Lamborghini: Murcielago news **LP670-4 SuperVeloce China Revealed (page 8)**
06-19-2003, 12:03 PM
#1
Moderator Alumnus
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Washington DC (NOVA)
Age: 52
Posts: 16,399
Likes: 0
Received 8 Likes
on
8 Posts
Lamborghini: Murcielago news **LP670-4 SuperVeloce China Revealed (page 8)**
Lamborghini Murci¦Élago
Sometimes in life, what you need is a whole lot of bull.
BY JOHN PHILLIPS
BY AARON KILEY
July 2003
1 2 3
On I-94 in front of Detroit Metro Airport, I tried to pass a Melvindale Elementary school bus. As I drew even, I noticed the bus had started to lean at a frightening angle¡ªwas leaning in my direction, in fact, like a yellow Lusitania about to invert. I nailed the throttle to avoid being crushed. As I roared past, I could see the driver was half out of his seat, his body twisted to the left, his face contorted. He looked like Ralph Kramden yelling at Ed Norton. Here was his problem: Every child onboard had stampeded to the portside windows.
That little dancing bull on the nose of a car¡ªit drives people nuts.
The Murci¨¦lago has been in Lamborghini¡¯s 16 U.S. dealerships since December 2001. Since then, 200 have been sold. When a dealer places an order, the car is air-freighted from Italy in a sealed container and can be disrupting American schoolchildren in as few as 10 days. There are two options only: pearlescent paint ($2500) and a nav system ($3500).
Lamborghinis are famous for being as fragile as spring ice, so it was of some concern that our test car showed 15,500 miles¡ªas much mule as bull. ¡°It¡¯s survived 35 road tests,¡± asserted Lamborghini tech adviser Ken McCay, who is not Italian. ¡°You¡¯re the only guys who broke it [last summer, when a universal joint pulled free in the shift linkage].¡± We broke it this time, too, when the whole shift lever snapped off at the root. The car came with the license ¡°AL 147,¡± a reference to ¡°Automobili Lamborghini engineering project No. 147.¡± Maybe project No. 148 will be devoted to shift-linkage reinforcement.
What you notice first about the Murci¨¦lago is that its left-front wheel intrudes some eight inches into prime footwell territory, skewing your feet to the right. Your left foot searches for a place to relax¡ªunder the clutch is about the only comfortable spot. What you notice next is the accelerator pedal juts out of a small black box, like a paddle raised in a canoe. Your heel rests on the front of this box, and you bend your toes forward to move the throttle. You can duplicate the sensation by walking around with a box of Tic Tacs in your shoe.
Consequently, throttle roll-on, roll-off is a bit trickier than we¡¯d prefer. Sometimes during upshifts, you¡¯re still accidentally summoning revs when the shifter reaches neutral. An embarrassing overrev ensues. Sometimes during downshifts, you¡¯re off the throttle prematurely. An embarrassing lurch ensues. All of which is a shame, because the 378-cubic-inch V-12 revs so freely, so enthusiastically, that you¡¯ll swear there¡¯s no flywheel attached. At idle, moreover, it¡¯s so smooth and silent¡ªrelatively speaking¡ªthat you¡¯re sometimes tricked into thinking it¡¯s stalled.
On freeways, the Murci¨¦lago tracks confidently and is relatively immune to tramlining¡ªsurprising for a car riding on as much rubber as you¡¯d find in a Nike store. You can steer with your left knee. At legal freeway speeds and in sixth gear, the V-12 is puttering along at 2000 rpm. Wind, tire, and exhaust noise are moderate, although the huge Pirellis (mounted on 13-inch-wide rear wheels) make expansion strips sound like individual rifle shots.
Visibility astern, through the 30-by-4.5-inch backlight, is actually okay, although it¡¯s trifurcated by two Miura-like slats. The seats are as hard as park benches but offer terrific side bolsters that grip just below your armpits. The control relationships are generally good, the switchgear is intuitive, and the steering wheel is adjustable for reach and rake. The air conditioner even blows cold air. We do wish the cockpit weren¡¯t quite so dour¡ªa funny trait for a vehicle that is elsewhere as flamboyant as Las Vegas. Buyers may benefit by drinking heavily before selecting their leather hues.
Lamborghini¡¯s gated six-speed shifter is still somewhat stubborn, at least by modern standards. As you depart one gear, it¡¯s wise to pause a beat before selecting another. Clutchless shifting¡ªas one might undertake in, say, a Nissan 350Z or Acura NSX¡ªis close to impossible, no matter your skill at matching revs. Nevertheless, this remains the silkiest, lowest-effort shifter ever to emerge from the bull fitters in Sant¡¯Agata Bolognese. Even the detents for first and second are back where God (though perhaps not Ferruccio) intended, in the conventional H. Heck, you can even downshift into first at 20 or so mph¡ªa miracle.
The clutch is heavy but not oppressive. Step-off requires more clutch slipping than we¡¯d like, although we¡¯re not surprised. At 4058 pounds, the Murci¨¦lago is as portly as a Cadillac DeVille, and its viscous four-wheel-drive bits and pieces are far from frictionless.
