Awards

The 1965 Mustang won the Tiffany Gold Medal for excellence in American design, the first automobile ever to do so.

The Mustang was on the Car and Driver Ten Best list in 1983, 1987, 1988, 2005, 2006, and 2011. It won the Motor Trend Car of the Year award in 1974 and 1994.

In 2005 it was runner-up to the Chrysler 300 for the North American Car of the Year award and was named Canadian Car of the Year.[54]

Ford Mustang

The Ford Mustang is an automobile manufactured by the Ford Motor Company. It was initially based on the second generation North American Ford Falcon, a compact car.[1] Introduced early on April 17, 1964,[2] dubbed as a "1964½" model by Mustang fans, the 1965 Mustang was the automaker's most successful launch since the Model A.[3] The model is Ford's third oldest nameplate in production[citation needed] and has undergone several transformations to its current fifth generation.

The Mustang created the "pony car" class of American automobiles—sports car-like coupes with long hoods and short rear decks[4]—and gave rise to competitors such as GM's Chevrolet Camaro,[5] AMC's Javelin,[6] and Chrysler's revamped Plymouth Barracudas and Dodge Challengers.[7] It also inspired coupés such as the Toyota Celica and Ford Capri, which were exported to the United States.

Colour

Since the 1920s, Italian race cars of Alfa Romeo, Maserati and later Ferrari and Abarth were (and often still are) painted in "race red" (Rosso Corsa). This was the customary national racing color of Italy, as recommended between the World Wars by the organizations that later would become the FIA. It refers to the nationality of the competing team, not that of the car manufacturer or driver. In that scheme, French-entered cars like Bugatti were blue, German like Benz and Mercedes white (since 1934 also bare sheet metal silver), and British green such as the mid-1960s Lotus and BRM, for instance.

Curiously, Ferrari won the 1964 World championship with John Surtees by competing the last two races in North America with cars painted in the US-American race colors white and blue, as these were not entered by the Italian factory themselves, but by the U.S.-based North American Racing Team (NART) team. This was done as a protest concerning arguments between Ferrari and the Italian Racing Authorities regarding the homologation of a new mid-engined Ferrari race car.

Identity

The famous symbol of the Ferrari race team is the Cavallino Rampante ("prancing horse") black prancing stallion on a yellow shield, usually with the letters S F (for Scuderia Ferrari), with three stripes of green, white and red (the Italian national colors) at the top. The road cars have a rectangular badge on the hood (see picture at top of page), and, optionally, the shield-shaped race logo on the sides of both front wings, close to the door.

On 17 June 1923, Enzo Ferrari won a race at the Savio track in Ravenna where he met the Countess Paolina, mother of Count Francesco Baracca, an ace of the Italian air force and national hero of World War I, who used to paint a horse on the side of his planes. The Countess asked Enzo to use this horse on his cars, suggesting that it would bring him good luck. The original "prancing horse" on Baracca's airplane was painted in red on a white cloud-like shape, but Ferrari chose to have the horse in black (as it had been painted as a sign of grief on Baracca's squadron planes after the pilot was killed in action) and he added a canary yellow background as this is the color of the city of Modena, his birthplace. The Ferrari horse was, from the very beginning, markedly different from the Baracca horse in most details, the most noticeable being the tail that in the original Baracca version was pointing downward.

Ferrari has used the cavallino rampante on official company stationery since 1929. Since the Spa 24 Hours of 9 July 1932, the cavallino rampante has been used on Alfa Romeos raced by Scuderia Ferrari.

The motif of a prancing horse is old, it can be found on ancient coins. A similar black horse on a yellow shield is the Coat of Arms of the German city of Stuttgart, home of Mercedes-Benz and the design bureau of Porsche, both being main competitors of Alfa and Ferrari in the 1930s. The city's name derives from Stutengarten, an ancient form of the German word Gestüt, which translates into English as stud farm and into Italian as scuderia. Porsche also includes the Stuttgart sign in its corporate logo, centred in the emblem of the state of Württemberg. Stuttgart's Rössle has both rear legs firmly planted on the soil, like Baracca's horse, but unlike Ferrari's cavallino.

