2010 Lamborghini Gallardo LP550-2 Valentino Balboni - Car News

With 552 hp, a body to die for, and a 0–60 time of 3.2 seconds, the Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4 has little room for improvement. But there is room for variation, and perhaps the most significant is the new Gallardo LP550-2 Valentino Balboni. Limited to just 250 units worldwide, the LP550-2 Valentino Balboni is named after Lamborghini’s esteemed test driver, who was hired by Ferruccio Lamborghini himself in 1967, and who has been instrumental in developing the dynamic attributes of every Lamborghini model introduced since 1973.

First Rear-Wheel-Drive Lambo Since the Diablo

Fittingly, Lamborghini honored Balboni by dialing up the excitement factor of what is already a pretty exciting car. Those familiar with Lambo’s naming practice, which combines a car’s metric horsepower and its number of driven wheels, have probably figured out the LP550-2’s biggest news: rear-wheel drive replaces the standard Gallardo’s four-wheel drive. Yes, the name also tells us that the LP550-2 Valentino Balboni is down 10 hp compared with the LP560-4 (542 versus 552 at 8000 rpm). But with just 3042 pounds of mass to propel—265 fewer than the LP560-4—the lost ponies aren’t likely to be missed. Torque remains the same at 398 lb-ft at 6500 rpm.

Keep Reading: 2010 Lamborghini Gallardo LP550-2 Valentino Balboni - Car News

Lamborghini’s plans to cut CO2 with hybrid drivetrains, start/stop technology, biofuels

Lamborghini is going green - and they’re not just stopping with reducing CO2 emissions on their cars - they will be investing in making their Sant’Agata Bolognese factory more efficient.

Lamborghini said that it has started the installation of a large photovoltaic system, which it hopes to complete by the end of 2009. “The roof-top plant will produce 1,582 Megawatt hour of “green” energy per year, which translates into a 20% reduction in CO2 emissions by 2010.”

Great; now what about the cars? Lamborghini says that it plans to cut CO2 emissions of its lineup by 35 percent by the year 2015. The first example of this can be found in the new Gallardo LP560-4. Technical advancements in the car resulted in an 18 percent reduction in CO2.

The Italian automaker said that its R&D department will continue developing in the following directions: decreasing vehicle mass; improving combustion; reducing friction; Start-and-Stop systems; hybrid drive train solutions; and biofuels.

Lamborghini will be investing a total of 35 million euros ($49 million USD) over the next 5 years for this purpose.

Make the jump for the press release for more details.

Press Release:

LAMBORGHINI ANNOUNCES NEW, AMBITIOUS PROGRAMS FOR REDUCING CO2

- 35 million Euros investments
- The construction of a large photovoltaic plant, combined with an energy-saving project, will achieve a 30% reduction in the factory’s CO2 emissions by 2010
- Modifications to vehicles will result in a 35% reduction in CO2 emissions by 2015

Automobili Lamborghini announces its intention to complete its program of environmental sustainability in record time by presenting new plans which will enable the company:

- to achieve a 30% reduction, by the year 2010, in the CO2 emissions produced by its factory
- to achieve a 35% reduction, by the year 2015, in the CO2 emissions produced by its vehicles

The plans for reducing emissions will thus involve two areas: modifications to the Lamborghini factory in Sant’Agata Bolognese, and development in vehicle design.

To redefine its industrial processes in accordance with its policy of environmental sustainability, Lamborghini has just begun a project to complete installation of a large photovoltaic system by the end of 2009.

The roof-top plant will produce 1,582 Megawatt hour (MWh) of “green” energy per year, which translates into a 20% reduction in CO2 emissions (-1,067,820 Kg/year) by 2010.

The photovoltaic systems will have a total installed power rating of 1,4 Megawatts and will extend over 17,000 m2 throughout the entire industrial area. The new system will be built by Sinergia Sistemi S.p.A.

At the same time, an equally important energy conservation project involving insulating the production facility’s whole roof, improving lighting and heating and introducing destratification systems for heated air will be completed, thus resulting in a 10% energy usage reduction by 2010.

These projects represent the next step in a program that began last year with the opening of the new Lamborghini Logistics Center. The Center has already contributed to diminishing the impact caused by heavy truck traffic on the roads between Anzola and Sant’Agata Bolognese. It is calculated that this facility has achieved a reduction of emissions by over 75 kg per annum, and nitrogen oxide by over 750 kg (Sources: Standard Euro 3).