The brake pedal requires a concerted push. It¡¯s sometimes easy to push right into the TRW anti-lock. You¡¯ll know when this happens, because the ABS pounds and thumps like an out-of-round locomotive wheel. What¡¯s more, the pads squeal when they¡¯re cold. But forget all this carping, because the brakes otherwise function exactly as advertised, halting all motion from 70 mph in 155 feet¡ªwithin 12 inches of what a FABCAR-Porsche can achieve.
What this Lamborghini does best¡ªapart from fomenting small riots at every refueling stop¡ªis accelerate. Few things in life so reliably induce giddiness as a couple of 0-to-80-mph blasts in a Murci¨¦lago, a process, by the way, that requires but a third of the available gears. Even with the traction control disengaged, there is no discernible wheelspin, in part because the contact patches comprise their own ZIP Code. The exhaust note isn¡¯t a delicate Italianate wail, either. It¡¯s a booming, thunderous muscle-car whoop that, at wide-open whack, is 9 dBA more vociferous than the V-12 in Ferrari¡¯s 575M.
For a blink or two after launch, the Murci¨¦lago¡¯s progress feels almost leisurely. But as engine revs approach 4000, various valves and intake runners revise their overall business plans, and there¡¯s a redoubling of thrust that will make you wonder if a secret turbo has kicked in. It caused my radar detector to fly off the dash and smack me in the bicep.
You¡¯ll be saying hello to 60 mph in 3.8 seconds, equaling what a Porsche 911 GT2 can muster and 0.1 second quicker than a Dodge Viper. The quarter-mile slips past in 12.6 seconds at 116 mph, same as a Ferrari 575M. One-hundred fifty mph is yours in 21.4 seconds¡ª2.7 seconds sooner than a Corvette Z06. And throughout all this accelerative derring-do, the Murci¨¦lago tracked fuss-free and true. A pearlescent bull shot out of a cannon.
The steering is lighter than the ham-fisted Diablo¡¯s¡ªa huge relief around town¡ªalthough there¡¯s a small dead spot on-center and a slight increase in weight at about 60 degrees. The rack is adept at filtering out kickbacks, although some road textures get filtered out in the process. Despite the four driver-selectable shock settings, we noticed only two ride flavors: stiff and stiffer. Bumpy corners can induce a kind of lateral skittishness common to suspensionless go-karts. Innocent subassemblies rattle and quiver in sympathy¡ªthe dash, the center console, even the side-view mirrors (which stick out 13 inches, like individual garden hoes). On the other hand, the Murci¨¦lago rides better than a Diablo and way better than a Viper.
On our handling loop, our test car proved a wholly nonthreatening bull. That¡¯s because, like all four-wheel-drive Lamborghinis, it understeers. You¡¯ll hear the front tires moan, then squeal, then howl. Dial up whatever intensity you want, but ¡°push¡± is the order of the day, especially in hairpins. It doesn¡¯t spoil the fun, though. How could it, with 0.98 g of grip on tap? That¡¯s enough to disorient passengers and disgorge the contents of their purses. But it may contribute to what is certainly the Murci¨¦lago¡¯s chief failing¡ªthat it tends to feel big, brutish, and awkward in all low-speed maneuvers, revealing a kind of gravitas you wouldn¡¯t expect in a vehicle whose sole purpose is to entertain. The weird throttle, the slow shifter, the two tons of pork¡ªit¡¯s sometimes hard to establish a rhythm.
Far more gratifying are high-speed corners and sweepers, where the nose takes an earnest set and is disciplined about following whatever arc you¡¯ve prescribed. Above 80 mph, this brute begins to feel like a big German sedan.
No one at C/D can afford a Murci¨¦lago, so we can¡¯t tell you how such buyers think. But here¡¯s how we think: For the price of this car, you could buy a Viper, a Mazda RX-8, a 911 Turbo, a Z06, and a George Foreman grill. Course, none of those devices has doors that open skyward. And none seems likely to tip a school bus.