Fabio Taglioni used the cavallino rampante on his Ducati motorbikes, as Taglioni was born at Lugo di Romagna like Baracca, and his father too was a military pilot during WWI (although not part of Baracca's squadron, as is sometimes mistakenly reported). As Ferrari's fame grew, Ducati abandoned the horse- perhaps the result of a private agreement between the two companies.

Austrian Fuel Stations

The cavallino rampante is the visual symbol of Ferrari. Cavallino Magazine uses the name, but not the logo. However, other companies use similar logos: Avanti, an Austrian company operating over 100 filling stations, uses a prancing horse logo which is nearly identical to Ferrari's, as does Iron Horse Bicycles.

Concept cars and specials

Ferrari has produced a number of concept cars, such as the Ferrari Mythos. While some of these were quite radical (such as the Ferrari Modulo) and never intended for production, others such as the Ferrari Mythos have shown styling elements which were later incorporated into production models.

The most recent concept car to be produced by Ferrari themselves was the 2010 Ferrari Millechili.

A number of one-off special versions of Ferrari road cars have also been produced, some of which have been commissioned by wealthy owners. One of the examples is the Ferrari P4/5.

The Special Projects program is a collaboration by Ferrari with Italian automobile coachbuilders such as Fioravanti, Pininfarina, and Zagato to build custom cars using selected Ferrari models as a structural base. The first car under this program is the SP1, commissioned by a Japanese business executive. The second is the P540 Superfast Aperta, commissioned by an American enthusiast.

Current models

Ferrari's first vehicle was the 125 S sports/racing model. In 1949, the Ferrari 166 Inter, the company's first move into the grand touring market, which continues to make up the bulk of Ferrari sales to the present day.

Several early cars featured bodywork customised by a number of coachbuilders such as Pininfarina, Zagato and Bertone.

The Dino was the first mid-engined Ferrari. This layout would go on to be used in most Ferraris of the 1980s and 1990s. V8 Ferrari models make up well over half of the marque's total production.

For a time, Ferrari built 2+2 versions of its mid-engined V8 cars. Although they looked quite different from their 2-seat counterparts, both the GT4 and Mondial were closely related to the 308 GTB.

The company has also produced front-engined 2+2 cars, culminating in the current 612 Scaglietti and California.

Ferrari entered the mid-engined 12-cylinder fray with the Berlinetta Boxer in 1973. The later Testarossa remains one of the most famous Ferraris.

Race cars for other teams

Throughout its history, Ferrari has supplied racing cars to other entrants, aside from its own works Scuderia Ferrari team.

In the 1950s and 60s, Ferrari supplied Formula One cars to a number of private entrants and other teams. One famous example was Tony Vandervell's team, which raced the Thinwall Special modified Ferraris before building their own Vanwall cars. The North American Racing Team's entries in the final three rounds of the 1969 season were the last occasions on which a team other than Scuderia Ferrari entered a World Championship Grand Prix with a Ferrari car.[4]

Ferrari supplied cars complete with V8 engines for the A1 Grand Prix series, from the 2008-09 season.[5] The car was designed by Rory Byrne and is styled to resemble the 2004 Ferrari Formula one car.

The 599 GTB Fiorano and F430 GT are used in GT racing series. The Ferrari Challenge is a one make racing series for the Ferrari F430. Ferrari's latest supercar, the 2006 FXX is not road legal, and is therefore only used for track events.

Scuderia Ferrari

Scuderia Ferrari has participated in a number of classes of motorsport, though it is currently only involved in Formula One. It is the only team to have competed in the Formula One World Championship continuously since its inception in 1950. José Froilán González gave the team its first F1 victory at the 1951 British Grand Prix.

Alberto Ascari gave Ferrari its first Drivers Championship a year later. Ferrari is the oldest team in the championship, and the most successful: the team holds nearly every Formula One record. As of 2008, the team's records include 15 World Drivers Championship titles (1952, 1953, 1956, 1958, 1961, 1964, 1975, 1977, 1979, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2007) 16 World Constructors Championship titles (1961, 1964, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1979, 1982, 1983, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2007 and 2008), 209 Grand Prix victories, 4925.27 points, 622 podium finishes, 203 pole positions, and 218 fastest laps in 776 Grands Prix contested.

Motorsport

Since the company's beginnings, Ferrari has been involved in motorsport, competing in a range of categories including Formula One and sports car racing through its Scuderia Ferrari sporting division as well as supplying cars and engines to other teams and for one make series.