In April 2009 Lamborghini obtained the UNI EN ISO 14001 certificate, meeting the international environmental standards. It is also the first firm in the Italian automotive sector to be close to registering for the EMAS environment certificate, having successfully completed the program: EMAS regulations are set by the European Union to support organisations in their effort to evaluate and improve their own environmental efficiency.

These recent achievements support Lamborghini’s commitment to protecting the environment in which it operates, and its desire to make all stakeholders aware of its actions in a transparent manner.

With regard to Lamborghini vehicles, the CO2 reduction plan aims for an additional 35% decrease in emissions by the year 2015.

The program reached its first milestone with the Gallardo LP 560-4. Introduced last year, the new car’s technical advancements resulted in an 18% reduction in CO2 emissions.

At this point, Research & Development activities will continue in the following directions:

* decreasing vehicle mass
* improving combustion
* reducing friction
* Start-and-Stop systems
* hybrid drive train solutions
* biofuels

Lamborghini’s commitment and its sense of social responsibility regarding the environment is evidenced by the numbers and by the sheer size of the investments that are planned. 35 million Euros will be appropriated over the next five years for this purpose.

Stephan Winkelmann, the President and CEO of Lamborghini, has said, “Despite the difficult situation in today’s global economy, Lamborghini is committed to its policy of environmental management, since we are well aware of the great opportunities that derive from it. We have an objective to reduce CO2 emissions to the greatest possible degree. We have also set compulsory annual goals that are part of an integrated approach both considering the automobile as an element which is more considerate of the environment, in terms of emissions and the use of resources, to the accomplishment of a series of corresponding measures such as modifications to our factory. This is an important action for Lamborghini and a central opportunity for our long term corporate and product development.”

European Parliamentarian Guido Sacconi, President of the European Commission on Climate Change, recently paid a visit to Lamborghini headquarters in Sant’Agata. At that time, he said that, “The commitment shown by Lamborghini with its efforts to reduce environmental impact and develop vehicles with less polluting technologies confirm the company’s goal of following the right path toward complying with the directives of the European Union. To safeguard the DNA, history and technology of niche car manufacturers on a European level, a series of exceptions have been passed for manufactures of ’specialty’ vehicles (with fewer than 10,000 new cars made per year) who run their own production facilities and design centres, even though they are part of a group of associated producers. This is the exact situation in which Lamborghini finds itself. We have been particularly satisfied with the actions it has taken thus far, because they illustrate this company’s desire to embrace a new industrial vision which combines competitiveness and performance with social responsibility.”

Partner companies:

Located in Casalecchio di Reno, Sinergia Sistemi S.p.A. is a leader on the Italian market of services that help companies save energy. The company specializes in energy certification of buildings and the construction of large systems that take advantage of renewable energy sources. Sinergia Sistemi also acts as an E.S.Co. (Energy Service Company) that finances the plant systems and energy requalification projects it offers to its customers, in a relationship of total Energy Management.

The finalized project was built from a design based on a preliminary study carried out by the CENER National Center for Renewable Forms of Energy of Spain. This study involved a broad evaluation of the feasibility and size of the project.

Lamborghini 350 GTV : 1963

After the presentation of the first prototype thanks to Ferruccio Lamborghini in 1963, the 350 GTV was mass-produced a year later.

Lamborghini working on short-wheelbase V12 Jota, Reventón Roadster

If you've been waiting for Lamborghini to replace the aging Murcielago and were disappointed by recent reports that its successor may not arrive until 2012, the mavens over at Autogespot may have some good news for you.
While the Murci may stay on for another few years, word has it that Lamborghini is working on another model, apparently to run in parallel. The reports suggest that the new model, tentatively dubbed Jota (after the label previously used on special Miuras and Diablos of yore), will use the Murcielago's V12, albeit packaged in a shorter wheelbase with an even wider track and lightweight materials.
Any truth to the rumors? It's hard to tell, but in the meantime, Sant'Agata is said to be working on a Reventón Roadster to follow up on the limited-edition fighter jet-inspired supercar.
[Source: Autogespot]

Lamborghini working on new V12 model, Reventon Roadster

Recent reports say that a successor to the Lamborghini Murcielago won’t arrive until 2012; however, that doesn’t mean Lamborghini designers and engineers are just sitting around doing nothing.

Autogespot sources say that Lamborghini is hard at work on a new vehicle by the end of this year. The new bull is expected to carry a further developed engine from the Murcielago LP640 with more power and better performance. The new car, think of it as a successor to the Jota, will have a shorter wheelbase and a wider stance. Insiders say that a lot of lightweight materials will be used to reduce the weight of the body of the new model.

Other than that, a Lamborghini Reventon Roadster is due to be unveiled very soon.

