Taming the Bull: IMSA Lamborghini Gallardo GTV

Tuning a Lamborghini is a risky endeavor. The supercars that roll out of the factory in Sant'Agata Bolognese already tread the narrow line between the sexy and the obscene, but the bulk of the mod-jobs we've seen run over that line with considerable ferocity and just keep on accelerating. German tuning house IMSA's take on the latest Gallardo LP560-4 is, by comparison, a breath of fresh air.

As you can see, exterior modifications have been kept tastefully restrained. A new front apron, fender flairs, side skirts, rear diffuser and rear wing are all crafted out of carbon fiber. IMSA has also fitted a custom adjustable suspension, split-spoke alloys hiding eight-piston brake calipers up front and six-pot grippers out back, while under the rear glass, IMSA has squeezed an extra 40 ponies out of the Gallardo's 560-horsepower 5.2-liter V10, giving the GTV a revised output of 600. Nothing radical, but then the stock Gallardo is radical enough as it is.

Tame That Bull: Lamborghini Academy opens

Lamborghini has opened its Lamborghini Academy, and the only words we have for it are "crazy steal." For the practically Wal-Mart price of €3,900 (just under $5,000 USD) you get accommodations, two days on the track at Vallelunga or Adria Raceway in Italy, a chance to pilot the Gallardo LP 560-4 and Murcielago LP 640, and video footage of your driving.

There are three courses: Track Academy, Advance Academy, and Winter Academy. Of course, you have to get to the Academy on your own dime, but once there you'll be trained in the driving Jedi arts of over- and understeer, the racing line, and controlled drifting, guided by Lambo's own instructors. This is one of those rare academic situations where everyone's trying to be valedictorian.

Lamborghini Murcielago LP 670-4 SuperVeloce

Enough with the spy shots and speculation, here it is folks: The Lamborghini Murciélago LP 670-4 SuperVeloce. Bologna's best automaker has just released official info and pics on its latest mighty Murc, and this one tops them all. The LP 670-4 SuperVeloce is described by Lamborghini as "exceptionally purist". The description fits as the LP 670-4 SV is more powerful, lighter and therefore faster than the already pretty quick LP-640. As its name suggests, the LP 670-4 SV boasts an increase in power to 670 hp and 487 lb-ft of torque for Lambo's 6.5L V12, all of which was achieved through simply optimizing the engine's valve timing and tweaking the air intake system.

Combine those extra bulls under the bonnet with a weight decrease of 220 lbs and performance figures begin to fall fast. 0-62 mph is now achieved in just 3.2 seconds and top speed is 212 mph with the standard, small spoiler. A larger "Aeropack Wing" offering more downforce is also available, but the additional drag drops top speed to 209 mph.

The LP 670-4 doesn't look like your average Murciélago, either. It's design is simple and brutal compared to the mess of angles that make up the Reventon. Up front the air intakes have been made larger for better brake cooling and the front spoiler extends much farther out. The new engine cover, meanwhile, is a marvel of design with three hexagonal transparent polymer plates supported by a carbon fiber framework. The interior has also been upholstered entirely in Alcantara and features stitching that matches the exterior color of the car.

You can't argue with a car that's faster, lighter and more powerful than its predecessors, and the Lamborghini LP 670-4 SuperVeloce is certainly not a car we'd want to argue with. Check out the gallery of high-res images just released by Lamborghini and stay tuned for our own gallery of live LP 670-4 SV shots when we hit the show floor soon.

Lamborghini Insecta concept has us buggin' out

Playing a quick game of automotive-animal word association, you'd probably link Lamborghini to a bull. Between the emblem on the hood, supercars named after famous fighting bulls and the farming roots of the company, the association is well established. Iulian Bumbu thinks otherwise. The aspiring Romanian car designer, who interned at Alfa Romeo's styling department after earning his master's in car design in Milan, created the design study you see here.

Called the Insecta, the radical concept's design elements were borrowed from bugs instead of bovines.