COUNTERPOINT
Lamborghini¡¯s monster wedge is showing some figurative gray hair. The Countach and the Diablo were shrieking savages with heavy controls, claustrophobic cabins, and bodywork where you need to see out. The Murci¨¦lago is contrastingly comfortable with almost Honda Accord lightness to the levers, big and bland gauges, and visibility that is just a couple of wind-tunnel-blown pillars away from being decent. The Murci¨¦lago shrieks more quietly, delivers the kiloton blast of power more smoothly, and frets about the future with its hyperactive traction control. A Lamborghini has never been so easy to drive, or so middle-aged in its personality. ¡ªAaron Robinson
I confess¡ªI¡¯m the one who twice broke the Murci¨¦lago. This record indicates a lack of mechanical sympathy, but I didn¡¯t drive the Lambo any differently than the hundreds of other cars I¡¯ve performance-tested in the past eight years. In fact, during the second round of testing, I went especially easy while shifting, which increased the time it took for each shift. That¡¯s why the 12.6-second quarter-mile time is longer than the 3.8-second 0-to-60 sprint suggests it should be. There¡¯s no denying the Lambo¡¯s shock value, and it rides better than you¡¯d expect an exotic to, but I¡¯d get more enjoyment from an everyday exotic such as the Porsche 911 Turbo. ¡ªLarry Webster
I always fancied myself a ¡°Ferrari guy¡±¡ªas distinct from being a ¡°Lamborghini guy.¡± Something about the image of the cars I could only imagine myself driving¡ªthe Lambo is a bit, you know, garish. The Murci¨¦lago has not changed my mind on this matter, exactly. But man, oh man, what a wonderfully brutal, raucous thrill ride. When that free-revving V-12 is spinning at about 5000 rpm, roaring from deep within its throat, and there¡¯s a shiver running through every part of the car, you can assign the driver whatever cheap showiness you¡¯d like. What am I going to do? Bitch about the ride quality? The switchgear? It¡¯s all worth it. ¡ªDaniel Pund
C/D TEST RESULTS
ACCELERATION (Seconds)
Zero to 30 mph: 1.7
40 mph: 2.4
50 mph: 3.0
60 mph: 3.8
70 mph: 5.6
80 mph: 6.3
90 mph: 8.2
100 mph: 9.5
110 mph: 11.0
120 mph: 13.7
130 mph: 15.9
140 mph: 18.5
150 mph: 21.4
160 mph: 27.2
Street start, 5¨C60 mph: 4.8
Top-gear acceleration, 30¨C50 mph: 6.1
50¨C70 mph: 5.8
Standing 1/4-mile: 12.6 sec @ 116 mph
Top speed (drag limited, mfr¡¯s est): 205 mph
BRAKING
70¨C0 mph @ impending lockup: 155 ft
Fade: none light moderate heavy
HANDLING
Roadholding, 300-ft-dia skidpad: 0.98 g
Understeer: minimal moderate excessive
FUEL ECONOMY
EPA city driving: 9 mpg
EPA highway driving: 13 mpg
C/D-observed: 10 mpg
INTERIOR SOUND LEVEL
Idle: 59 dBA
Full-throttle acceleration: 89 dBA
70-mph cruising: 79 dBA
LAMBORGHINI MURCI¨¦LAGO
Vehicle type: mid-engine, 4-wheel-drive, 2-passenger, 2-door coupe
Price as tested: $283,600
Price and option breakdown: base Lamborghini Murci¨¦lago (includes $7700 gas-guzzler tax and $1300 freight), $281,100; pearlescent paint, $2500
Major standard accessories: power steering, windows, and locks; A/C; tilting and telescoping steering wheel
Sound system: Lamborghini AM/FM-stereo radio/CD player, 4 speakers
ENGINE
Type: V-12, aluminum block and heads
Bore x stroke: 3.43 x 3.42 in, 87.0 x 86.8mm
Displacement: 378 cu in, 6192cc
Compression ratio: 10.7:1
Engine-control system: Lamborghini LIE with port fuel injection
Emissions controls: 3-way catalytic converter, feedback air-fuel-ratio control
Valve gear: chain-driven double overhead cams, 4 valves per cylinder, variable intake- and exhaust-valve timing
Power (SAE net): 572 bhp @ 7500 rpm
Torque (SAE net): 479 lb-ft @ 5400 rpm
Redline: 7600 rpm
DRIVETRAIN
Transmission: 6-speed manual
Final-drive ratio: 2.53:1 limited slip
Gear ... Ratio ... Mph/1000 rpm ... Max. speed in gears
I ... 2.94 ... 10.1 ... 77 mph (7600 rpm)
II ... 2.06 ... 14.5 ... 110 mph (7600 rpm)
III ... 1.52 ... 19.6 ... 149 mph (7600 rpm)
IV ... 1.18 ... 25.2 ... 192 mph (7600 rpm)
V ... 1.03 ... 28.9 ... 205 mph (7100 rpm)
VI ... 0.91 ... 32.6 ... 205 mph (6300 rpm)
DIMENSIONS AND CAPACITIES
Wheelbase: 104.9 in
Track, F/R: 64.4/66.7 in
Length: 180.3 in
Width: 80.5 in
Height 44.7 in
Ground clearance: 4.8 in
Curb weight: 4058 lb
Weight distribution, F/R: 42.2/57.8%
Fuel capacity: 26.4 gal
Oil capacity: 12.7 qt
Water capacity: 15.8 qt
CHASSIS/BODY
Type: plastic panels bonded to a steel-tubing space frame
Body material: carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic, steel stampings
INTERIOR
SAE volume, front seat: 49 cu ft
luggage space: 6 cu ft
Front seats: bucket Seat adjustments fore and aft, seatback angle, lumbar support
Restraint systems, front: manual 3-point belts, driver and passenger airbags
General comfort: poor fair good excellent
Fore-and-aft support: poor fair good excellent
Lateral support: poor fair good excellent
SUSPENSION
F: ind; unequal-length control arms; 4-position cockpit-adjustable, electronically controlled shock absorbers; coil springs; anti-roll bar
R: ind; unequal-length control arms; 4-position cockpit-adjustable, electronically controlled shock absorbers; coil springs; anti-roll bar
STEERING
Type: rack-and-pinion, power-assisted
Turns lock-to-lock: 3.0
Turning circle curb-to-curb: 41.2 ft
BRAKES
F: 14.0 x 1.3-in vented, cross-drilled disc
R: 13.2 x 1.3-in vented, cross-drilled disc
Power assist: vacuum with anti-lock control
WHEELS AND TIRES
Wheel size F: 8.5 x 18 in, R: 13.0 x 18 in
Wheel type: cast aluminum
Tires: Pirelli P Zero Rosso; F: 245/35YR-18, R: 335/30YR-18
Test inflation pressures, F/R: 45/45 psi
Sometimes in life, what you need is a whole lot of bull.