The 1940 AAC 815 was the first racing car to be designed by Enzo Ferrari, although it was not badged as a Ferrari model.

History

Enzo Ferrari never intended to produce road cars when he formed Scuderia Ferrari (literally "Ferrari Stable", and usually used to mean "Team Ferrari", it is correctly pronounced [skudeˈriːa]) in 1928 as a sponsor for amateur drivers headquartered in Modena. Ferrari prepared, and successfully raced, various drivers in Alfa Romeo cars until 1938, when he was hired by Alfa Romeo to head their motor racing department.

In 1941, Alfa Romeo was confiscated by the fascist government of Benito Mussolini as part of the Axis Powers' war effort. Enzo Ferrari's division was small enough to be unaffected by this. Because he was prohibited by contract from racing for four years, the Scuderia briefly became Auto Avio Costruzioni Ferrari, which ostensibly produced machine tools and aircraft accessories. Also known as SEFAC (Scuderia Enzo Ferrari Auto Corse), Ferrari did in fact produce one race car, the Tipo 815, in the non-competition period. It was the first actual Ferrari car (it debuted at the 1940 Mille Miglia), but due to World War II it saw little competition. In 1943 the Ferrari factory moved to Maranello, where it has remained ever since. The factory was bombed by the Allies in 1944 and rebuilt in 1946, after the war ended, and included a works for road car production. Until Il Commendatore's death, this would remain little more than a source of funding for his racing operations.

Ferrari

Ferrari S.p.A. is an Italian sports car manufacturer based in Maranello, Italy. Founded by Enzo Ferrari in 1929, as Scuderia Ferrari, the company sponsored drivers and manufactured race cars before moving into production of street-legal vehicles as Ferrari S.p.A. in 1947. Throughout its history, the company has been noted for its continued participation in racing, especially in Formula One, where it has had great success. Ferrari road cars are generally seen as a symbol of luxury and wealth.

Speculation regarding production

It was reported on 22 March 2009 that production plans for the Lamborghini Estoque were cancelled.[5] Lamborghini executives responded to this by stating that the Estoque had not reached the production planning stage and that the decision whether to produce the Estoque or not has been delayed due to sales and marketing considerations.[6][7] Stephan Winkelmann, Lamborghini's chairman, has since indicated that a four-door Lamborghini is likely, stating that response to the Estoque showed opportunities for Lamborghini outside the supercar market.[8] However, Winkelmann also stated that Lamborghini does not have any plans to manufacture the Estoque and that it was only a concept vehicle.[9]

Lamborghini Estoque

The Lamborghini Estoque (Spanish pronunciation: [esˈtoke]) is a concept car built by Lamborghini. Unlike current production Lamborghini cars, which are mid-engine two-seat sports cars, the Estoque is a four-door sedan.

The Estoque was introduced at the 2008 Paris Motor Show.[1][2][3] The Estoque is the first front-engine vehicle by Lamborghini since the LM002 utility vehicle. It is described as a "concept for a $230,000 four-door sedan".[4] It currently houses a 5.2 litre V10 engine, although there has been speculation that this could be replaced by a V12, V8, or possibly even a hybrid or turbo-diesel engine, as suggested by Lamborghini's Brand Director, Manfred Fitzgerald.[2]

As with other Lamborghinis, the Estoque derives its name from Spanish-style bullfighting. An estoque is a type of sword traditionally used by matadors.[4]

Aventador J

Six months after unveiling the Aventador, plans for a roadster version were leaked by the U.S. EPA after it included the model on a data sheet on its website. Lamborghini officially unveiled the Aventador J to the world at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show. The roofless and windowless concept car uses the same V12 engine as the standard Aventador, producing 700 hp through a lightweight seven-speed automated transmission. The car has also been stripped of its air conditioning and radio units to save further weight, allowing it to weigh in at only 3,472 pounds (1,575 kg).[20][21] The car at the Geneva show is the only copy to be produced.[22]

The J designation comes from Appendix J in the FIA rulebook that describes the technical specifications of race cars.[22]