Combining organic shapes with Lamborghini's trademark geometric angles, the Insecta concept integrates themes culled from the body armour observed on certain species of insects. With its dimensions and powertrain borrowed from the Gallardo, the Insecta would pack a sting as sharp as its buzz, and it could make a compelling successor to the current LP560-4 - but Lambo would have to drop a load of bull first.

First images of Lamborghini Murcielago LP 650-4 Roadster

Lamborghini has just released the first batch of official images showing its latest limited run special, the Murciélago LP 650-4 Roadster, which follows the LP 670-4 SuperVeloce that debuted at the Geneva Motor Show earlier this month. The LP 650-4 Roadster is definitely not for those who deny their follicle deficiencies by wearing a rug on their head. With a top speed of 205 mph, anything not firmly connected to your scalp will be lost to the winds.

The crew in Sant'Agata Bolognese have pumped some extra shots of espresso into this bull - the 6.5-liter V12 now produces 650 hp and 487 lb-ft of torque through all four wheels. That's enough to leave 62 mph in your wake after just 3.4 seconds. Lamborghini is only planning to crank out 50 of these roadsters at an as yet undisclosed price, which means the high-res images in our gallery below are likely the closest you'll ever get to one.

D.O.A. - Lamborghini reportedly won't build four-door Estoque

The worldwide collapse of car sales has hit everyone in the past six months, and super-expensive high-end cars are no exception. With no immediate signs of either a general economic recovery or an auto sales boost on the horizon, now hardly seems like the time to develop an all-new exotic sedan. With that in mind, Lamborghini reportedly has shelved plans to build the Estoque, which debuted as a concept at last fall's Paris Motor Show. Given the positive response it received, Lamborghini had started feasibility studies aimed at producing the new four-door. Instead, the company will focus on new versions of both the Gallardo and Murcielago, with a particular focus on weight reduction.

R&D boss Maurizio Reggiani is also apparently rejecting calls for a dual clutch gearbox to replace the current e-gear automated manual. Reggiani calls the DCT "too smooth" and lacking in the drama Lambo owners want. Based on our experience with that gearbox in an Audi R8, we would describe it as being more embarrassing than dramatic. Since we don't have the budget for a Lambo, Reggiani likely doesn't give much credence to our opinion, though.

Reiter Engineering launches new Gallardo LP560 GT2

Forget about the latest LP560-4 or the limited-production Superleggera that preceded it: what you're looking at here is the ultimate Gallardo. Only it's not made by Lamborghini. Unlike its arch-rivals in Maranello, Lamborghini doesn't make racing cars. For that, it turns over its supercars to Reiter Engineering, the German garage that fields renn-ready Raging Bulls in European sportscar championships, and has also turned out a few variants for the street, too. The firm has just released its latest effort, a competition spec Gallardo for the GT2 class in the European Le Mans Series.

Based on the Gallardo LP560-4, Reiter has done away with the all-wheel-drive and gone with rear-wheel traction only for its Racing Bull. To meet GT2 regulations, Reiter will have had to actually reduce the engine's output from the stock 560hp to below the 500hp mark, and possibly added some ballast to fine-tune the weight balance and meet the 1125kg minimum heft requirement for the series. Instead of starting the season in Barcelona with the rest of the field, Reiter has opted to perform some additional testing before hitting the track at Spa on May 10. You, however, can check out the images in the gallery below for a sneak peek.

Reiter Engineering developing GT1-spec Lamborghini Murcielago SV

Some automakers run their racing programs in-house, and some choose to out-source. While its principal rival falls under the former, Lamborghini opts for the latter, giving its blessing to German motorsport garage Reiter Engineering to campaign race-prepped Raging Bulls in European sportscar series. Earlier this month we brought you the first details and images on Reiter's latest racecar, a Gallardo LP560-4 prepped for the GT2 class. With that out of the way, Reiter is now reportedly turning its attention to its next project for the top-tier GT1 class. It's basis: the spankin' new Murcielago SV.