2010 Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4 Spyder

Is there so much as a twang left in the old saw that for an Italian sports car to aspire to greatness it must have a temperamental, even cantankerous personality? Perhaps you’ve noticed that Audi’s ascension to the front office at Sant’Agata has transformed the maker of the volatile ’60s Miura into something as dependable as the vicious facial bites in Rutger Hauer movies. Firing up the engine does not set off flames in some surprising location.

Even the convertible’s complicated softtop—it’s got a hydraulic pump, six hydraulic cylinders, an electric motor, and two electric actuators—runs with German determination, opening or closing in 20 seconds, just hit a switch. The trick top on this 552-hp wedge, along with the structural enhancements, adds a claimed 309 pounds to the coupe’s 3507-pound curb weight, and that should slow acceleration times by 0.3 second.

Keep Reading: 2010 Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4 Spyder - Second Drive

Blancpain Chronograph for the Lamborghini Super Trofeo

Some merchandising efforts are forced, while others you can see coming from a mile away. Swiss watchmaker Blancpain's sponsorship of the Lamborghini Super Trofeo series certainly falls in the latter category, especially with huge pictures of their timepieces emblazoned on the side of the Gallardo spec racers. So it came as no big surprise when Blancpain launched its Super Trofeo chronograph. The only surprise was the total lack of branding on the wristwatch itself. (Though that should have been expected as well from a company whose name means "white bread".)
Evidently having gotten it out of its system on the race cars, the Blancpain Super Trofeo Chronograph is decidedly low-key, if decidedly automotive in style: the case is covered in a material called Diamond Like Carbon (DLC), secured with wrist straps of Alcantara. The numbers 9 and 12, in the same style as the numbers identifying the racers themselves, dominate the watch face along with the sub-dials powered by Blancpain's own Calibre F185 automatic chronograph movement, operated by push-buttons (one in carbon, the other in red) on the right side of the case in classic style. Mirroring the thirty-car grid in the Super Trofeo series, only 300 examples of the timepiece will be made - also like the exclusive Lamborghini racing series, if you have to ask the price, you can't get in on the action. Sorry.

Reiter Engineering shows the Gallardo GT3 Strada

Reiter Engineering have modified their Gallardo GT3 race car to come up with a road going version, the GT3 Strada. Carbon fiber has been used generously in making the car’s body, with panels, front splitter, rear wing and bumper all shaped up from fiber. A new exhaust from German Formula 1 supplier MHG finds its way into the car, along with a Holinger six-speed sequential gearbox. The huge V10 in the car generates 535bhp of power.

edo Competition creates fashion car with designer Christian Audigier

Fine fashion and fine cars are a popular combination, the element of design being the uniting force between them. To draw on that synergy, edo Competition has teamed with noted French fashion designer Christian Audigier to build a five-car limited edition Murcielago called the edo LP 710 Audigier.
The skulls and other elements that adorn the car are supposed to constitute a pirate motif, and the matte black exterior color carries through to the completely redesigned interior. To combine the look of a matte color with a pleasing tactile sensation, fine suede and alcantara have been used throughout the cabin, and the exterior styling cues are repeated by embroidery.
Each of the five edo LP 710 Audigier cars to be built will be completely customized to the buyer's order, with edo claiming the execution to have "no limits". Different motifs, styling, colors and materials are available, all in an effort to create a highly exclusive and valuable special edition car.
As for performance, the LP 710 builds on the base of a standard Murcielago LP 640. After complete disassembly and redesign, the car is rebuilt with new aerodynamics, wheels, tires and a new exhaust.
The engine is tuned and modified to increase output to the nominal 710Nm (461lb-ft) of torque and 700hp (530kW). Top speed is raised to 223.7mph (360km/h) - a speed that buyers can reach with a free visit to the Papenburg, German or Nardo, Italy high-speed test tracks. Test driver and racing instructor Patrick Simon will also be on hand to help new owners safely learn to handle their cars. Acceleration is suitably fast as well, with 0-62mph (100km/h) flashing by in just 3.2 seconds thanks to the brawny 6.5L V12 engine.

Gallery: edo Competition Lamborghini Murcielago LP 710 Audigier

Gallardo Super Trofeo sets lap record for a one-make trophy car

The Lamborghini Gallardo Super Trofeo car has surpassed everyone’s expectations by posting lap times faster than any ever recorded with a single-brand trophy race car.

Buy a condo and get a free Lambo!

