The most powerful Lamborghini ever - thats the Lamborghini Murcielago LP640? It is a fantastically powerful exotic car, powered by a 6.5 liter 640 bhp engine. No minor facelift but a new engine with upgraded transmission – in fact, major improvements all round. Why is it called the Lamborghini Murcielago LP640? LP refers to the fact that the engine is right at the back, just forward of the rear wheels, with the gearbox in front of it, and of course 640 refers to the power output. Enough to compete with the top exotic cars.
The Murcielago was not only one of the most striking looking exotic cars ever, but it was also very fast. The Lamborghini Murcielago LP640 is even faster, with a top speed of 211 mph, and a 0-60 mph time of 3.3 seconds – the sort of power to thrust you back into the seat as the car accelerates at a furious rate. But this is a car you can drive at 2,000 rpm with the smooth V-12 running like a turbine, and as you go past everyone will stop to stare at this stunning exotic car.
Stunning looks and 0-60 mph in 3.3 seconds!
As with the original Murcielago, the LP640 retains the unusual layout in which the gearbox is mounted in front of the engine to get a lot of weight on the rear wheels. The result is terrific traction, and is the basis for good handling. Mind you, with that amount of power, over-exuberance, especially on wet roads, can lead to some pretty exciting sideways action.
Chisel nose
The LP640 body has been altered slightly, the front being very similar to the Gallardo, except that there is a bottom lip which is a little higher in the middle than at the sides. The front end looks sharper, more aggressive. The four side air intakes are retained, but the lower left one is now much larger to provide enough cooling for the larger oil cooler now fitted.
Ears let more air in when the engine needs it
As before, the variable air intakes are used to keep the engine as cool as it needs to be – and no more. Instead of having massive intakes always open and increasing drag, the engineers at Lamborghini came up with a pair of variable opening intakes – these are the upper ones. They are always open, but when the going gets tough, and maximum cooling is needed, they open a bit more - automatically, of course - and stand out like a pair of ears.
Doors open vertically
The Murcielago LP640 retains the Lambo hallmark of doors that open vertically to ease access, giving that characteristic appearance when you are getting in and out. Now used by a few others, but nevertheless a Lamborghini speciality.
Actually, they are not quite as good as you would expect because they do not go right up to the vertical position, but instead. When fully open lean back and cover part of the opening. Getting in is a bit like limbo dancing, but not quite, as you lean back and twist yourself in. Not recommended for the overweight.
The interior is typical Lambo, too, with all the controls and instruments right in front of the driver. The gear lever is close to hand, sticking out of an aluminum gate on the tall tunnel, which slopes back up by your shoulder so youre well separated from your passenger. Once you get that engine throbbing away, or racing up to speed, you wont be able to hear much soft conversation anyway!
Excellent driving position
The driving position and seat are excellent – now with diamond shape panels - and the clear instruments are deeply recessed forward of the wheel. The paddles of the optional e-gear are big and easy to use, and the engine management dutifully revs the engine up a little as you shift down. This makes slowing down from over 100 mph to a low-speed corner very simple - and quick with those massive and progressive brakes. Upward shifts are not as smooth as they might be, but work well..
Massive 640 bhp V-12
Behind the driver is the superb power train. Lamborghini has been making big V-12 engines for many years, and the latest unit is a 6.5 liter 60-degreee V-12 engine developing 640 bhp at 8,000 rpm – up 70 bhp from the previous model. Peak power comes 500 rpm higher than before, while maximum torque is hardly changed at 486 lb ft (660 Nm) but is obtained at 6,000 rpm.
There is still a wide power band, but you will need to rev a little harder to get the full potential from this very powerful engine. As this engine chucks out so much power even at 3,000 rpm the car races ahead very quickly.
42:58 weight distribution
The weight distribution is 42% front, 58% rear, which is similar to a conventional mid-engined layout. Weight distribution is the basis of cornering and traction performance, and the Murcielago has it right for an ultra-powerful supercar.
Four-wheel drive is what sets Lamborghinis apart from other supercars. At the central differential is a viscous coupling, which divides the torque between the two axles. Normally, you get 30% of torque to the front wheels and 70% to the back wheels, so the car handles more like a rear-drive car. In the event of wheelspin, the torque is transmitted to the wheels that are gripping best.
The basic structure of the car is Murcielago LP640 is basically similar to that of the previous Murcielago. It is based on a steel tubular frame, reinforced by some of the carbon fiber body panels. Most of the external panels are carbon fiber, the exceptions being the roof and door panels which are steel. The steel roof is there to increase stiffness.
Wishbone suspension front and rear
Suspension is by double wishbones and coil springs front and rear, with twin rear spring/damper units at the rear. You get ABS to improve control of the large brakes which sit inside the 18 inch wheels. The brakes are 15 in diameter at the front, and 14 inch at the rear, and there is now the option of ceramic composite brakes with 6-pot calipers.
Lamborghini uses low profile Pirelli P Zero Rosso tires to get the power on the road — 245/35 ZR18 at the front, and 335/30 ZR18 at the rear. These are the same as before.
With that massive engine, the Murcielago is quite big, with a length of 181 inches and is very wide at 81 inches. It weighs 3,667 lb (1,665 kg), which is quite heavy, but then this is an extremely powerful car. Thanks to the massive power output, the power:weight ratio is 384 bhp/tonne, which is a lot, but well below the 485 bhp/ton of the exotic Ferrari Enzo.
Nevertheless, this is an enormously quick and very distinctive exotic supercar, with the extra traction that comes with four-wheel drive. However, handling is close to that of rear-drive mid-engined cars.
A superb example of Italian engineering without loads of electronics to take control – it has just ABS and traction control. An exotic car to drive to your limits.