The ultimate version of the Lamborghini supercar was just revealed at the Geneva Auto Show last month, but the boffins at Reiter Engineering aren't about to waste any time. No details yet, but if the rear-drive-only LP560 GT2 is any indication, we can expect Reiter to axe the Murci's all-wheel-drive system to save weight as well. The GT1-spec Murcielago SV is being developed for the 2010 season, when the FIA GT Championship will be split into the GT2 European Championship and the GT1 World Championship. While the aforementioned LP560 will take on the former, the competition Superveloce will take on the likes of the Nismo GT-R, Ford GT and two or three more anticipated models, each supplying a maximum of two teams with two cars each, in the latter that will include races in Argentina, Australia, South Africa and the UAE in addition to the European events.

Reiter's been known to turn the racing versions of Lamborghini's roadcars back into street machinery, with examples like the Gallardo GT3 Strada and Murcielago R-GT Strada in its repertoire, but we couldn't imagine them taking the street-bound SV to even more extreme grounds... could we?

Lamborghini profits up 27% for 2008 due to cost-cutting, outlook for 2009 hazy

Lamborghini has released its pre-tax profits for 2008, and the supercar manufacturer netted a total of 60 million euros ($79.6 million) last year for a 27% increase over 2007. Overall sales were up a scant 2.5%, eclipsing the previous year's sales record (2,406 vehicles) with 2,430 cars sold worldwide. The increase in sales is attributed to growth in China and the Middle East, while sales in the U.S. fell by over 20% to just 741 vehicles (down from 930 in 2007). Obviously, the additional profits didn't come from a massive sales increase. Instead, Lamborghini placed 300 of its 1,000 employees on shorter work days from February through May, netting an additional savings.

Naturally, the automaker isn't bullish (rimshot) for 2009, with CEO Stephan Winkelmann admitting that the economic downturn is likely to affect Lamborghini's sales. However, it remains committed to bringing a new model to market each year, so expect more hotness from Sant'Agata in 2009 and beyond. Hit the jump for Lamborghini's press release.

LAMBORGHINI DIABLO GT

Engine :
V12; 5992cc

575PK/7300rpm

630Nm/5500rpm

Transmission :
rear-wheel drive

6-speed manual

Brakes f/r :
Vented and perforated discs / vented and perforated discs

Weight :
1430 kg.

0-400 m :
n/a

0-1000 m :
n/a

0-100 km/u :
3.9 sec.

Maximum speed :
338 km/u (211mph)

LAMBORGHINI DIABLO SV

Engine :
V12; 5707cc

530PK/7100rpm

606Nm/5500rpm

Maximum speed :
304 km/u (190mph)

0-100 km/u :
4.5 sec.

Weight :
1590 kg.

LAMBORGHINI COUNTACH

Engine :
V12; 4.0L

375PK/8000rpm

368Nm/?

Maximum speed :
315 km/u (196mph)

0-100 km/u :
4.6 sec.

Weight :
1065 kg.

Only Lamborghini LP670-4 in the U.S. unexpectedly stops for some coffee in California

We were a bit shocked to see the newest Lamborghini supercar at our favorite weekly car gathering in Southern California this weekend. After debuting at the Geneva Motor Show back in March, the LP670-4 SV skipped the New York Auto Show and had its U.S. unveiling at a private event in Las Vegas recently. The guys at Lambo evidently figured Irvine was only a couple of hours away, so they swung by Cars & Coffee to show it off. It received quite a bit of attention, although the crowd couldn't convince the Lambo rep to drift it à la Hubinette.

As we've told you before, the newest Murcielago derivative gets a bump in horsepower compared to the 670, while torque stays the same at 487 lb·ft. Combined with a 220-pound weight shaving, that's good enough to drop the 0-62 mph sprint to just 3.2 seconds and raise the vmax to 212 mph. Unless, of course the car has the optional, larger, fixed "Aeropack Wing," which this one does. That limits top speed to "just" 209 mph, but adds just the right amount of ostentatiousness this Lambo deserves.

The LP670-4 doesn't look like your average Murciélago in other ways, either. It features many of the styling cues first deployed on the mega-spendy Reventon. Up front the air intakes have been made larger for better brake cooling and the front spoiler extends much farther. A new engine cover also features a similar triple hexagon transparent polymer plate setup on a bed of carbon fiber. The interior has also been upgraded with a revised dash and Alcantara throughout, which features stitching that matches the exterior color of the car.