Miami developer Michael Samuel and Lamborghini Miami owner, Brett David reached an agreement which will give a free $260,000 Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder to everyone who buys one of the South of Fifth luxury residences. That sounds pretty good, huh? However, there’s only one minor setback: each of the seven condos available (out of 28) costs between $6-8 million. That’s about 30 Lambos. It’s true, for this money you get two penthouses with private roof top pools, two two-story beach house villas with four bedrooms and maids quarters, and three four bedroom beachfront units with maid’s quarters. But still, why would anyone who pays $8 million be more atracted to the project because of a Lamborghini?
“There is simply no other development like South of Fifth,” says Michael Samuel, principle of Samuel & Co., “and no other vehicle like Lamborghini. Melding the two is the ideal live/drive marriage for a very discriminating consumer. Our main goal with the South of Fifth project has been to ensure an unprecedented level of luxury within all aspects of the residences [..] Teaming with Lamborghini Miami furthers that special lifestyle.”
Source: European Car Magazine

Lamborghini Concept S

Lamborghini Concept S

Lamborghini is going to unveil Lamborghini Concept S concept car at 2005 Geneva Motor Show in March. The car is designed by Luc Donckerwolke who heads the design department at Centro Stile Lamborghini in Sant Agata, Bologna. Donckerwolke was inspired by the single sitter racing cars from the past.
The classic car has many spectacular features. The windscreen is quite different then a traditional car. They have made use of "saute-vent" a french term which means "a sudden change in the wind". The air with this design is directed over the driver's head. The engine is positioned behind the seats and the cabin is divided into 2 compartments. With electronically controlled, retractable central rear view mirror, the driver could have a view of happenings behind the car.
The aerodynamics for the car is also futuristic which is optimised by front and rear spoilers and a large rear diffuser.

Lamborghini Concept S

Lamborghini

Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4

With the new Gallardo LP560-4, Lamborghini once again sets a higher standard for super sports cars. With its new engine, permanent four-wheel drive transmission and new suspension, it delivers clearly improved performance and dynamics. In parallel, its innovative design takes the classic lines unique to the Lamborghini brand one step further. Powerful elegance has never been so defined before.
The Gallardo LP560-4 is the successor of the most successful Lamborghini model of all time. Approximately 7100 Gallardo models have left the Sant'Agata Bolognese production plant since its launch in 2003. 'The LP560-4 will consolidate this success story,' states Stephan Winkelmann, President and CEO of Automobili Lamborghini. 'It will outclass its predecessor in every aspect; its dynamics are distinctly breathtaking and its design sets new standards. With the introduction of the Gallardo LP560-4, we will consistently continue Lamborghini's growth strategy'.
The powerful heart of the Gallardo LP560-4 is the new 5.2 litre V10 engine with an output of 560 PS (412 kW) at 8000 rpm. The increase of 40 PS compared with that of the previous Gallardo, and the approximate 20 kilogram reduction in weight, improves the power weight ratio to 2.5 kilograms per PS (hp) and thus enhances performance. The LP560-4 accelerates from 0-100 km/h in 3.7 seconds, its speed at 11.8 seconds is 200 km/h and its top speed lies at 325 km/h. At the same time the new, highly efficient engine enthrals its driver with its direct fuel injection system - 'Iniezione Diretta Stratificata'. Despite its clearly increased power, fuel consumption and CO2 emissions have been reduced by a staggering 18 per cent.

The Pros and Cons of a Reliable Lamborghini

The guy from Lamborghini was as German as Spaten Optimator. As German as a gasthaus. As German as a Kunstmuseum. But he was also a diplomatic, sleek, polite European-Unionized German. His name was Franz, and he reminded me a bit of Captain Von Trapp from the Sound of Music, but sans the whistle, the British accent, and Austrian sentiment. Franz was incredibly smug about his job and his product, but never crossed the line into rudeness like a Frenchman would. He made every w sound like a v, and was astoundingly methodical in his choice of words. He gesticulated very little, and if he did, it was usually pointing to something on or in the Lambo. This had me stratospherically uncomfortable.

I remember the first time I drove a Lamborghini, and it was at a Lamborghini press event back in the days when Lambos were made 100% by chaps named Vittorio and Antonio who drank olive oil for lunch and wine for dinner. The Lamborghini was a machine built with (cliche alert) passion and soul rather than engineering and precision. The fact that old Lamborghinis were, in essence, beautifully-constructed buckets of brittle, breakable bolts didn’t mean a thing. What mattered was that when you saw one, you would wildly gesture in an Italian way that meant, “Bello! Fantastico!” Old Lamborghinis were senseless, mindless, insane pieces of metallic magnificence.

