Lamborghini Murcielago Successor gets F1-inspired Pushrod Suspension, Debut Confirmed for Geneva Show

It’s official: the much-awaited successor to the Lamborghini Murcielago (named either Aventador or Jota, depending on who you ask), will be unveiled at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show in early March. As well as officially confirming the supercar's show debut, Lamborghini also revealed details on the suspension.

The Murcielago's replacement will come with an F1-inspired pushrod spring and damper concept, tuned to "meet the needs of a high-performance road-going vehicle." Mores specifically, Lamborghini said that instead of linking to the wheel mounts, the spring/damper elements are connected to the body shell structure, in a transverse position. Pushrods and relay levers/rockers transmit the forces from the wheel mounts to the spring/damper elements, offering a series of benefits.

Because of this setup, wheel control and damper are separate units, improving handling and the reaction of the springs/dampers. This allowed engineers to use less stiff springs, increasing comfort. Last but not least, the shock absorbers are equipped with a hydraulic lifting system, capable of raising the front end of the car by 4 centimeters (1.57 inches) at the push of a button. Thus, small obstacles can be negotiated without causing damage to the front bumper.

All suspension parts are made from a forged aluminum alloy.

As previously reported, the Lambo is motivated by a newly developed 700HP 6.5-liter V12 engine, while stopping power comes from 400mm 6-pot caliper ventilated front and 380mm 4-pot caliper rear carbon ceramic brakes. The LP700-4 runs on 19-inch front and 20-inch rear wheels, shod in 255/35 and 335/30 tires respectively.

The steering system is hydraulic with three different servotronic settings, ranging from the hardcore “corsa” racetrack mode to less demanding setups.

There’s no official information on pricing yet, but one German dealer has already listed the car as the “Aventador LP700-4” for €309,900 (US$423,757) with 19% tax.

By Csaba Daradics

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German Dealer Offers Upcoming Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4 for Sale

From the same German car dealer that listed the production version of the Lamborghini Sesto Elemento concept for sale comes our next story on future models up for grabs. This time, exotic car dealer Auto Salon Singen is advertising the sale of the upcoming successor to the Lamborghini Murcielago, which the company names Aventador LP700-4. The forthcoming Italian supercar is listed on the site at a net price of €260,420 (US$346,500) or €309,900 (US$412,300) with 19% tax. There's even a list with performance specs and standard equipment features.

Up until now, Lamborghini has only released a few official details about the Murcielago's replacement, mostly concentrated on the flagship model's newly developed 6.5-liter V12 engine that tips the scales at just 235 kg or 518 lbs, and churns out 700HP at 8,250 rpm and a maximum torque of 690 Nm (479.4 lb-ft) at 5,500 rpm.

However, a recently leaked dealer order guide provided us a few more bits of information including preliminary performance specs such as the upcoming supercar's 0 to100 km/h (62 mph) sprint time of 2.9 seconds and its top speed of 350 km/h (217 mph).

Link: Auto Salon Singen

Kudos to Marcus for the Tip!

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AutoLeaks: Lamborghini LP700 Murcielago Successor Dealer Order Guide Reveals Specs

*Update: Lamborghini via its VW Group parent company requested the removal of the photographic material from the leaked brochure. For those of you that missed out, simply Google the words "Lamborghini Order Guide"

This has been a good week for Lamborghini fans. After we saw a lightly camouflaged prototype of the Murcielago’s successor a couple of days ago, the official dealer order guide of the upcoming Italian supercar made its way onto the internet via the Teamspeed forums.

As expected, engine specs remained unchanged, but the guide does reveal plenty of new information. First, let’s get the performance figures out of the way. Tipping the scales at 1.575 kg (3.472 lbs), the LP700-4 is a whopping 230 kg (507 lbs) lighter than a Murcielago LP640-4 coupe and has 60 more ponies. So, not surprisingly, it can reach 100 km/h (62 mph) in just 2.9 seconds or half a second quicker than the outgoing model. It also has a higher top speed, reaching 350 km/h (217 mph), compared to the LP640’s 340 km/h (211 mph).

Stopping power comes from 400 mm 6-caliper front and 380 mm 4-caliper rear discs. And what about the wheels? Well, the LP700-4 comes with standard 19-inch alloys up front and 20-inch sets at the back, shod in 255/35 and 335/30 tires respectively.

The automaker said before that the robotized ISR (Independent Shifting Rod) gearbox is fast, but didn’t disclose any numbers. Now we know that as well: the seven-speed ‘box needs just 50 milliseconds to change a gear, which is inconceivably fast.

At launch, buyers will be able to chose from 13 exterior paint jobs, two of which are brand new (Argos Orange and Estoque Grey), and 12 interior colors. The standard equipment list includes -among other things, that is- electronically controlled rear spoiler and side air intakes, multimedia system with 7-inch screen, navigation, xenon lights and air conditioning.

