Diablo. The reason
back then was just as clear as it is today - four driven wheels grip far better than

two, and the more powerful the engine, the greater the impact of this
fundamental law of physics.

Also standard on the Reventón Roadster is the e.gear automated six-speed
sequential manual transmission. The driver controls the gear shift, which is
activated hydraulically via two steering wheel paddles. In addition to the
"Normal" mode, the system offers a "Corsa" and a "low adherence" mode. The
driver just has to keep his foot to the floor - the rest is handled by e.gear.

Running gear layout from motorsport

The Reventón Roadster keeps the extreme power of its engine in check with a
running gear layout derived directly from motorsport. Each wheel boasts double
wishbone suspension, with one spring strut on each side of the front axle and two
each at the rear. The front end of the car can be raised by 40 mm (about 1.6 in.)
to protect the underside of the vehicle over potholes or on steep entrances into
underground garages.

The open two-seater runs on 18-inch wheels. The front tires measure 245/35,
while the rears are 335/30. Dedicated air channels in the bodyshell cool the four
wheel brakes. Carbon-fiber ceramic discs are standard – they have an extremely
lightweight construction, operate with virtually no fade, are corrosion-free and
achieve the highest service life. Each disc has a diameter of 380 mm (~15 in.) and
is gripped by six-piston calipers.

As fast as the open two-seater may be, its road manners are impeccable. Its
performance limits are extremely high, yet effortless to control. And, on exiting a
bend, all four wheels stick tenaciously to the asphalt. The permanent all-wheel
drive dovetails the car firmly with the road, delivering decisive benefits in
traction and stability.

High-performance aerodynamics

A further distinctive characteristic of the Reventón Roadster is its calm
directional stability even at extremely high speeds – a feature that also turns fast
highway stretches into sheer joy. Alongside the bodyshell design and the smooth
underbody, which culminates in a powerfully formed diffuser, the rear spoiler
carries responsibility for downforce. It deploys from the rear edge at about 130
Km/h (80 mph) and adopts an even steeper angle as of about 220 Km/h (136

mph). The entire aerodynamic concept – around and through the car – is radically
laid out for performance.

State-of the-art development techniques

Lamborghini used state-of-the-art, highly networked processes to bring the
Reventón Roadster to life. The design, CAD work and model making that took
place in the Centro Stile, which opened in 2004, were accompanied continuously
by specialists and test engineers from the Research & Development Department.

The Design Department is directly linked to the neighbouring Ufficio Tecnico,
ensuring rapid implementation of ideas. Lamborghini's capabilities also include
the independent development of the complete electronic platform. This
incorporates all control units – including those for the V12 and the innovative
cockpit displays.

All units of the Reventón Roadster are being built on the Sant'Agata Bolognese
production line, with perfect craftsmanship and to the highest levels of quality.

Technical Data
Frame
High strength tubular steel structure with carbon fibre components.

Bodywork
In carbon fibre, except door external panels (steel)

Steering
Type Mechanical (rack and pinion) power-assisted
Right-hand turning circle 12.55 m (41.17 ft)

Wheels and tyres
Front 245/35 ZR 18
Rear 335/30 ZR 18

Engine
Type 12 cylinders at 60°
Bore and stroke 88 mm x 89 mm (3.46 in x 3.50 in)
Displacement 6496 cc (396.41 in
3
)
Compression ratio (11 ± 0.2):1
Maximum power 670 PS, 493 kW at 8000 rpm
(guaranteed through the engine selection)
Maximum torque 660 Nm (487 lb-ft) at 6000 rpm
Engine position in vehicle Longitudinal central-rear
Cylinder heads and engine block Aluminium
Intake system Variable geometry with 3 operating modes

Timing
4 valves per cylinder, 4 overhead camshafts
Timing gear transmission 2 chains
Continuous timing variation (int. and ex.) Electronically controlled

Ignition system
Static type ignition system with individual coils (one for each spark plug).
Firing sequence 1-7-4-10-2-8-6-12-3-9-5-11

Fuel system/injection
Lamborghini LIE electronic engine control unit, multipoint, sequential timed, DRIVE BY WIRE

Lubrication system
Type Dry sump
Scavenging pumps 2 gear pumps
Delivery pump (high pressure) 1 gear pump

Cooling system
Type Liquid cooled, with pressurized circuit

Transmission
Type of transmission Permanent all-wheel drive with Viscous Traction
system
Gearbox E-gear
Clutch Dry single disc
Clutch disc diameter 272 mm (10.7 in)
Disengagement With self-adjusting hydraulic control