When I first tried to drive a Countach at the press event, all I remembered was that the clutch pedal felt like I was attempting to manually pile drive a pylon into solid granite with my left leg. The brakes also felt as useful as a lawn mower in Antarctica. It was one of the hardest, most uncomfortable cars I had ever driven, yet I loved every ridiculous minute of it. The press liaison at that event was an ecstatic man named Chazz, who did not once talk about gearboxes, brake discs, or aerodynamics. All he talked about was “power,” “beautiful,” and “Automobili Lamborghini.”

If Chazz was at the north pole, Franz was at the south. I was standing in front of an anthracite-grey Gallardo LP560-4, and all ze German could talk zabout was za new fuel injection system that he attempted to say in Italian- “Iniezione Diretta Stratificata.” He also tried to pronounce the name of the engine position, but it ended up sounding like he was trying to clear his sinuses. Franz said not a word about the incredible, radical design of the new Gallardo, or anything related to aesthetics.

Maybe that’s because there was frankly not much to talk about. The LP560-4 was styled by a non-Italian under the watchful eye of the Audi mothership. The engine is also a direct derivative of the V10 Audi put in the new RS6, and all the interior fixtures come straight from the A8 sedan. The interior actually feels like you are in a car. A working, reliable car. It’s complete BS.

Franz could not see me waving the BS flag as he described the new, quicker E-Gear system, and I guess that’s a good thing. That’s because I had just agreed to take in hand this particular LP560-4 for an entire week to see if, in fact, Volkswagen Group have turned Lamborghinis into cars you can actually drive every day. I would be living with a Lamborghini. My esteemed Editor, out of pure, unbridled spite, commandeered my own car, and left my garage at home empty. I would be restricted from any other sort of transportation other than the LP560-4. It would be the only way to move about.

So the idea that Audi has turned Lamborghini into workable vehicles was a bittersweet thought. Sure, I would need air conditioning, because air con is one automotive luxury I require. But I hoped to God it would break in spectacular fashion, just so I could laugh in Franz’s face and say, “Ah-HA! You have not taken away Lamborghini’s soul! They still break! They still don’t work! You’ve FAILED, good German! Your precision engineering and totalitarian quality control is no match for zesty Italian disorganization!”

When I drove away from the dealership, all hopes of uttering those epic lines vanished completely. I felt like I was in the R8, but with a little more noise. I had too much visibility, too much ride comfort, and the air conditioner was too cold. It felt stratospherically comfortable on the motorway, and I felt myself wanting to cruise on past my exit- cruise in a Lamborghini? Since when do you want to go on a long-distance driving holiday in a fire-breathing, mid-engined Italian stallion?! Nothing makes sense anymore!

This practicality dampened what should have been a monstrously inconsistent, difficult, uncomfortably stiff experience. Yet I secretly thanked Audi for what they had done to Lamborghini. You see, it’s the 21st century, and technology is expected to make life easier. If you are a hedge-fund manager who has sausages for hands and could care less about the 4 in LP560-4, yet needs a car that makes you look like your gross income personified (or in the Gallardo’s case a Bond villain), Lambo’s got a car for you. Gone are the days when Lamborghini made cars that could only be appreciated by childish petrolheads. Today, you can buy a Lamborghini and have that wild, crazy noise and aggressive styling without paying the price of practicality. In theory, it’s brilliant.

The new Gallardo LP560-4 is a perfect example of this brilliance. The designers took a few juicy chunks of Reventon and applied them to the bargain Lambo, making it look less car and more stealth fighter. That’s perfect if you’re 8 years old at heart, like me. Sure, it’s not as outlandish and mad as the Reventon, but the minimalist overtones and faintly-arched lines pleasantly distinguish the Gallardo from its mad, angular million-Euro big brother. However, this car is not “minimalist” in the ABC-Art sense. It is minimalist in that there are no excess lines or creases, and every inch of its surface is refined to German-calibre perfection. It’s sweeping, aeronautical Italian Futurism and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe all at the same time. This unholy union of German refinement and Italian mania is fantastically odd.

The interior is a completely different story. It’s nearly identical to the old Gallardo, which is rather disappointing when you think about it. Lamborghini gave it such a refreshing facelift, but on the inside, it’s still as sensible and boring as a Zurich bus terminal. I wanted to see something shining that was not carbon fibre. Maybe some neon lights, or glow-in-the-dark paddle shifters, or that fantastic LCD panel from the Reventon that makes your speedometer and tachometer look like gauges from some top-secret Skunkworks concept craft. At least something other than a fuzzy foam steering wheel and a satnav from an A8.