By Csaba Daradics

Source: Teamspeed

Lamborghini Murcielago

Although the brand has some tough competition in the new millennium, Lamborghini is still the name to aspire to for both wannabe sports car owners and manufacturers alike. With only 3,000 Murcielago's built from 2001 to 2007, Lamborghini's newest model - replacing the Diablo - become the most sought-after sports car in recent history.

The all-wheel-drive (AWD) Murcielago, like most from the Lamborghini line, immediately turned heads. Even though the brand is certainly Italian, the name Murcielago means "bat" (as in the animal) in Spanish. Language lessons aside, to the common person, Murcielago simply means "wow."

Lamborghini hasn't really dropped off the map in terms of trendsetting power in recent years; it's just that other manufacturers, like Bugatti, have caught up. Of course, the Murcielago's 6.5-liter V12 632 horsepower engine is nothing to sneeze at, but it's not the most powerful out.

This is uncharted territory for Lamborghini. For years, the only other manufacturer to give them a run for their money in terms of out-and-out speed was Ferrari. Try as they might, other manufacturers still cannot remove Lamborghini from the top ranking among the world's best sports cars. They're a mainstay.

The Murcielago comes standard with a 6-speed manual transmission, but it is also available with an e-gear auto-shifting manual transmission, akin to what F-1 racecars use, with paddles mounted on the steering column that allow for instant shifting. Murcielago also boasts an electronic traction control with an electronic adaptive suspension.

No matter what the weather or terrain, the car's suspension will automatically adjust so the handling will be much easier for whoever's driving the powerful beast. Not only are these features convenient, but they've worked to make the Murcielago safe to drive.

Lightweight carbon ceramic brakes are optional on the car. Carbon ceramic offers many advantages over the old style brakes used. For starters, they don't wear out like conventional materials.

Other good aspects of the ceramic include a lack of lubrication needed, they don't heat up like other materials, and the stopping ability of the brakes won't reduce or fade. Other features of the Murcielago include a glass engine cover, so that drivers can show off their engine while driving.

The new model Murcielago - 2009, but carried over from 2008 - is available as a coupe or convertible. Some disagree with a car of this caliber being available in a convertible version, but the makers of Lamborghini are veritable trendsetters; a lot of modern advancements in sports car ingenuity were made possible by Lamborghini, so they're definitely entitled to spruce things up a bit and do something a little less conventional. After all, Lamborghini was the brand to make a high-powered sport convertible a "taboo" in the first place.

The low-set nature of the car makes it a little difficult to enter, but that's not only on the Murcielago; every Lamborghini, with their trademarked doors, is like that. Most safety equipment on the car is standard in the industry, and it's yet to have been crash tested. If you're looking into purchasing a new Lamborghini Murcielago, you can expect to pay over $350,000 for a standard.

Lamborghini Bat LP 640 by JB Car Design gets 750HP and Reventon-Style Outfit

German sportscar tuner, JB Car Design has upped the ante on the Lamborghini Murciélago with its new Bat LP 640 performance and styling package that will cost buyers a little over €88,000 [for the full tune] or about the same as a brand new 2011 Porsche 911 Carrera in Germany.

The firm's engineers first turn their tuning attention to the Italian supercar's aerodynamics and looks. Limited to just 75 pieces worldwide, the new appearance package is inspired by the Reventon and consists of a contoured front bumper with additional side air intakes, a carbon fiber front lip spoiler, carbon fiber headlight covers, side skirts, rear bumper with side air outlets and carbon rear diffuser.

The company also adds a two-piece carbon fiber rear wing, LED lights and three-piece 20" alloy wheels.

JB Car Design also gives the Murciélago's interior a makeover with a combination of leather and Alcantara surfaces, carbon fiber trim, a new steering wheel and an available high-end sound system with additional subwoofer and amplifier.

Performance modifications include a two stage engine kit with 710HP or 750HP along with a custom exhaust system and sport catalysts.

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Lamborghini Murcielago Successor

The development of a successor to the Murciélago has been widely speculated in the motoring press, as the supercar approaches the end of its first decade in production. Spy photos published on the internet in January 2010 showed a camouflaged Lamborghini prototype undergoing winter testing. Early rumors suggest the possibility of the name "Jota", a reference to the one-off Miura variant created by Lamborghini test driver Bob Wallace in 1970.
Lamborghini Murcielago




Lamborghini Murcielago


Lamborghini Murcielago


Lamborghini Murcielago


Lamborghini Murcielago


Lamborghini Murcielago


Lamborghini Murcielago


Lamborghini Murcielago


Lamborghini Murcielago


Lamborghini Murcielago


Lamborghini Murcielago


Lamborghini Murcielago


Lamborghini Murcielago


Lamborghini Murcielago


Lamborghini Murcielago


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