Reception

On 31 July 2011, the Aventador was reviewed on motoring show Top Gear, receiving mixed reviews from Richard Hammond. Although impressed with the performance and handling, Hammond expressed dismay at the lack of temperament and danger associated with driving previous Lamborghini supercars.[18] The Aventador recorded the third fastest time around the Top Gear track with a time of 1.16.5, beating the Bugatti Veyron Super Sport, among others. Top Gear also announced that it chose the Aventador as the car of the year for 2011.[19]

The Lamborghini Aventador makes an appearance on video games such as Gran Turismo 5, Forza Motorsport 4 via the November Speed Pack DLC, Car Town and Need for Speed: The Run. It also served as the cover art of the PlayStation Vita game Asphalt: Injection. It has also been confirmed as downloadable content for Gran Turismo 5.

Engine

The Aventador LP 700-4 uses Lamborghini's new 700 PS (515 kW; 690 bhp) and 425.77 bhp (317 kW; 432 PS) per tonne with the 6.5 liter 60° V12 engine. Known internally as the L539,[3] the new engine is Lamborghini's fourth in-house engine and second V12. It is the first all-new V12 since the 3.5 litre powerplant found in the Miura.[12]Displacement 6,498 cc (396.5 cu in)
Max. power 700 PS (515 kW) @ 8,250 rpm
Max. torque 690 N·m (510 lb·ft) @ 5,500 rpm
CO2 emissions 398 g/km
Combined fuel consumption 17.2 L/100 km (16.4 mpg-imp; 13.7 mpg-US) [13]


Performance is estimated to be 0–100 km/h (62 mph) in 2.9 seconds with a top speed of around 349.2 km/h (217.0 mph).[14] Its United States Environmental Protection Agency fuel mileage is 14 miles per US gallon (17 L/100 km; 17 mpg-imp).[12]

Its transmission, a single-clutch 7-speed semi-automatic, is built by Graziano Trasmissioni.[15][16] Although being single-clutch, gear-shifts are accomplished in 50 milliseconds.

The brand new, electronically controlled, four-wheel drive system is developed and supplied by the Swedish company Haldex Traction, offering superb traction[citation needed] and handling capabilities based on their 4th generation technology[citation needed].[17]

Etymology

Like previous Lamborghinis, the Aventador name was chosen for its symbolic connection to the world of fighting bulls, sharing a name with the legendary Aventador, a trophy-winning bull in the world of Spanish bullfighting. Bred by the sons of Don Celestino Cuadri Vides, the bull that bore the number 32 took part in a notably spirited, bloody and violent battle with a torero in the town of Zaragoza, Spain that earned him the “Trofeo de la Peña La Madroñera" in 1993.[3][9]

Production will be limited to 4000 units (4099 Murciélagos have been built). The moulds used to make the carbon-fibre monocoque are expected to last 500 units each and only 8 have been made.[10] Lamborghini says that the Aventador is two generations ahead of anything else on sale, using Formula One-style suspension and a lightweight carbon fibre monocoque.[11] Stylistically, the Aventador represents an evolution of its predecessor, the Murciélago. The car's shape also borrows heavily from Lamborghini's limited-edition Reventón and their Estoque concept car.

Lamborghini Aventador

The Lamborghini Aventador LP 700-4 is a two-door, two-seater sports car publicly unveiled by Lamborghini at the Geneva Motor Show on 28 February 2011, five months after its initial unveiling in Sant'Agata Bolognese.[2] Internally codenamed LB834,[3] the Aventador was designed to replace the ten-year-old Murciélago as the new flagship model in the Lamborghini lineup starting in 2011.[4] Soon after the Aventador unveiling, Lamborghini announced that it had already sold over 12 months of the production vehicles, with deliveries starting in the second half of 2011.[5] The suggested retail price is €255,000 in Europe, £201,900 in the UK and $379,700 in the U.S.[6][7][8]

Lamborghini Miura concept

In January 2006, a retro-styled Lamborghini Miura concept car, built of a Murciélago chassis, was announced at the Museum of Television & Radio and promoted at the Los Angeles Auto Show, although the car itself was not present at the show. Subsequently, Miura concept was officially debuted at the North American International Auto Show just two weeks later. It was the first design penned by Lamborghini design chief, Walter de'Silva, and commemorated the 40th anniversary of the 1966 introduction of the original Miura in Geneva.