BY JOHN PHILLIPS
BY AARON KILEY
July 2003
1 2 3
On I-94 in front of Detroit Metro Airport, I tried to pass a Melvindale Elementary school bus. As I drew even, I noticed the bus had started to lean at a frightening angle¡ªwas leaning in my direction, in fact, like a yellow Lusitania about to invert. I nailed the throttle to avoid being crushed. As I roared past, I could see the driver was half out of his seat, his body twisted to the left, his face contorted. He looked like Ralph Kramden yelling at Ed Norton. Here was his problem: Every child onboard had stampeded to the portside windows.
That little dancing bull on the nose of a car¡ªit drives people nuts.
The Murci¨¦lago has been in Lamborghini¡¯s 16 U.S. dealerships since December 2001. Since then, 200 have been sold. When a dealer places an order, the car is air-freighted from Italy in a sealed container and can be disrupting American schoolchildren in as few as 10 days. There are two options only: pearlescent paint ($2500) and a nav system ($3500).
Lamborghinis are famous for being as fragile as spring ice, so it was of some concern that our test car showed 15,500 miles¡ªas much mule as bull. ¡°It¡¯s survived 35 road tests,¡± asserted Lamborghini tech adviser Ken McCay, who is not Italian. ¡°You¡¯re the only guys who broke it [last summer, when a universal joint pulled free in the shift linkage].¡± We broke it this time, too, when the whole shift lever snapped off at the root. The car came with the license ¡°AL 147,¡± a reference to ¡°Automobili Lamborghini engineering project No. 147.¡± Maybe project No. 148 will be devoted to shift-linkage reinforcement.
What you notice first about the Murci¨¦lago is that its left-front wheel intrudes some eight inches into prime footwell territory, skewing your feet to the right. Your left foot searches for a place to relax¡ªunder the clutch is about the only comfortable spot. What you notice next is the accelerator pedal juts out of a small black box, like a paddle raised in a canoe. Your heel rests on the front of this box, and you bend your toes forward to move the throttle. You can duplicate the sensation by walking around with a box of Tic Tacs in your shoe.
Consequently, throttle roll-on, roll-off is a bit trickier than we¡¯d prefer. Sometimes during upshifts, you¡¯re still accidentally summoning revs when the shifter reaches neutral. An embarrassing overrev ensues. Sometimes during downshifts, you¡¯re off the throttle prematurely. An embarrassing lurch ensues. All of which is a shame, because the 378-cubic-inch V-12 revs so freely, so enthusiastically, that you¡¯ll swear there¡¯s no flywheel attached. At idle, moreover, it¡¯s so smooth and silent¡ªrelatively speaking¡ªthat you¡¯re sometimes tricked into thinking it¡¯s stalled.
On freeways, the Murci¨¦lago tracks confidently and is relatively immune to tramlining¡ªsurprising for a car riding on as much rubber as you¡¯d find in a Nike store. You can steer with your left knee. At legal freeway speeds and in sixth gear, the V-12 is puttering along at 2000 rpm. Wind, tire, and exhaust noise are moderate, although the huge Pirellis (mounted on 13-inch-wide rear wheels) make expansion strips sound like individual rifle shots.
Visibility astern, through the 30-by-4.5-inch backlight, is actually okay, although it¡¯s trifurcated by two Miura-like slats. The seats are as hard as park benches but offer terrific side bolsters that grip just below your armpits. The control relationships are generally good, the switchgear is intuitive, and the steering wheel is adjustable for reach and rake. The air conditioner even blows cold air. We do wish the cockpit weren¡¯t quite so dour¡ªa funny trait for a vehicle that is elsewhere as flamboyant as Las Vegas. Buyers may benefit by drinking heavily before selecting their leather hues.
Lamborghini¡¯s gated six-speed shifter is still somewhat stubborn, at least by modern standards. As you depart one gear, it¡¯s wise to pause a beat before selecting another. Clutchless shifting¡ªas one might undertake in, say, a Nissan 350Z or Acura NSX¡ªis close to impossible, no matter your skill at matching revs. Nevertheless, this remains the silkiest, lowest-effort shifter ever to emerge from the bull fitters in Sant¡¯Agata Bolognese. Even the detents for first and second are back where God (though perhaps not Ferruccio) intended, in the conventional H. Heck, you can even downshift into first at 20 or so mph¡ªa miracle.
