If The Regulation Murcielago Isn't Enough For
You, Lamborghini Have Something Pumped Full Of Power * The LP640. Andy Enright
Reports...
The twisted genius at Lamborghini's Sant'Agata factory that came up with the final specification for the
Murcielago LP640 must, as the phrase goes, have something of the night about them. There's a brooding
malevolence to this car, as if it's been distilled from bad intention. It's the automotive world's crazy
Colonel Kurtz.
Believe it or not, there are people out there who feel as if the standard Murcielago doesn't have enough about it.
These are the sorts of people who might consider a hypercar like a Bugatti or a Koenigsegg but are rather
particular about aesthetics. As striking as some of these ultra high performance cars are, none are quite as
elegantly resolved as the Murcielago, a shape that hasn't aged at all since we first saw the design back in 2001.
Since that time, more than 2,000 have found customers. The LP640 will appeal to an even more specialist palate.
The badge tells you much of what you need to know about this car. You won't need to be a fluent Italian speaker
to figure out that Longitudinale Posteriore (LP) denotes which way round the engine sits and where, and the 640
corresponds to how much horsepower said V12 cranks out. That's right, this Lamborghini is more powerful than
a Mercedes McLaren SLR or a Porsche Carrera GT. Bored and stroked to 6.5-litres, this engine has undergone
extensive surgery.
It would be easier to identify what hasn't been changed. The cylinder head and the entire intake system has been
completely reworked. The crankshaft, camshafts and exhaust system have also undergone renovation.
Lamborghini engineers have concentrated on improving torque development. The drivability of the engine is
enhanced by a continuous variable timing system (intake and exhaust side) and a drive-by-wire engine
management system. To meet the thermal requirements of the engine, the engineers have included a considerably
larger oil radiator and subsequently, the air intake on the left side of the vehicle has been enlarged.
"The Murcielago LP640 isn't a car with a sunny demeanour"
It's no use winding the power figures through the ceiling if the rest of the ancillaries can't cope and to that end,
the LP640 features a modified six-speed gearbox as well as a beefier rear differential and new axle shafts. The
e-gear automatic gearbox is also available equipped with the new dedicated "Thrust" (launch control) mode. The
electronics have also been updated.
All that adds up to a sprint from rest to 62mph in 3.4 seconds (0.4 seconds faster than the previous model), with a
top speed of well over 200mph. Power is nothing without control and the LP640 features a huge braking system
with massive 380mm x 34mm front discs, while the 355mm x 32mm rear discs are bigger than most flagship
sports cars wear up front. The control circuit of the four-channel anti-lock system with electronic brake control
(DRP) and traction control (TCS) features an electro-hydraulic control unit and four speed sensors. When
particularly high braking performance is required, on request it is possible to equip the vehicle with 380 mm x 36
mm ceramic carbon brakes featuring six-piston brake callipers. This offers braking performance more akin to
driving into a set of buffers.
Lamborghini have also given the Murcielago LP640 a whole host of styling tweaks too. Revised front and rear
bumpers give the car a more aggressive, motorsports look and feel while the exhausts have been incorporated
within the diffuser on the rear bumper. Other innovations include the rear lights and asymmetric side panels.
While the area behind the air intake on the right side is practically closed, the left side features a vast aperture for
cooling the oil radiator. An option the more extrovert will specify is a glass cover for the engine bay. The rear
view mirrors and the windscreen wipers have been modified to improve aerodynamics and Hermera light metal
wheel rims are offered.
The interior has been given a thorough reworking with revised graphics on the instrument panel while the seats
are not only bigger but also feature redesigned head restraints. The leather upholstery features lozenge-shaped
stitching called Q-citura. The same design is recaptured on the upholstery on the door panels, on the panel
between the seats and the engine compartment, and on the roof panel.
The stereo system is well worth mentioning, the Murcielago LP640 being fitted with a Kenwood head unit
featuring a 6.5" widescreen monitor and DVD, MP3 and WMA player. An optional navigation system is also
available. Like its predecessors, the new Murcielago LP640 can be customised to a very large extent with special
fittings and upholstery packages as part of the Privilegio programme. For example, the cockpit can be specified
with a carbon finish applied to the air-conditioning control panel, the control lever console and the parking brake.
The customer really is king at Lamborghini these days. It wasn't always thus.
You don't have to spool the clock back too far to find a time when Lamborghini was a chaotic mess. They were
building products that were hugely out of step with the times as the company was passed from one buyer to
another, each one entranced by the glamour but without much in the way of vision. Some have muttered that a
little of that magic has seeped away under the sensible stewardship of Audi. Cars like the Murcielago LP640
show that Lamborghini still have that essential extremity and the will to manufacture a car that will be too much
for all but a tiny minority of customers to handle. Imagine Italian styling and charisma with German build quality
and depth of engineering. Then mix-in something of the night and you'll have this extraordinary Lamborghini.
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FACTS AT A GLANCE
CAR: Lamborghini Murcielago LP640
PRICE: £185,000 [est]
INSURANCE GROUP: 20
CO2[g/km] / EMISSIONS BAND: 550g/km [est]
ENGINE: V12 6496cc * 640bhp
PERFORMANCE: Max Speed 210mph / 0-60mph 3.2s [est]
FUEL CONSUMPTION: (combined) 16mpg [est]
WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE ?: Length/Width/Height 4610/2058/1135mm
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