Lamborghini president and CEO, Stefan Winkelmann, rejected any possibility of the concept marking the Miura's return to production however, stating “The Miura was a celebration of our history, but Lamborghini is about the future. Retro design is not what we are here for. So we won’t do the Miura.”[26]

R-SV

An evolution of the R-GT developed by Reiter Engineering to comply with the FIA rules for the new FIA GT1 World Championship. The 2010 FIA GT1 World Championship season saw Reiter run two cars and the other two were run by All-Inkl.com Münnich Motorsport. Reiter saw some success winning two Championship races finishing third in the teams championship. The All-Inkl team did not have as much success finishing ninth in the championship. The 2011 season saw Swiss Racing Team run the ex-Reiter R-SV's, after an unsuccessful season in 2010 running Nissan GT-R's. All-Inkl have had a successful season so far topping the teams championship as of round seven. Swiss Racing Team had some points finishes but after a crash between both cars at the Sachsenring round, they had a lack of spare parts and did not compete in the next three events. DKR Engineering announced that they would be using Murcielago R-SVs for the last 2 rounds of the season, instead of the Chevrolet Corvette C6.R that they were using for the first 8 rounds. Its top speed is 402 km / h.

LP 650-4 Roadster

In 2009, Lamborghini released a limited-run update of the Murciélago Roadster. The LP 650-4's increased engine output was rated at 650 PS (478 kW; 641 hp) and 490 lb·ft (660 N·m), allowing the car to reach 62 mph (100 km/h) in 3.4 seconds and achieve a top speed of 205 mph (330 km/h). Only available in Grigio Telesto gray with Arancio orange highlights, the color scheme was continued on the inside.[17]

LP 640 Versace

The Murciélago LP 640 Versace is a special limited edition of the LP 640 that was unveiled at the 2006 Paris Motor Show. Available in either white or black, only 20 were produced as both coupés and roadsters. Although the standard V12 engine was used, stylists from the Versace fashion house, and Lamborghini's Ad Personam program, collaborated to design custom interiors finished in two-toned Versace leather. Gianni Versace logo plaque.[15] Each unit came with matching Versace luggage, along with driving shoes, and gloves. A matching watch from Versace's Precious Items department was also made available to customers.[16]

40th Anniversary Edition

In 2004, Lamborghini celebrated its 40th anniversary by releasing a limited run of 50 40th-Anniversary Edition Murciélagos. Enhancements over the standard vehicle included a limited-edition blue body color that was labeled "Jade-Green", carbon-fiber exterior detailing, upgraded wheels, a revamped exhaust system, and a numbered plaque on the inside of the rear window. The interior also featured unique leather trim.[14]

Murcielago LP 670-4 SuperVeloce

At the 2009 Geneva Motor Show, Lamborghini unveiled the ultimate version of the Murciélago, the LP 670-4 SuperVeloce.[9] The SV moniker had previously appeared on the Diablo SV, and Miura. SV variants are more extreme and track-orientated, and are released at the end of each model's production run. [10]

The SuperVeloce's V12 produces 670 PS (493 kW; 661 hp) at 8000 rpm and 490 lb·ft (660 N·m) of torque at 6500 rpm, thanks to revised valve timing and upgraded intake system. The car's weight was also reduced by 220 lb (100 kg) through extensive use of carbon fiber inside and out. A new lighter exhaust system was also used. As a result of the extensive weight loss, the SV produces a power-to-weight ratio of 429 Bhp/long ton. Also standard were the LP 640's optional 15-inch carbon-ceramic disc brakes with 6 piston calipers. In its June 2009 issue, Car and Driver magazine estimated that the LP 670-4 SV was capable of accelerating to 62 mph (100 km/h) from a standing start in just 2.9 seconds and on to 124 mph (200 km/h) in 7.4 seconds. Subsequent testing by "Road and Track" revealed a 0-60 time of 2.8 seconds and a quarter mile time of 10.9 seconds at 129.4 miles per hour.[11] Lamborghini claims a top speed of 213 mph (343 km/h) when the car is fitted with an optional smaller spoiler, or 209 mph (336 km/h) with the standard Aeropack wing.[12]

According to Maurizio Reggiani, head of Lamborghini R&D, the LP 670-4 SV's steering was tuned for high-speed sensitivity. The original production plan of the ultimate Murciélago was limited to 350 cars, and cost $450,000 US (before options) £270,038 in 2009). However, only 186 LP 670-4s were produced before the factory had to make room for the new Aventador production line. Numbered cars 1-350 do not represent the order in which cars were manufactured.