I thought about all of this as I (cringe)…. cruised along, and decided to stop by an In-and-Out to measure some public reaction to the car. That’s usually the most reliable test as to any supercar’s goodness. This particular burger joint had a very steep rise at the end of its driveway, so I employed the stupidly practical hydraulic front-end lift and avoided the kerb. Honestly, how drivable can this thing get?

At once, several saucer-eyed 8-year old Ridleys and Madisons and bewildered soccer moms came up to the car to take a look. The kids loved the headlamps; the mums asked how much space the boot had. Suddenly, I discovered one last bit of impracticality, because the boot in the front end was big enough for about a single sock. A-HA! Yes, the Germans couldn’t fix that! The kids were not impressed by the size of the boot, so I revved the engine, and severe cases of permagrin suddenly flared up. The soccer moms reacted by frowning and putting an arm across their children’s chests, motioning them to stand back. ….As if the Gallardo would spawn a teeth-filled maw and gobble them up. Hey, there’s enough Decepticon in this thing to scare anybody

Lamborghini Estoque Production Version Details Surface

Estoque, the four-door Lamborghini concept we first saw at the Paris Motor Show, is headed for production in 2011 where its price tag will come in at less than £150,000. More than this, Estoque should offer a number of engine options including diesel.
When Autocar spoke to Lamborghini R&D boss Maurizio Reggiani, he said Estoque is a unique platform from Lamborghini, contrary to earlier speculation that it will share its underpinnings with the Audi A8. . "If," he said, "you consider the length of the wheelbase and the size of the wheels (the Estoque concept boasts 23 inch rims at the rear), this could not be an A8 floorplan."

What it will be though is a car notched above Porsche's upcoming Panamera and the Audi A7, good for a 500bhp-plus, 450lb ft of torque engine, probably the same 5.2-litre V10 currently working its socks off in other Lambo models. Lower down V8s are to be found, alongside a super diesel and possibly even a, hybrid. Lamborghini, like other motor brands, is under tremendous stress to reduce CO2 emissions and therefore takes the engine choice quite seriously, considering its heritage.
"We will never offer our super-sports cars with diesel engines," Reggiani said, "and we will never resort to turbocharging for those cars either; to do either would betray our heritage and customers, and for Murcielago and Gallardo we can make the savings in other ways.
"But the opportunity is there to develop a turbocharged, maybe even a diesel engine for Estoque, and since the car could be well-priced and could sell in quite large numbers for us, it's a big chance for us. No Lamborghini will ever emit 120g/km, but still we have to improve our figures and make progress."
[Source: autocar ]

Lamborghini Gallardo Elite Carbon Fiber Bodykit

Elite Carbon has unveiled a carbon fiber bodykit for the Lamborghini Gallardo inspired by the LP560-4 and the Superleggera.

JAPAN: Lamborghini Gallardo, BMW M5 and a Lancia Stratos turned into manga cars

Japanese manga characters found three seriously quick homes on one Yoshida San's three high performance cars.

Zorba Lamborghini Murcielago Kit Car

Anthony from Carzi.com turned me on to this funky-looking kit car. Made by Zorba, the kit goes on a stretched Pontiac Fiero chassis (as most kits do.) Starting at about $31,300, depending on options, that doesn’t include rear spoiler, wheels, or system upgrades. They also make a roadster version.
Funny thing is, this kit actually looks pretty well made, but the headlights and weird hood and roof scoop ruin the whole thing.

Diamond-studded Lamborghini key fob from Amosu Luxury

So, the diamond-studded Bentley key fob by Amosu Luxury impressed you like anything, but you need one for your Lamborghini. Don’t fret, as Amosu Luxury has now turned their attention to the Lamborghini key fob too. They have festooned it with 183 little diamonds for a total of 2.02 carats, focused on detailing the familiar Lamborghini logo. Icing out your Lamborghini car keys with sparkling diamonds will make you poorer by £7,000 (nearly US $10,500). If you always fear losing your car keys, then this thing is certainly not your cup of tea.

Lamborghini Murcielago LP640 by Japan's LB Performance

LB Performance of Japan has, by the looks of it, been operating under the radar. Gladly found, LB shows some serious Lamborghini stock in its catalogue of street art pieces.

Lamborghini Gallardo LP 560-4 Spyder Revealed Ahead of L.A. Debut

The new Lamborghini Gallardo LP 560-4 Spyder will debut at the Los Angeles Auto Show later today. The Gallardo Spyder features Lamborghini's latest 5.2 liter V10 engine, with 560 hp and 540 Nm of torque.

Final Lamborghini Reventon Arrives in U.K.