We couldn't coax the driver into letting us take it for a spin, but hopefully we'll get one for a review before the temp in Hades dips below 32.

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.

Lamborghini working on short-wheelbase V12 Jota, Revent?n 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

REPORT: Lamborghini sees no recovery until 2011

After several years of record growth, Lamborghini, like most automakers, is struggling in a tough economy. Sales are down 30% so far in 2009, and the Raging Bull even laid off factory workers for seven weeks in an effort to keep down inventories. Chief Executive Stephan Winkelmann told Reuters that he expects the sales slump to continue through 2010, saying that the "crisis is very deep."

Winkelmann points out that sales are down over 40% in the US (Lamborghini's top market), and the company's waiting list has dropped from one year to six months. Lamborghini's struggles closely mirror problems with the economy at large; areas that have been hit by investment banking and real estate woes aren't in the market for Italian supercars.

Regardless of the dim forecast for the next 18 months, Winkelmann is still bullish when it comes to profits. The company cleared 60 million euros in 2008 ($84 million in US funds) and the Italian automaker expects to remain in the black even if sales take a 40% plunge. And the world renown luxury exotic automaker will have to stay solvent while vastly improving its carbon footprint. Lamborghini plans to reduce CO2 emissions coming from its vehicles by 35% in six years.

Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4 Spyder

We love us some supercar photos, and Lamborghini just made our day by releasing a plethora of new images of the Gallardo LP560-4 Spyder. Introduced late last year at the L.A. Auto Show, the new Gallardo drop-top received a host of upgrades compared to its predecessor, including a new folding top, LED taillights, and, of course, the new 552 horsepower 5.2-liter V10 also found in its coupe sibling.

Officially Official: Lamborghini Gallardo LP 550-2 Valentino Balboni

Few names resonate more with the Lamborghini faithful than Valentino Balboni, Lambo's long-term test driver who's honed every model to roll off the line since 1973. In an ultimate tribute to Balboni, the Italian supercar manufacturer has created this: the Lamborghini Gallardo LP 550-2 Valentino Balboni.

As its name would imply, the Gallardo ditches the standard model's all-wheel drive system and sends power to the rear wheels, and according to the automaker, the 550-2 "was conceived in line with [Balboni's] own thinking, and it meets many customers' requests for a model with a unique character, which offers a very special kind of active driving fun."

The 5.2-liter V10 has been tweaked to put out 550 hp and coupled with a the Gallardo's reduced curb weight (3,042 pounds), the LP 550-2 can sprint to 60 mph in 3.9 seconds and top out at 199 mph.

As we saw yesterday, the exterior receives a new set of Scorpious wheels (hiding a revised suspension) and a white and gold stripe running the length of the Lambo, with the theme carrying over inside in the form of a white leather center console and seats. Eight exterior shades are available, along with black, orange or yellow brake calipers, depending on the chosen hue, and in addition to the standard transparent engine cover, rear-view camera, navigation system and Bluetooth integration, buyers can option up for the e-gear transmission and carbon ceramic brakes.

This purest of Gallardos will be limited to 250 units, each bearing a serial number and Balboni's signature on the left side window, with US pricing starting at $219,800. Make the jump for the official release.

Reiter Engineering unveils Lamborghini Murcielago LP670 R-SV at Spa

Reiter Engineering used last weekend's 24 Hours of Spa race to reveal its Murcielago LP670 R-SV, a GT1 race-ready version of the already hardened LP 670-4 SV. The box-stock Lambo already shed 220 pounds compared to its non SV brethren, weighing in at 3,451 pounds. The Reiter racer, stripped of any non-essentials and with a body rendered entirely in carbon fiber, drops further 921 pounds to weigh in at just 2,530 pounds (1,150 kg).

Gallardo LP560 GT3

The REITER Lamborghini LP560 GT3 was tested for the first time in public and is more efficient than its victorious predecessor: More power, improved suspension geometry, refined and optimised aerodynamics and a reduction in weight are key factors for the performance increase. In addition the car scores with an innovative 2-in-1 concept.