Transmission ratios
Gearbox:
I
st
1:3.091
II
nd
1:2.105
III
rd
1:1.565
IV
th
1:1.241
V
th
1:1.065
VI
th
1:0.939
Reverse 1:2.692

Brakes
4 self-ventilated rotors with pedal control, hydraulic transmission with dual independent circuits, one for
each axle with vacuum servo.
ABS antilock device + DRP function.
Handbrake Mechanical, acting on rear wheels
Ceramic rotors system
Front rotor Ø 380 x 38 mm (Ø 14.96 in x 1.5 in)
Front calliper cylinders N. 6 (32-36-38 mm) (1.26 in-1.42 in-1.5in)
Rear rotor Ø 380 x 38 mm (Ø 14.96 in x 1.5 in)
Rear calliper cylinders N. 6 (32-36-38 mm) (1.26 in-1.42 in-1.5in)

Suspension
4-wheel independent articulated quadrilateral system. Hydraulic shock absorbers and coaxial coil springs.
Suspension with dual front and rear struts, anti-roll, anti-dive and anti-squat bar.

Performance data
Top speed 330 km/h (205 mph)
Acceleration 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) 3.4 s

Dimensions
Wheelbase 2665 mm (104.92 in)
Total length 4700 mm (185.04 in)
Total width 2058 mm (81.02 in)
Total height 1132 mm (44.57 in) (without roof)
1134 mm (44.64 in) (with roof)
Dry weight (no fuel) 1690 kg (3725.8 lb)
Front track width 1635 mm (64.37 in)
Rear track width 1695 mm (66.73 in)
Front overhang 1080 mm (46.46 in)
Rear overhang 955 mm (37.60 in)
Maximum overall width with external rear-view
mirrors
2240 mm (88.19 in)

Liquid capacities (litres)
Fuel tank 100 litres (26.4 gal)
Engine oil 12 litres (3.17 gal)
Gearbox oil 3.5 litres (0.92 gal)
Front differential oil 1 litre (0.26 gal)
Rear differential oil 2.5 litres (0.66 gal)
Cooling circuit 15 litres (3.96 gal)

Consumption (according to DIR 2004/3/CE)
Urban 32,3 l/100km
Extra-urban 15,0 l/100 km
Combined 21,3 l/100 km
CO2 emissions 495 g/km

City
10 mpg
Highway
16 mpg
(following EPA regulation)

e.gear
only
Combined
12 mpg

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<![CDATA[Lamborghini Press Conference Running Late]]> Peter Orosz tells us the Lamborghini press conference is running late. Typical Italians.

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<![CDATA[Lamborghini Reventón Roadster Debuts Amid A Bevy Of Booth Professionals]]> The Lamborghini Reventón Roadster just peaked out its stealth fighter nose at Frankfurt. It sells for an auspicious $1.3 million. [Twitpic via MT_Floyd]

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<![CDATA[Lamborghini Murciélago Flips In Fatal Crash]]> According to Autogespot, the driver of this Lamborghini Murciélago smacked into a Spyker Mercedes and flew off the road in Belgium, killing the driver. Update below

The details are a little vague, and translated from Dutch, but it appears the accident occurred sometime Sunday morning Antwerp time. The driver of the Lamborghini made contact with a Spyker, hit a concrete curb, and landed on its roof. The driver of the Lamborghini was thrown from the car and died at the hospital. The passengers in the Spyker were unharmed.

The accident is being investigated, but if we were to guess — we're going with street racing. Otherwise the odds of both cars being in the same place at the same time are too astronomical for us to even contemplate. (Hat tip to Moosestar!)

Update: We're told that it might have actually been a wreck with a Mercedes, according to this source. Our Dutch readers want to translate for us?

Update 2: Our man Kris hooked us up with this description: "The driver, 36 years old, crashed his 320km/h limited Lamborghini at about 6am on Sunday morning on the Noorderlaan in Antwerp. The was very little traffic on the road and the drive did not keep himself to the speed limit. It still needs to be determined what speed he was going when he lost control in the bend. The driver died 2 hours later in hospital. On YouTube several clips can be found of the driver and his car as he used to arrange get-togethers in champagne bars with other exotic car drivers. 50 meters further was a damaged Mercedes which probably makes it a street-race, both cars are taken by the police for further investigation."

[Autogespot]

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