The clutch is heavy but not oppressive. Step-off requires more clutch slipping than we¡¯d like, although we¡¯re not surprised. At 4058 pounds, the Murci¨¦lago is as portly as a Cadillac DeVille, and its viscous four-wheel-drive bits and pieces are far from frictionless.
The brake pedal requires a concerted push. It¡¯s sometimes easy to push right into the TRW anti-lock. You¡¯ll know when this happens, because the ABS pounds and thumps like an out-of-round locomotive wheel. What¡¯s more, the pads squeal when they¡¯re cold. But forget all this carping, because the brakes otherwise function exactly as advertised, halting all motion from 70 mph in 155 feet¡ªwithin 12 inches of what a FABCAR-Porsche can achieve.
What this Lamborghini does best¡ªapart from fomenting small riots at every refueling stop¡ªis accelerate. Few things in life so reliably induce giddiness as a couple of 0-to-80-mph blasts in a Murci¨¦lago, a process, by the way, that requires but a third of the available gears. Even with the traction control disengaged, there is no discernible wheelspin, in part because the contact patches comprise their own ZIP Code. The exhaust note isn¡¯t a delicate Italianate wail, either. It¡¯s a booming, thunderous muscle-car whoop that, at wide-open whack, is 9 dBA more vociferous than the V-12 in Ferrari¡¯s 575M.
For a blink or two after launch, the Murci¨¦lago¡¯s progress feels almost leisurely. But as engine revs approach 4000, various valves and intake runners revise their overall business plans, and there¡¯s a redoubling of thrust that will make you wonder if a secret turbo has kicked in. It caused my radar detector to fly off the dash and smack me in the bicep.
You¡¯ll be saying hello to 60 mph in 3.8 seconds, equaling what a Porsche 911 GT2 can muster and 0.1 second quicker than a Dodge Viper. The quarter-mile slips past in 12.6 seconds at 116 mph, same as a Ferrari 575M. One-hundred fifty mph is yours in 21.4 seconds¡ª2.7 seconds sooner than a Corvette Z06. And throughout all this accelerative derring-do, the Murci¨¦lago tracked fuss-free and true. A pearlescent bull shot out of a cannon.
The steering is lighter than the ham-fisted Diablo¡¯s¡ªa huge relief around town¡ªalthough there¡¯s a small dead spot on-center and a slight increase in weight at about 60 degrees. The rack is adept at filtering out kickbacks, although some road textures get filtered out in the process. Despite the four driver-selectable shock settings, we noticed only two ride flavors: stiff and stiffer. Bumpy corners can induce a kind of lateral skittishness common to suspensionless go-karts. Innocent subassemblies rattle and quiver in sympathy¡ªthe dash, the center console, even the side-view mirrors (which stick out 13 inches, like individual garden hoes). On the other hand, the Murci¨¦lago rides better than a Diablo and way better than a Viper.
On our handling loop, our test car proved a wholly nonthreatening bull. That¡¯s because, like all four-wheel-drive Lamborghinis, it understeers. You¡¯ll hear the front tires moan, then squeal, then howl. Dial up whatever intensity you want, but ¡°push¡± is the order of the day, especially in hairpins. It doesn¡¯t spoil the fun, though. How could it, with 0.98 g of grip on tap? That¡¯s enough to disorient passengers and disgorge the contents of their purses. But it may contribute to what is certainly the Murci¨¦lago¡¯s chief failing¡ªthat it tends to feel big, brutish, and awkward in all low-speed maneuvers, revealing a kind of gravitas you wouldn¡¯t expect in a vehicle whose sole purpose is to entertain. The weird throttle, the slow shifter, the two tons of pork¡ªit¡¯s sometimes hard to establish a rhythm.
Far more gratifying are high-speed corners and sweepers, where the nose takes an earnest set and is disciplined about following whatever arc you¡¯ve prescribed. Above 80 mph, this brute begins to feel like a big German sedan.
No one at C/D can afford a Murci¨¦lago, so we can¡¯t tell you how such buyers think. But here¡¯s how we think: For the price of this car, you could buy a Viper, a Mazda RX-8, a 911 Turbo, a Z06, and a George Foreman grill. Course, none of those devices has doors that open skyward. And none seems likely to tip a school bus.
