You may have seen some of these before. Rich guys like to show off you know. Regardless, these ultimate garages still stir the soul in a way only serious car enthusiasts can truly appreciate. There's a 25 page string on Luxury4play.com if you want to see more.
Is it ever OK to dance on a Lamborghini Murcielago Roadster?
Last night, the Volkswagen Group threw a huge party in Frankfurt. In this video, we bring you the official unveilings of the Audi R8 Spyder, Lamborghini Reventon Roadster and Volkswagen e Up!. You'll see the over-the-top Bugattis and Bentleys, too.
At each major auto show the monstrous VW Group puts on a sheet metal circus of sorts the night before the first press day in which it shows pretty much all of the vehicles that all of its various brand will unveil in the coming days. This is typically a fairly restrained affair. An executive stands up and introduces the vehicle his (they're ALWAYS men) brand will have at the show, the vehicle rolls out and, boom, on to the next brand.
Then there's Lamborghini, which invariably brings a little more flash to the deal. For starters there are always -- and we do mean always -- a couple of silly-hot models affixed to the car. And then there's the car. This year it's the matte-finish Reventon Roadster, which is very much like the Reventon only without a roof. Also, the company has lost the olive-drab/dark-gray color of the coupe and gone for a more conventionally attractive silver.
Make the jump for more details and a photo gallery.
Continue reading 2009 Frankfurt Auto Show: Lamborghini Reventon Roadster.
Bill Visnic analyzes the confirmed list of Frankfurt Auto Show debuts over on Auto Observer today and makes the suggestion that the sort of old-school luxury associated with big engines, rich interiors and large profit margins might end up being a casualty of our current economic times. In its place is a more rational, environmentally minded view of the top end of the market.
"How else to interpret the rash of hybrid-electric and pure-electric unveilings from the German automakers -- on their Frankfurt home field, no less -- the ones who long pooh-poohed any kind of vehicle electrification in favor of advanced diesel engines?" Visnic asks.
He points to the BMW Vision EfficientDynamics diesel-electric, plug-in hybrid concept, which balances its 356 horsepower with a claimed 63 mpg on the European test cycle, and the Mercedes-Benz Vision S500 Plug-In Hybrid that will supposedly haul to 60 mph in the low 5s while returning 74 mpg (Euro test cycle). And of course there's the Lexus LF-Ch, which is both a hybrid and a compact hatchback.
Then again, more traditional high-end cars like the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG, Ferrari 458 Italia and Lamborghini Reventon Roadster will be on the floor, too. Are they still relevant?
Auto Observer: Frankfurt Motor Show: Enviro Plays, Luxury the Big Question
See the full list of introductions at the 2009 Frankfurt Auto Show
Media-grade photos of the Lamborghini Reventon Roadster leaked out today ahead of its introduction at the 2009 Frankfurt Auto Show. It should surpass the Reventon coupe ($1.4 million) as the most expensive Lamborghini ever built. Not that many will be built. The Lambo Reventon coupe had a production run of 20. Any guesses how many Reventon Roadsters will be built?
In any case, look for a 6.5-liter V12 making in the neighborhood of 651 horsepower in this all-wheel-drive, mid-engine convertible based on the Murcielago. Expect a top speed of well over 200 mph for gale-in-the-hair cruising, you know.
By the way, we object to calling this car a roadster, which, by the most correct definition refers to a very simple car without a roof or side glass (the Miata is the purest modern incarnation). There's nothing simple about a million-dollar, carbon-fiber-bodied convertible.
So we will rechristen the Lamborghini Reventon Roadster as the Lamborghini Reventon Decappottabile. That's Italian for convertible.
More photos after the jump.
First Drive: 2008 Lamborghini Reventon
worldcarfans via Autoblog
Continue reading Another Frankfurt Leak: Lamborghini Reventon Roadster.
Photo illustration by Fox Syndication Limited
Save for a minor facelift at the LP640's debut in 2006, the current Lamborghini Murcielago looks the same as it did back in 2001 when it was introduced. And for a brand that trades in flamboyance and unbridled passion (of all kinds), rather than heritage (Ferrari), more than a decade of sameness can't be tolerated. It's time for a refresh, and sources close to Lamborghini tell us a revised 2012 Lamborghini Murcielago will be in the company's booth at this month's Frankfurt Auto Show.