Lamborghini Reventón, 20 of 20, has been delivered to a customer in the UK. The rare €1 million supercar will not park to gather dust, but shall be driven.

Street Legal Lamborghini Murcielago R-GT Racecar by Reiter Engineering

Reiter Engineering showed a roadgoing Lamborghini Murcielago R-GT at the Essen Motor Show, and plans to make some of the components used available as aftermarket pieces.

Edo Present the Limited Edition Lamborghini LP 710 Audigier

At 224 mph, edo competition has created their fastest Lamborghini ever. The edo Lamborghini LP 710 is limited to just five units, and has a top speed of 224 mph.

Original 1965 Lamborghini Miura Turin Salon Chassis found

Originally shown at the 1965 Turin Salon, the Lamborghini Miura show car chassis has been in storage since 1978 on the island nation of Cyprus in the Mediterranean. Uncovered just a month ago sitting in the collection of Marios Kritikos, Cyprus' original Lamborghini dealer, the car has been imported to the U.S. and is undergoing complete restoration to show-car condition.

The car sat, essentially untouched, until December 2008, 43 years since it was displayed in Turin. When it was discovered - complete with the original invoice for the chassis - a pair of Miura specialist collectors helped to get the car to its new owner, and it is currently in the process of being restored to its original condition at the facilities of the Bobileff Motorcar Company in San Diego, California.

The 1965 Turin Salon Miura was Lamborghini's first transverse, mid-mounted V12 engine and is considered by some to be the forefather of all road-going supercars

Lamborghini Murcielago R-GT from tuning company Reiter Engineering

Company Reiter Engineering has presented own working out – extremely modified superpenalties Lamborghini Murcielago R-GT. Possessing additional possibilities, tunings from Reiter have decided to give it to exclusively racing car some properties thanks to which it became a road variant of this model. From standard Murcielago this version is distinguished by the raised exhaust pipes and the fixed rear fender. That this Murcielago is «on a strict diet», better to say, the car more light is important also. It is expected that the car will be equipped by the V-shaped 12-cylinder engine capacity of 640 h.p., but, as well as in Gallardo Superleggera, instead of an all wheel drive in it Murcielago the rear is used.

Lamborghini Gallardo GT3 by Reiter Engineering

Reiter Engineering re-engineers a GT3 racing Lamborghini Gallardo back to street legal-status. This Strada model is quite stock, bar a few changes.

Lamborghini Insecta Concept is influenced by insect exoskeletons

Inspired by insect exoskeletons, the Lamborghini Insecta Concept is a design study of a 2-seater mid-engined supercar designed by Romanian Iulian Bumbu. Bumbu says that the design is also influenced by the brand’s current styling.
“The idea was to create an extreme race-oriented supercar with a style that introduces softer and more organic lines and integrate [...]

Inspired by insect exoskeletons, the Lamborghini Insecta Concept is a design study of a 2-seater mid-engined supercar designed by Romanian Iulian Bumbu. Bumbu says that the design is also influenced by the brand’s current styling.

“The idea was to create an extreme race-oriented supercar with a style that introduces softer and more organic lines and integrate them into the geometrical style of Lamborghini,” Bumbu said.

The Lamborghini Insecta Concept measures 4,300 mm in length, 1,000 mm in height and 2,000 mm in width. The wheelbase measures 2,650 mm. Bumbu says that the body and panels are made of lightweight carbon-fiber and can accommodate powertrains from the Gallardo.

Lamborghini Door Hinges

Are you interested in making your doors go up? Are you thinking about getting a set of Lamborghini style door hinges for your ride to get the upright door effect? This extremely popular trend has exploded across the U.S. and can be found on tens of thousands of show cars. So why make this modification. What are the benefits? How does it help me?
First off, there are several reasons to add this custom door hinge modification to your ride. The easiest answer is that it simply makes your car look cool. Whether you have a truck, SUV, Import, Muscle Car, or Hot Rod, this improves the look of your vehicle. These Lambo Door Hinges take your stock doors and raise them Vertically to the sky. Your car will now be completely unique when compared to the average Joe on the street.
Secondly, a nice benefit of these doors is that they allow you to enter the car easily. You will not have to worry about getting in and out of your car as the doors are completely out of your way. The doors generally open out like the traditional style doors, and then travel up.
Lastly, If you compete in shows or competitions, this Lambo door modification is a must for your car. After modification that you do to your car gives you the added advantage over all other vehicles out there. This is one of the larger modifications that will give you the additional points needed to win out the judges votes. More trophies will ensue after placing the Vertical Doors on your ride

Lamborghini Super Trofeo hits the track at Monza with Video

Late last November, Lamborghini announced a new racing series called the Lamborghini Blancpain Super Trofeo, is set to commence in May 2009, and described as the world’s fastest one-make series. In February the company revealed it had taken the cars to the race track at Adria for testing, and the results were promising, and now the Super Trofeo has hit the pavement at Monza, complete with video.

