Lamborghini working on pair of two-wheel-drive cars
The Estoque Concept that revealed Lamborghini's styling brilliance isn't reserved for two-door vehicles was preceded by much talk of a possible SV - superveloce - variant of the Murcielago. Part of the rumor of that car was that it would be two-wheel drive, rather than the standard Lamborghini AWD. A new report has emerged that lends credence to that idea even while it re-casts it in a new light.
The first of the cars to get the two-wheel-drive treatment, due in late 2009, will be the Gallardo, however, reports AutoTelegraaf after a talk with Lamborghini CEO Stephan Winkelmann. Dubbed the LP560-2, the new car will also bear the title 'Superleggera', Italian for 'superlight'. The superleggera version of the previous-generation Gallardo made do with AWD, however, so the new car should be even lighter. Shedding the front drive axles and differential therefore isn't about cost-cutting, but about weight savings, and the same ethos will be applied to the Murcielago that will follow.
The Murcielago will also feature the new naming convention, sporting an LP640-2 model number. Though the SV nameplate hasn't yet been pegged to the new Murcielago, it's an obvious possibility. Rumors that an SV-badged Murci may appear, at least in concept form, at the Geneva Motor Show in March would fit with a timeline for release later in 2009. The SV is also expected to lose as much as 220lb (100kg) compared to the standard car, and could possibly be RWD-only.
The next-generation Murcielago, already spotted in testing, isn't due until 2011, so the update to the aging car could help buoy sales in the interim.
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