As you can see from these early renderings, the Murcielago is expected to pick up many of the design elements of the Estoque sedan concept from last year's Paris Auto Show. Lambo's supercar will keep its mid-engine layout, of course, but the illustrations suggest it might get some of the Estoque's tastier contours.
The overall form is much closer to the Lamborghini Gallardo's shape, and some think the 2012 Murcielago might abandon its Diablo-derived bits and use a version of the Gallardo's Audi-designed chassis.
Follow the jump for more information and another photo.
IL News -- 2012 Lamborghini Murcielago: The Next Step?
Continue reading Early Look at 2012 Lamborghini Murcielago.
This long list of events is your chance to throw away your inhibitions and lay down some rubber. Some of the track days make you bring your own vehicle, while others provide you with a machine to pilot. Either way, find the right event and brush up on your driving skills by booking some track time at the links below.
Continue reading Hit Up the Track With These Events.
Really, a sheet? We know Lamborghini has a flair for the dramatic, but we were still surprised to see the spandex body-suit pulled over the 2010 Lamborghini LP550-2 Valentino Balboni at its Los Angeles debut for VIP clients and select members of the press.
It's always a bit exciting to see the more dramatic curves and arches poking out from stretched-thin Lycra, but this is a car we've already seen in the buff; in pictures, in the news, oh, and we saw it a whole bunch that time we drove it. So the sheet? Probably not necessary, but this is Beverly Hills and Lamborghini.
Continue reading Balboni Shows Off Namesake Lamborghini Gallardo in Beverly Hills .
Ignore the man standing next to the new Lamborghini Gallardo LP550-2. He's just some test driver. The real news here is the rear-wheel drive setup on this special-edition Gallardo. It's the first Lambo in years to send all its power to just two wheels and according to our man on the scene, it is an improvement indeed. Find out how much of an improvement in our latest first drive from the backroads of Italy.
First Drive: 2010 Lamborghini Gallardo LP550-2
Look, we know it's geeky. But we like us some charts. We've decided on a delicious Lamborghini pie chart for this, a look at how sales of each Lamborghini model ever made compare.
We should note that there are a few oddballs and one-offs that Lambo has built over the years. We have not included those. Our numbers come from Lamborghini itself, so if you believe that you are the proud owner of the 780th Miura produced, well, we'll give you the company's number. First though, you'll want to check to see if your Miura SV says "Fiero" anywhere on it.
Make the jump for a closer look.
Continue reading Geeking Out: A Snapshot of Lamborghini Sales .
Do you find that the standard Lamborghini Gallardo LP-560-4 has too short a name? Or too many driven wheels? Is it too common? Does it not have enough Balboni?
Well friend, has your ship ever come in! Lamborghini just announced a special-edition Gallardo, called the LP 550-2 Valentino Balboni. Let's break that down for you.
The "550" stands for the horsepower output of the 'boni's 5.2-liter V10 engine. Yes, that's 10 fewer than the Gallardo LP 560-4.
The "2" means that unlike other Gallardos, this Balboni edition has but two driven wheels (that would be the rear ones, if you were wondering). Lamborghini says, "...controlled oversteer is no problem." Indeed, it's typically the other variety of oversteer that concerns us.
The "Valentino Balboni" stands for Valentino Balboni. Balboni is the legendary Lamborghini test driver that's been with the company since old man Lamborghini hired him in 1967. (He's the one on the left in the picture above.)
What else do you want to know? The suspension was modified for duty in the Balboni. There will be only 250 constructed. The suggested retail price in the U.S. is $219,800. All Balboni's come with the white-and-gold stripes as seen here, regardless of which of the eight body colors one chooses. The interior has more leather than a standard Gallardo and with the white stripes in the seats looks a bit like a 2010 Mustang GT. We presume that was unintentional.
If you have never driven on a race track, you should. If your skills are weak, track time will make them better. And if you think you're an undiscovered Tony Stewart, well then, get out there and prove it. The list that follows after the jump gives some ideas where you might try your luck both on the road and in the dirt.
Continue reading Looking for Track Time? Find It Here.
With rumors flying that the Estoque was DOA, Lamborghini issued a press release to clarify the situation.
Turns out, no official decision has been made as the car is still being studied for production. Inside Line correspondent Matt Davis was with Lamborghini officials at the launch of LP560-4 Gallardo Spyder and got the inside scoop on the story behind the Estoque.
Inside Line News: No Green Light - Yet - for the Lamborghini Estoque
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