In April 2010, Lamborghini released a variant of the LP 670-4 called the SuperVeloce China Limited Edition. The car was offered for sale exclusively in China (with 12 retail outlets, China overtook Italy as Lamborghini's 2nd largest market after the USA), and is distinguished by special exterior markings.[13]

Murcielago LP 640 Roadster

The Murciélago Roadster was introduced in 2004. Primarily designed to be an open top car, it employed a manually attached soft roof as cover from adverse weather, but a warning on the windshield header advises the driver not to exceed 100 mph (160 km/h) with the top in place. The designer used the B-2 stealth bomber, the Wally 118 WallyPower yacht, and architect Santiago Calatrava's Ciutat de les Arts i les Ciències in Valencia, Spain as his inspiration for the roadster's revised rear pillars and engine cover.[3]

In March 2006, Lamborghini unveiled a new version of its halo car at the Geneva Motor Show: the Murciélago LP 640. The new title incorporated the car's name, along with an alphanumeric designation which indicated the engine's orientation (Longitudinale Posteriore), along with the newly updated power output. With displacement now increased to 6.5 liters, the new car made 640 PS (471 kW; 631 hp) at 8000 rpm. The Murciélago's exterior received a minor facelift. Front and rear fascias were revised, and side air intakes were now asymmetrical with the left side feeding an oil cooler. A new single outlet exhaust system incorporated into the rear diffuser, modified suspension tuning, revised programming and upgraded clutch for the 6-speed "e-Gear" automated sequential transmission with launch control rounded out the performance modifications. Interior seating was also re-shaped to provide greater headroom, and a new stereo system formed part of the updated dashboard. In the U.S. MSRP was set at $318,800.[citation needed] Optional equipment included Carbon fibre-reinforced Silicon Carbide (C/SiC) ceramic composite brakes, chrome paddle shifters and a glass engine cover. The 2008 car's estimated fuel economy for the 6-speed manual is 8 miles per U.S. gallon (29 L/100 km; 9.6 mpg-imp) city and 13 miles per U.S. gallon (18 L/100 km; 16 mpg-imp) freeway, making it the least efficient car in 2008 for city and highway driving, according to the EPA.[7]

Murcielago

The Murciélago is an all-wheel drive, mid-engined supersports car. With an angular design and an exceptionally low slung body, the highest point of the roof is just under 4 feet above the ground. One of the vehicle's most distinguishing features are its scissor doors. which lends to the extreme image. First-generation Murciélagos, produced between 2001 and 2010, were powered by a Lamborghini V12 which traces its roots back to the company's beginnings in the 1960s. The rear differential is integrated to the engine itself, with a viscous coupling center differential providing drive to the front wheels. Power is delivered through a 6-speed manual transmission. The Murciélago suspension uses an independent double-wishbone design, and bodywork features carbon fiber, steel and aluminum parts. The rear spoiler and the active air intakes integrated into the car's shoulders are electromechanically controlled, deploying automatically only at high speeds in an effort to maximize both aerodynamic and cooling efficiency.

The first generation cars were produced between 2001 and 2006, and known simply as Murciélago, sometimes Murciélago VT. Their V12 engines produced just under 580 PS, or Pferdestärke (German: horse strength), a European unit to measure horsepower, and powered the car to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 3.8 seconds.[6] Subsequent versions incorporated an alphanumeric designation to the name Murciélago, which indicated their engine configuration and output. However, the original cars are never referred to as "LP 580s".

Name

In a continuation of Lamborghini's tradition of naming its cars after stars from the world of bullfighting, the Murciélago was named for a fighting bull that survived 28 sword strokes in an 1879 fight against Rafael "El Lagartijo" Molina Sanchez, at the Coso de los califas bullring in Córdoba, Spain. Murciélago fought with such passion and spirit that the matador chose to spare its life, a rare honor. The bull, which came from Joaquin del Val di Navarra's farm, was later presented as a gift to Don Antonio Miura, a noted local breeder; thus began the famed Miura line of fighting bulls, and the name for one of Lamborghini's greatest designs.