The Super Trofeo will come with a reworked chassis, significantly reduced weight of only 1300kg, and power output of 570hp (419kW). The race car will also feature Lamborghini’s permanent AWD system and E-Gear six-speed robotized transmission, which means the Blancpain Super Trofeo will also be the world’s only strictly AWD race series. Other features include a reworked double wishbone suspension system, Pirelli slick racing tires, a specialist racing brake system, a full safety roll cage, a fixed rear wing are made from carbon-fiber, and an ultra-light racing seat.

Set to music but also featuring the soundtrack of the Super Trofeo's 570hp V10 engine, the video shows the car mixing it up with Porsches, Gallardos and more. It's not an extensive run-down or a lap-time-centric exercise, but it does show the one-make racer in (admittedly somewhat mild) action. Much more thorough testing has already been carried out at the test day in Adria.

Over 167mi (270km) of testing laps were logged there, proving the car was well enough sorted to complete more than full race distance. Engineers and drivers were looking forward to doing even more testing, however. “We’ve got lots of data to look at ahead of the May race weekend, and there’s even more to come from the car in terms of performance,” said official test driver Giorgio Sanna. “We’ll be testing at Barcelona next, a very different circuit with very different conditions.”

The Super Trofeo car and parts package is offered at €200,000 plus taxes and entry fees through select Lamborghini dealerships. Blancpain is the name of a Swiss watchmaker that is the title sponsor for the series. For more on the series, the car and the teams that will be racing, check the official site.

The first race of the 2009 calendar is set for Adria in Italy on May 17, followed by Nuremburg’s Norisring in Germany on July 5, Spa in Belgium on August 2, Barcelona’s Circuit de Catalunya in Spain on September 20, and culminating on October 4 in Monza, Italy.

Lamborghini will build cars for a 30-strong grid, available to professional drivers, enthusiasts, and Lamborghini dealer teams. One factory car, reserved for celebrity ‘guest drivers’, will be included in the line-up at each round.

Competitors in the Swiss watchmaker-sponsored series will race Lamborghini’s new ‘Super Trofeo’ – a lightweight version of the Gallardo LP 560-4 – and events are scheduled for race tracks all over Europe.

via:motorauthority

First U.S. based Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4 Spyder auctioned off for $270,000

The first U.S. unit of the Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4 Spyder has been auctioned off to support the Nancy Davis Foundation for Multiple Sclerosis at the 16th Annual Race to Erase MS charity event.

Who bought the rights to the first U.S. based Gallardo LP560-4 Spyder? Apparently two people who are going to share the car - Kymberly Gold, former co-founder/co-creator of True Religion Jeans, and music producer Victor Newman. Both placed a winning bid of $270,000, which is about $50,000 over the base price of the car.

The Lamborghini LP560-4 Spyder is powered by a 5.2L V10 that makes a total of 560-hp. 0 to 62 mph comes in 4 seconds with a top speed of 201 mph.

Stunning race-modified Lamborghini Murcielago

As Honda says farewell to the NSX, Vijay Pattni looks at a stunning new Lambo...

Lamborghini Estoque - details on the production version

AutoCar revealed today the first details on the production version Estoque. Right now the car is in final stages of approval, but current plans have the bull's sedan entering development at Sant'Agata early next year with sales to begin at the end of 2011 for under £150,000. The Gallardo, which sell for a similar price in the U.K., sells for about $200,000 here. The production Estoque will run the same all-wheel drive system as the Gallardo as well as utilize its 5.2-liter direct injection (...)

Next Lamborghini supercar spied again

The next Lamborghini supercar has been spotted testing near the Nurburgring, again. Car Magazine has pegged the the Murcielago's replacement to ditch the LP640's steel chassis in favour of a carbon fiber tub with front and rear steel subframes. This will make the car lighter than the current flagship, and the rumored 700 hp 6.0-liter V12 engine should make it faster as well. The new car is rumored to be called the Jota. While it's connection to bulls could not be found yet (Lamborghini's car (...)

Paris 2008: Lamborghini Estoque Concept

It is a Lamborghini like no other before it: a four-door sports car that sticks resolutely to its creed. The Lamborghini Estoque concept has everything that defines a Lamborghini: extreme, uncompromising and unmistakably Italian, it brings a whole new versatility to the brand’s DNA.