COUNTERPOINT
Lamborghini¡¯s monster wedge is showing some figurative gray hair. The Countach and the Diablo were shrieking savages with heavy controls, claustrophobic cabins, and bodywork where you need to see out. The Murci¨¦lago is contrastingly comfortable with almost Honda Accord lightness to the levers, big and bland gauges, and visibility that is just a couple of wind-tunnel-blown pillars away from being decent. The Murci¨¦lago shrieks more quietly, delivers the kiloton blast of power more smoothly, and frets about the future with its hyperactive traction control. A Lamborghini has never been so easy to drive, or so middle-aged in its personality. ¡ªAaron Robinson
I confess¡ªI¡¯m the one who twice broke the Murci¨¦lago. This record indicates a lack of mechanical sympathy, but I didn¡¯t drive the Lambo any differently than the hundreds of other cars I¡¯ve performance-tested in the past eight years. In fact, during the second round of testing, I went especially easy while shifting, which increased the time it took for each shift. That¡¯s why the 12.6-second quarter-mile time is longer than the 3.8-second 0-to-60 sprint suggests it should be. There¡¯s no denying the Lambo¡¯s shock value, and it rides better than you¡¯d expect an exotic to, but I¡¯d get more enjoyment from an everyday exotic such as the Porsche 911 Turbo. ¡ªLarry Webster
I always fancied myself a ¡°Ferrari guy¡±¡ªas distinct from being a ¡°Lamborghini guy.¡± Something about the image of the cars I could only imagine myself driving¡ªthe Lambo is a bit, you know, garish. The Murci¨¦lago has not changed my mind on this matter, exactly. But man, oh man, what a wonderfully brutal, raucous thrill ride. When that free-revving V-12 is spinning at about 5000 rpm, roaring from deep within its throat, and there¡¯s a shiver running through every part of the car, you can assign the driver whatever cheap showiness you¡¯d like. What am I going to do? Bitch about the ride quality? The switchgear? It¡¯s all worth it. ¡ªDaniel Pund
C/D TEST RESULTS
ACCELERATION (Seconds)
Zero to 30 mph: 1.7
40 mph: 2.4
50 mph: 3.0
60 mph: 3.8
70 mph: 5.6
80 mph: 6.3
90 mph: 8.2
100 mph: 9.5
110 mph: 11.0
120 mph: 13.7
130 mph: 15.9
140 mph: 18.5
150 mph: 21.4
160 mph: 27.2
Street start, 5¨C60 mph: 4.8
Top-gear acceleration, 30¨C50 mph: 6.1
50¨C70 mph: 5.8
Standing 1/4-mile: 12.6 sec @ 116 mph
Top speed (drag limited, mfr¡¯s est): 205 mph
BRAKING
70¨C0 mph @ impending lockup: 155 ft
Fade: none light moderate heavy
HANDLING
Roadholding, 300-ft-dia skidpad: 0.98 g
Understeer: minimal moderate excessive
FUEL ECONOMY
EPA city driving: 9 mpg
EPA highway driving: 13 mpg
C/D-observed: 10 mpg
INTERIOR SOUND LEVEL
Idle: 59 dBA
Full-throttle acceleration: 89 dBA
70-mph cruising: 79 dBA
LAMBORGHINI MURCI¨¦LAGO
Vehicle type: mid-engine, 4-wheel-drive, 2-passenger, 2-door coupe
Price as tested: $283,600
Price and option breakdown: base Lamborghini Murci¨¦lago (includes $7700 gas-guzzler tax and $1300 freight), $281,100; pearlescent paint, $2500
Major standard accessories: power steering, windows, and locks; A/C; tilting and telescoping steering wheel
Sound system: Lamborghini AM/FM-stereo radio/CD player, 4 speakers
ENGINE
Type: V-12, aluminum block and heads
Bore x stroke: 3.43 x 3.42 in, 87.0 x 86.8mm
Displacement: 378 cu in, 6192cc
Compression ratio: 10.7:1
Engine-control system: Lamborghini LIE with port fuel injection
Emissions controls: 3-way catalytic converter, feedback air-fuel-ratio control
Valve gear: chain-driven double overhead cams, 4 valves per cylinder, variable intake- and exhaust-valve timing
Power (SAE net): 572 bhp @ 7500 rpm
Torque (SAE net): 479 lb-ft @ 5400 rpm
Redline: 7600 rpm
DRIVETRAIN
Transmission: 6-speed manual
Final-drive ratio: 2.53:1 limited slip
Gear ... Ratio ... Mph/1000 rpm ... Max. speed in gears
I ... 2.94 ... 10.1 ... 77 mph (7600 rpm)
II ... 2.06 ... 14.5 ... 110 mph (7600 rpm)
III ... 1.52 ... 19.6 ... 149 mph (7600 rpm)
IV ... 1.18 ... 25.2 ... 192 mph (7600 rpm)
V ... 1.03 ... 28.9 ... 205 mph (7100 rpm)
VI ... 0.91 ... 32.6 ... 205 mph (6300 rpm)
DIMENSIONS AND CAPACITIES
Wheelbase: 104.9 in
Track, F/R: 64.4/66.7 in
Length: 180.3 in
Width: 80.5 in
Height 44.7 in
Ground clearance: 4.8 in
Curb weight: 4058 lb
Weight distribution, F/R: 42.2/57.8%
Fuel capacity: 26.4 gal
Oil capacity: 12.7 qt
Water capacity: 15.8 qt
CHASSIS/BODY
Type: plastic panels bonded to a steel-tubing space frame
Body material: carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic, steel stampings
INTERIOR
SAE volume, front seat: 49 cu ft
luggage space: 6 cu ft
Front seats: bucket Seat adjustments fore and aft, seatback angle, lumbar support
Restraint systems, front: manual 3-point belts, driver and passenger airbags
General comfort: poor fair good excellent
Fore-and-aft support: poor fair good excellent
Lateral support: poor fair good excellent
SUSPENSION
F: ind; unequal-length control arms; 4-position cockpit-adjustable, electronically controlled shock absorbers; coil springs; anti-roll bar
R: ind; unequal-length control arms; 4-position cockpit-adjustable, electronically controlled shock absorbers; coil springs; anti-roll bar
STEERING
Type: rack-and-pinion, power-assisted
Turns lock-to-lock: 3.0
Turning circle curb-to-curb: 41.2 ft
BRAKES
F: 14.0 x 1.3-in vented, cross-drilled disc
R: 13.2 x 1.3-in vented, cross-drilled disc
Power assist: vacuum with anti-lock control
WHEELS AND TIRES
Wheel size F: 8.5 x 18 in, R: 13.0 x 18 in
Wheel type: cast aluminum
Tires: Pirelli P Zero Rosso; F: 245/35YR-18, R: 335/30YR-18
Test inflation pressures, F/R: 45/45 psi
09-11-2003, 08:16 AM
#2
Senior Moderator
Lamborghini: Murcielago news **LP670 Revealed (page 2)**
Lamborghini Murcielago lovers...here she is...meaner than ever...Just another reason for you to wish you were worth a few million Gs...