Murciélago is the Spanish name for the bat. The word is pronounced [murθiˈelaɣo], with a voiceless dental fricative [θ] (as in English thing), in the Castilian Spanish spoken in most of Spain. However, the Italian automaker often uses the Southern Spain and Latin American Spanish pronunciation, [murˈsjelaɣo], with an [s] sound.[citation needed] The Italian word for "bat" would be pipistrello.

Lamborghini Murciélago

The Lamborghini Murciélago is a two-door, two-seat sports car produced by Italian automaker Lamborghini between 2001[2] and 2010. Successor to the Diablo and flagship of the automaker's lineup, the Murciélago was introduced as a coupé in 2001. The automaker's first new design in eleven years, the car was also the brand's first new model under the ownership of German parent company Audi. It was styled by Peruvian-born Belgian Luc Donckerwolke, Lamborghini's head of design from 1998 to 2005.[3]

A roadster version was introduced in 2004, followed by the updated LP 640 coupé and roadster and limited edition LP 650-4 Roadster. The final variation to wear the Murciélago nameplate was the LP 670-4 SuperVeloce, powered by the largest and final evolution of the historic Lamborghini V12 engine. Production of the Murciélago ended on November 5, 2010, with a total run of 4,099 cars.[4] Its successor, the Aventador, was released at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show.[5]

Police cars

In December 2004, two L140 Gallardos were donated to the Italian police in honour of the force's 152nd anniversary, one came from Automobili Lamborghini SpA while a second was donated by an independent organization.

The Gallardo Police Cars are used by the traffic police (Polizia Stradale) during emergencies and alarm situations on the Salerno-Reggio Calabria highway, also under the powers of the special safety operative which is already being employed along that tract of highway and, above all, for the transport of body organs destined for transplantation.

In October 2008, a private ceremony was held at the Viminale Palace where Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A. donated the newest Gallardo, the LP 560-4, to the head of the Italian State Police, Prefect Antonio Manganelli. The new Lamborghini Gallardo LP 560-4 Polizia will replace its predecessor to fulfill roles with the Lazio Highway Police Department.[38]

Yellow L140 Gallardos have been "temporary" police cars for the Metropolitan Police in London, England, one in 2005 and one in 2006, for specific publicity events. The 2006 vehicle was seen at the start of the 2006 Gumball Rally. Both vehicles were lent by Lamborghini London and were fitted with yellow and blue battenburg markings, police logos and a small blue lightbar.

Replacement

With the launch of the Aventador to replace the Murcielago, rumours of replacing the Gallardo is high on the agenda. Lamborghini announced that the Gallardo would be replaced with a car named the Cabrera which may pack a supercharged V10 packing a possible 592 brake horsepower (441 kW; 600 PS). The Cabrera will also feature Carbon Fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP) parts that will help to reduce the car’s total weight. Four-Wheel drive is also being considered. The clarified name would be 'Cabrera LP 600-4'.

LP 570-4 Spyder Performante

n November 2010, Lamborghini announced the LP 570-4 Spyder Performante - a convertible version of the LP 570-4 Superleggera. As usual, the convertible parts make the Spyder Performante heavier than the Superleggera coupe (up to 3,275 lb (1,486 kg) from 2,954 lb (1,340 kg) in the Superleggera), but Lamborghini has taken extra steps to ensure the Spyder is still 143 lb (65 kg) lighter than the standard Gallardo Spyder.

Using the same 562 horsepower 5.2-litre V10 from the LP 570-4 Superleggera, the Spyder goes from zero to 100 km/h (62 mph) in only 3.9 seconds.[32]

LP 550-2 Valentino Balboni (2009)

This is a limited (to 250 units) version named after Lamborghini test driver Valentino Balboni. The engine was rated at 550 PS (405 kW; 542 hp). The vehicle has dry weight of 1,380 kg (3,000 lb). Unlike the contemporary line-up, this model is rear wheel drive (because the standard all-wheel drive system was removed). It is the first Gallardo ever to use 2 wheel drive.

The CORSA ESP setting allows greater drift angles over regular models.