The new car is based on the production Lamborghini LP560-4. The REITER LP560 GT3 is equipped with a completely new and more powerful 5.2 litre V10 engine producing 570 PS (419.2 kW) at 8,000 rpm. It also develops significantly more torque than its predecessor – namely 540 Nm at 6,500 rpm. An EFI Euro 12 ECU performs the engine management.

With its new car REITER Engineering aims to continue the winning ways of its GT3 model series. To date a total of 49 examples were sold to the worldwide customer base. And with success: In addition to numerous race victories a REITER Gallardo GT3 currently holds the overall lead in the French FFSA GT3 and Asian GT3 championships. A brace of team titles (ADAC GT Masters), three championship titles (Australian GT, FFSA GT, Italian GT) and two championship runner-up positions (ADAC GT Masters, FFSA GT) have been credited to the REITER designed and developed Lamborghini racer over the last few years. However, the talk can not be of matching previous successes, “since the new Lamborghini GT3 is clearly far superior in many aspects than its predecessor,” states Team Boss Hans Reiter

The car weighs-in at an impressive 1,190 kg and, as a result, numbers among the lightweights in the GT3 class. The reason for this is its unique light-weight design aluminium spaceframe-structure, which allows the chassis to be considerably lighter and extremely rigid torsionally. The front and rear bodywork and the sills are also manufactured from lightweight carbon-fibre.

The aerodynamic concept follows the high-downforce philosophy of the predecessor. A combination of the carbon rear wing, front splitter and the completely closed aluminum-honeycomb underfloor generate the downforce required. The aerodynamic could be improved by 8% compared to its predecessor.

According to comments by chief engineer Edward Turner the new GT3 suspension concept is based on its big brother the REITER Murciélago R-GT which has proven its competitiveness in recent seasons. CNC machined uprights, fabricated race wishbones, an 24-hour race braking system and the multi-adjustable race suspension specially developed for the GT3 car underline this and are the foundation for the improved suspension geometry. The state-of-the-art mid-engine concept gives the car excellent handling and forms the base for the perfect front to rear weight distribution of 43-57%

Equipped with 270/650-18 (front) and 310/710-18 (rear) REITER Engineering exploits the maximum tyre dimension on the rear axle which in turn improves the grip compared to the forerunner GT3 and, more specifically, allows significantly more constant lap times.

As usual a Holinger race gearbox ensures excellent power transmission. An Evo-gearbox enabled gear-shift times to be reduced by half. In addition, the fully programmable, electronic power management system (OBR) is another technical innovation that eases handling and maintenance.

A genuine motorsport innovation and interesting added value for GT3 customers: During the concept and design phase the REITER development team produced the REITER Convertible Concept (REITER CC/32). It allows the GT3 car, available for 265,000 Euro net, to be converted to a full-spec GT2 race car cost-efficiently in an ‘After Sales Solution’ for approx 30,000 Euro net. In this way customers receive a REITER LP560 GT3 race car which can start worldwide in the GT3 classes and also in the GT2 categories including the LM GT2 class.

Orders for three cars have already been placed. In September Lamborghini and GT3 customers have the opportunity to test the REITER Lamborghini LP560 GT3

The Lamborghini Estoque

Paris, October 1. 2008 ... Lamborghini finally unveiled the new Estoque model, after no less than four teaser shots that gave away some details of this new car, the full shots are now available, and they show an impressively styled four door super sedan.

As we've mentioned from the start, there is a front mounted engine, and in the case of the Estoque concept car this is the V10 engine also found in the Gallardo LP560-4, so expect a horsepower rating of 560 Bhp for this large four seater, with a total lenght of 515 cm this is a rather impressive car alltogether.

At the moment AUtomobili Lamborghini SpA is talking about a production version of this concept as early as 2010, probably offering more engine variants, there is even a rumor about a V12 diesel powered edition.

White lamborghini

cabrio lamborghini

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Black Back Lambo picture

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