===============
At the IAA Frankfurt Motor Show, Lamborghini have unveiled the Murciélago R-GT, a new race car derived from its acclaimed super sports car, the Lamborghini Murciélago.
The Murciélago R-GT, developed jointly with renowned race engineering company Reiter Engineering in Germany, and parent company Audi’s sports division Audi Sport, will offer Lamborghini clients a highly competitive car with which to participate in global professional motorsport.
Built to the specification of FIA and ACO regulations, the R-GT will be equipped with a Lamborghini air restricted 6 litre V12 engine, developing a highly competitive power output. The drive train, converted from the Murciélago permanent 4WD to RWD, as per the FIA/ACO regulations, will sport a sequential gearbox. The total weight will be contained within the relevant class specification of 1100 kg.
The Murciélago R-GT has been developed by the ‘House of the raging bull’, as a result of increasing customer demand for a high-specification Lamborghini race car at a competitive price. The R-GT will be supported by the Lamborghini Customer Sports Programme that takes care not only of race car sales but will also offer trackside assistance.
The Murciélago R-GT will be eligible for entry in national and international race events such as the European FIA GT Championship and the American
Le Mans Series, competing in the GT category of these two major championships. Vehicles for customers will be available by 2004 at a selling price below 500.000 Euro.
Following the official launch at the Frankfurt Motor Show, Reiter Engineering will undertake a test and development programme, entering a Murciélago R-GT in the FIA GT races at Estoril, 5 October and at Monza on October 19, 2003. Reiter Engineering plans to shakedown the first car in late September and undertake a test session prior to the Estoril race weekend. For this test and race programme, the car will be driven by professional drivers Peter Kox and Oliver Gavin.
Dr. Werner Mischke, Chairman and President of Automobili Lamborghini, says of the Murciélago launch, “There is already substantial demand for the Murciélago R-GT, from motorsport teams and drivers alike: we anticipate this new race car becoming one of the special attractions in GT motorsport. The presence of this new racing Lamborghini at international sports car events will be a perfect opportunity to showcase the competitive and performance advantages of the Murciélago.”
===============
At the IAA Frankfurt Motor Show, Lamborghini have unveiled the Murciélago R-GT, a new race car derived from its acclaimed super sports car, the Lamborghini Murciélago.
The Murciélago R-GT, developed jointly with renowned race engineering company Reiter Engineering in Germany, and parent company Audi’s sports division Audi Sport, will offer Lamborghini clients a highly competitive car with which to participate in global professional motorsport.
Built to the specification of FIA and ACO regulations, the R-GT will be equipped with a Lamborghini air restricted 6 litre V12 engine, developing a highly competitive power output. The drive train, converted from the Murciélago permanent 4WD to RWD, as per the FIA/ACO regulations, will sport a sequential gearbox. The total weight will be contained within the relevant class specification of 1100 kg.
The Murciélago R-GT has been developed by the ‘House of the raging bull’, as a result of increasing customer demand for a high-specification Lamborghini race car at a competitive price. The R-GT will be supported by the Lamborghini Customer Sports Programme that takes care not only of race car sales but will also offer trackside assistance.
The Murciélago R-GT will be eligible for entry in national and international race events such as the European FIA GT Championship and the American
Le Mans Series, competing in the GT category of these two major championships. Vehicles for customers will be available by 2004 at a selling price below 500.000 Euro.
Following the official launch at the Frankfurt Motor Show, Reiter Engineering will undertake a test and development programme, entering a Murciélago R-GT in the FIA GT races at Estoril, 5 October and at Monza on October 19, 2003. Reiter Engineering plans to shakedown the first car in late September and undertake a test session prior to the Estoril race weekend. For this test and race programme, the car will be driven by professional drivers Peter Kox and Oliver Gavin.