Other features include re-calibrated optional e-gear transmission, redeveloped 45% limited slip differential, full leather black upholstery with white colour strips, Polar white centre console, a stripe down the centre of the car, and a badge below the left side window bears the signature of Valentino Balboni and the production number of the car.

The Lamborghini LP 550-2 Valentino Balboni can reach a top speed of 199 mph and reach 0–100 km/h in 3.9 seconds.[27]

The vehicle has MSRP of €162,000 (Europe), £137,900 (UK), $219,800 (US).[28]

Super Trofeo (2009)

It is a limited (30 units) version designed for Lamborghini Blancpain Super Trofeo one-make racing series. The series began in May 2009.

The Super Trofeo race car is based on the Gallardo LP 560-4 sports car, but with a reworked chassis and a direct injection V10 engine rated 570 PS (419 kW; 562 hp) with higher compression ratio of 12.5:1, variable valve timing. The car has dry weight of 1,300 kg (2,900 lb). E-gear transmission is standard.

The Super Trofeo car and parts package cost €200,000 (US$284,300) plus tax, available via Lamborghini dealerships, with support and parts sales trackside.

The car set the fastest lap time at the Vallelunga Circuit, with Giorgio Sanna as driver.[26]

Racing (2007-)

In 2007, a Lamborghini Gallardo was entered in FIA GT3, as well as the Japanese 'SUPER GT' Championship in the GT300 class, the lower of the two classes in the series.

The FIA GT3 car was built with help from German motorsport specialists Reiter Engineering, who previously made the Murcielago GT1 and the Diablo GTR Super Trophy racers. All the extra aerodynamics were bolt-on parts, conforming with cost-effective regulations that meant the finished car had to closely resemble its road-going counterpart. Brembo racing brakes and OZ Racing wheels were also added. It remained All-Wheel-Drive.[7] It produced 512 brake horsepower (382 kW) @ 7800rpm and 376.2 lb.ft of Torque @ 4500 rpm, barely more than the road car, and only as a result of adding an unsilenced racing exhaust system and better cooling.

The SUPER GT car had to conform to rather different regulations. It could produce no more than 300PS (295 bhp/224 kW) and must be Rear-Wheel-Drive. The power is limited by air restrictors placed in the engine bay. The gearbox is a sequential 6-Speed twin-clutch setup. The rules regarding aerodynamics are far looser than those in FIA GT, meaning the SUPER GT car has more advanced aero, including a much bigger rear wing. It took a while to be competitive, only being consistently at the top this 2009 season.[8]

Lamborghini Gallardo

The Lamborghini Gallardo ( /ɡaɪˈjɑrdoʊ/; Italian: [ɡaʎˈʎardo]) is a sports car built by Lamborghini. The Gallardo is Lamborghini's most-produced model to date, with over 10,000 built in its first seven years of production.[3] The car is named after a famous breed of fighting bull.

The Gallardo offers two choices of transmissions, a conventional (H-Box) six-speed manual transmission, and an advanced six-speed electro-hydraulically controlled semi-automatic robotized manual, which Lamborghini abbreviates to "E-gear". The "E-gear" allows the driver to make shifts much faster than a manual transmission would. The driver shifts up and down via paddles behind the steering wheel, but can also change into automatic mode.[4]

Lamborghini Reventon Exterior

Exterior

The Reventón features an all-new carbon fiber exterior. All Reventóns have the same exterior color, described as "mid opaque grey without the usual shine."

Lamborghini has also picked up some of parent company Audi's design language. It is the first Lamborghini to incorporate daylight running lights into the headlamps. Seven light-emitting diodes (LEDs) at each headlamp flank the bi-Xenon main beam and stay lit whenever the car is in movement. Due to the high temperatures in the rear lower part of the car, special heatproof LEDs are used for the indicator and hazard lights, stoplights and rear lights with a triple arrow optical effect.[15]

Lamboghini Reventon Interior

Lamborghini Reventon Interior :
                                        The instrument panel in the Reventón comprises three TFT liquid crystal displays (LCDs) with two different display modes. The instruments are housed in a structure milled from a solid aluminium block, protected by a carbon fiber casing. The car's instrumentation includes a "G-Force-Meter" which displays the magnitude and direction of the g-forces acting upon the car. The seats of the Reventón are black leather and brown Alcantara.[15]