The Lamborghini Murciélago is a sports car produced by Italian automaker Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A. and designed by Luc Donckerwolke. It was introduced in 2002 as the successor to the Diablo. The Murciélago is a two-door, two-seat coupé. To celebrate the company's 40 years in operation, 50 special edition Murciélagos were built during the autumn of 2003. An open-top version called the Murciélago Roadster was introduced in 2004 for the 2005 model year. The roadster features similar performance to the coupé with a more aggressive rear flank, as well as a considerably higher price tag.
The Murciélago sports a 6.2-liter version of the legendary Lamborghini V12 engine, a six-speed manual or six-speed sequential automatic transmission, and four-wheel drive. It also has a rear spoiler that can be raised to an angle of 70 degrees, side mirrors that fold in to improve aerodynamics, and side scoops that automatically open to the needed size to let in just the right amount of air needed to cool its engine. The 2008 car's fuel economy is 8 mpg (U.S.) (29 l/100 km) city and 13 mpg (U.S.) (18 l/100 km) freeway, making it the least efficient 2008 car for city driving, according to the EPA.[2]
The coupé's base price is US $313,000, which is US $107,000 more than its smaller sibling, the Lamborghini Gallardo.
In 2006 the Murciélago's engine was replaced by a stronger 6.5-liter engine and the car's name was changed to Murciélago LP640. For the 2007 model year Lamborghini did the same with the roadster model, which is now called Murciélago LP640 Roadster. Both versions received a minor facelift.
Lamborghini's own Reventón is a mid-engined sports car that debuted at the 2007 Frankfurt Auto Show.[9] It will be the most powerful and expensive Lamborghini to date, costing one million euro. The official press release states that only 20 will be built, but it is rumoured that the total number could be 100. The exterior styling was inspired by the F-22 Raptor. Although the exterior is partially new, almost the entire mechanics (including the engine) are taken directly from the Murciélago LP640.
| Model | Engine | Power | Torque | 0-60 mph | 0-100 mph | 0-150 mph | Quarter Mile | Top Speed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Murcielago | 6.2 L V12 | 426 kW (571 hp) | 649 N·m (479 ft·lbf) | 3.8 sec | 9.5 sec | 21.4 sec | 11.7 sec @116 mph (187 km/h) | official: 330 km/h (205 mph) |
| Murcielago LP640 | 6.5 L V12 | 471 kW (632 hp) | 660 N·m (487 ft·lbf) | 3.3sec | 7.1 sec | 16.1 sec | 10.9 sec @136 mph (219 km/h) | official: 340 km/h (211 mph) confirmed: 353 km/h (219 mph) |