Dr. Werner Mischke, Chairman and President of Automobili Lamborghini, says of the Murciélago launch, “There is already substantial demand for the Murciélago R-GT, from motorsport teams and drivers alike: we anticipate this new race car becoming one of the special attractions in GT motorsport. The presence of this new racing Lamborghini at international sports car events will be a perfect opportunity to showcase the competitive and performance advantages of the Murciélago.”
09-11-2003, 08:55 AM
#4
Senior Moderator
I wonder what the 0-60 times are for this beast...
Trending Topics
Sweet!
09-11-2003, 02:06 PM
#11
Suzuka Master
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Age: 45
Posts: 7,083
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Definitely looks better than the Ferrari racing car in a previous thread
http://www.acura-cl.com/forums/showt...hreadid=113659
http://www.acura-cl.com/forums/showt...hreadid=113659
09-11-2003, 03:04 PM
#14
Senior Moderator
Ground clearance? WHAT ground clearance??!? 
But, if you're rich enough to buy that car, you're rich enough to have a team stand by and LIFT your car over that speed bump...!
But, if you're rich enough to buy that car, you're rich enough to have a team stand by and LIFT your car over that speed bump...!
09-11-2003, 05:56 PM
#17
Senior Moderator
Originally posted by Hobo
a guy in my hood jackhammered out half a speed bump to get enuff clearance for his cars
a guy in my hood jackhammered out half a speed bump to get enuff clearance for his cars
09-11-2003, 07:40 PM
#19
Mazda3 and Honda Civic in
Originally posted by fahoumh
HOLY CRAP...as if the regular Murcielago didn't look bad-ass enough.
HOLY CRAP...as if the regular Murcielago didn't look bad-ass enough.
The Murci is by far my favorite car of all time, but this racer verson is the hottness. Too bad only for race use
09-11-2003, 07:49 PM
#20
Shogun Assassin
Originally posted by gdubb
The Murci is by far my favorite car of all time, but this racer verson is the hottness. Too bad only for race use
The Murci is by far my favorite car of all time, but this racer verson is the hottness. Too bad only for race use
09-11-2003, 09:15 PM
#21
Senior Moderator
So, who wants to time-share a Murcielago R-GT?
09-15-2003, 11:17 AM
#26
Work safe avatar bish :D
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Avon Park/Gainesville FL
Age: 40
Posts: 3,056
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Originally posted by Yumchah
HAH!
HAH!
btw: dint the regular murcielago lower it self at high speeds and raised it self when traveling slow?
02-22-2004, 11:51 PM
#28
Moderator Alumnus
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Washington DC (NOVA)
Age: 52
Posts: 16,399
Likes: 0
Received 8 Likes
on
8 Posts
Lambo sales trippled and 1/3 absorbed by USA
Lambo Sold 1305 in '03 - - By Ian Norris - - The Car Connection
Automobili Lamborghini SpA has confirmed its official 2003 factory figures. It built and sold a record 1305 cars (425 Murciélago and 890 Gallardo units) in the performance car marque's fortieth year. The USA accounted for 425 units (295 Gallardo and 130 Murciélago) in 2003, taking 33 percent of Lamborghini's market worldwide. Germany follows the USA, responsible for approximately 20 percent of Lamborghini sales. The UK market, together with Japan, is the third largest behind the USA and Germany. Automobili Lamborghini more than tripled its sales in 2003 compared to the 424 units it sold in 2002. In 1996, Automobili Lamborghini sold a total of 211 cars worldwide.
Automobili Lamborghini SpA has confirmed its official 2003 factory figures. It built and sold a record 1305 cars (425 Murciélago and 890 Gallardo units) in the performance car marque's fortieth year. The USA accounted for 425 units (295 Gallardo and 130 Murciélago) in 2003, taking 33 percent of Lamborghini's market worldwide. Germany follows the USA, responsible for approximately 20 percent of Lamborghini sales. The UK market, together with Japan, is the third largest behind the USA and Germany. Automobili Lamborghini more than tripled its sales in 2003 compared to the 424 units it sold in 2002. In 1996, Automobili Lamborghini sold a total of 211 cars worldwide.
02-27-2004, 04:36 PM
#38
Moderator Alumnus
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Washington DC (NOVA)
Age: 52
Posts: 16,399
Likes: 0
Received 8 Likes
on
8 Posts
Murcielago Roaster
Murcielago Gets the Roadster Treatment - - Source: The Car Connection
After unveiling the Murciélago coupe it is now the turn of the Roadster to bow in Geneva. Technically the roadster is the same as the coupe with a 6.2-liter 12-cylinder with 580 hp. Top speed is about 330 km/h or 205 mph. Word is around that Lambo will produce a maximum of 200 roadsters. The first will be delivered to their new owners in the second half of 2004. Price is not yet known, but will be in the neighbourhood of 350.000 euro, which is approximately $440,000.
