"We specialise in the unexpected," Lamborghini's brand and design director Manfred Fitzgerald tells me in an ante-room on a Geneva stand that looks like the private chamber in Al Pacino's Carlito's Way Miami nightclub. "We have so many projects up our sleeves right now, I can't even begin to tell you..."

What he will brief me on, though, is the new Gallardo. Body design, engine, suspension and transmission have all been thoroughly revised, and Lambo claims significant improvements in performance and efficiency. But let's start with the styling.

Overseen by Fitzgerald - a former marketing guy turned design boss - and implemented by a seven-strong team led by Filippo Perini, the modifications are limited to the Gallardo's front and rear, but they give the car a razor-sharp new character.

Labels: Lamborghini

When he isn't protecting Gotham City from various villains in the Batmobile as his alter ego, Batman, billionaire Bruce Wayne's vehicle of choice is one of Lamborghini's sexiest super sports car ever built, the Lamborghini Murcielago LP640. Bruce Wayne's newest Lamborghini can be first seen prowling the streets in the movie's new, extended theatrical trailer shown in theatres May 2, 2008, prior to "Iron Man."

The Lamborghini Murcielago LP640 Coupe is not Bruce Wayne's first Lamborghini. The association with the marquee began in 2005 when Propaganda Global Entertainment Marketing, Lamborghini's entertainment marketing firm for worldwide activities, brokered the deal for the Lamborghini Murcielago Roadster to make its on-screen debut in "Batman Begins." In the film, Bruce Wayne can be seen driving the Lamborghini supercar to an exclusive party with two beautiful models in the passenger seat.
The Lamborghini Murcielago LP640 Coupe appearing in "The Dark Knight" is powered by a 640 horsepower 12-cylinder engine and is capable of more than 211 mph.

"The Lamborghini Murcielago LP640 is the natural choice for Bruce Wayne's other car," stated Stephan Winkelmann, President and CEO of Automobili Lamborghini. "Lamborghini is proud to be associated with one of the greatest movie franchises in history, especially co-starring with the night-bound Batmobile."

Labels: Lamborghini

We experience a Lamborghini in various places around the world – Mexico, the USA, England, etc. But from the driver’s point of view, each of the stereotypical national scenes look pretty Italian. A brand campaign which demonstrates in a surprising manner that Lamborghini is the quintessential Italian sports car manufacturer. After all, the company does have its roots in Sant’ Agata Bologna.

Labels: Lamborghini

Labels: Lamborghini

Premier4509's Gallardo kit consists of a new bumpers front and rear, side skirts, a rear spoiler and optional stainless exhaust tips, plus the same forged rims as seen on the company's Bentley. The front end clearly draws its inspiration from the Lamborghini Reventon. The parts are all made of carbon fiber, which, as Premier4509 points out, has been laboriously hand-stitched together because some panels are actually wider than the sheets in which the material comes.

Labels: Lamborghini

I’m pulling a three-point turn on a rural Italian road and rearward visibility is sparse, to say the least. The exhaust note of the thirsty V12 reverberates through the cabin, and I’m praying to dear God that an overzealous Fiat Punto isn’t about to roar around the bend and T-bone my test car. You see, I’m behind the wheel of a prototype of the Lamborghini Reventón, number 0 of 20. All 20 units have been pre-sold for a stunning $1.4 million each, but since I’m driving the only one in existence, it may as well be priceless.

The Pirelli tires kiss the edge of the shoulder as I merge onto the road, and my Lambo lurches ahead as premium fuel hits the 12 screaming cylinders on display beneath louvered glass. Three-point turns aren’t usually associated with a seven-figure sports car, but then again, maneuvering a Reventón safely at low speeds is as crucial as making sure you don’t spin out at 120 mph. Welcome to supercar reality.

Labels: Lamborghini

Labels: Lamborghini

Labels: Lamborghini

This time around, the Lambo is set to incorporate an additional rear axle for visual effect. Evidently not content to keep a low profile, Carbonyte is also working on plans for stretched versions of the two fastest seven-figure hyper-exotic supercars known to man: the Koenigsegg CCX and the Bugatti Veyron. We're a bit torn here: one part of us thinks Carbonyte ought to be stopped before they're allowed to hack apart any more exotics, while the other half is curious just to see them do it.

Labels: Bugatti, Lamborghini

Seen here undergoing some on-track testing, the SV will reportedly serve up some 680 horsepower from its Lambo V12 behind the seats. It will also be lighter than a normal Murcielago by 220 pounds. Clearly visible on the car is a new fixed rear wing that's either meant to assist in take offs or stabilize the car at high-speeds. Expect carbon fiber to be a common build material, as well.

Labels: Lamborghini

Labels: Lamborghini

Labels: Lamborghini

Labels: Lamborghini

This is the Lamborghini Murciélago SV, a more powerful, lightweight, rear-wheel-drive edition planned for launch later this year.

The SV, expected to be the last evolution of the Lambo’s range-topper, will be based on the current LP640 flagship.

Insiders at Sant’Agata claim that the SV will have more power than the 641bhp V12 Reventon, and should lose at least 100kg over the 1660kg LP640. Power output is expected to be around 680bhp.

Weight will be cut by losing the front differential and driveshafts, the electronic system that raises and lowers the rear spoiler and the multimedia system, and by using lightweight alloys and carbonfibre door panels.

Labels: Lamborghini

Labels: Lamborghini

Cammisa followed the LP560-4 through the 20 assembly stations at the factory — “where German efficiency meets Italian style,” the magazine says. (Lamborghini’s a subsidiary of Audi these days.) He also bore witness to the changes in the factory that are supposed to make the cars faster, lighter and more environmentally friendly, but we suspect he was mostly interested in playing with all the tools.

Cammisa says his “Build-A-Bull” car left the factory with the stamp of approval from his new co-workers.

Labels: Lamborghini

The objective wasn't to do anything too crazy but to make everything look integrated, as if the system were meant to be in the car.

Top shops of course tend to use top-end gear. The experts at Sound Decision started on the integration theme by going with Alpine's IVA-W205. The quality of the product may match the level of the car, but getting it to look right was a separate matter-and the real issue. To help with the integration, the installers made a custom bezel, which they wrapped in factory-matched blue vinyl. It may not look totally factory, but aesthetically it works. Aside from the radio, CD and DVD, Rose wanted Sirius satellite radio so they hooked up a SIR-ALP1 adapter, rounding out Rose's entertainment options. The W205 is also tied into a factory backup camera for added functionality.

The frontstage is composed of appropriately high-end speakers, Focal's Utopia Be Kit No. 6 component set. The woofers are in the factory door locations, but the Sound Decision installers built MDF baffles and rings to replace the factory speaker housings. As for the factory grilles, they were tinted with custom-matched blue dye. The tweeters are in the A-pillars, molded in with fiberglass and wrapped in blue vinyl.

Labels: Lamborghini

This 1992 model is thought to be the last ever customer-registered Lamborghini LM002 to roll of the production line and has the chassis number 300 of 301.

It’s believed just five or six Lamborghini LM002s are in the UK, but none are as special as this model, which has covered just 27,000 miles.

Lamborghini Club UK’s David Price told Auto Trader: “I know this LM002 very well and it’s stunning. Having seen the display model at Lamborghini’s museum, I can say this one is the best of its type in the world.

“In 2006 at Auto Italia's Stanford Hall meeting, myself and another LCUK committee member were asked to pick the best Lamborghini attending and award it a trophy.

“This particular LM002 was there and we were in fear/awe of it, so it won.”

Labels: Lamborghini

Labels: Lamborghini