Lamborghini Murcielago LP640
Ben Whitworth tames Lambo's latest fearsome 640bhp monster
Lamborghini Murcielago LP640
Intimidation. There’s not much of it about these days. Twist-and-go supercars are everywhere. Get in, turn on, max out. Easy – when you have a dozen three-lettered safety acronyms keeping you well away from the scenery.
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If that’s your thing, you’ll be scared witless of Lamborghini’s new Murcielago LP640. It’s a proper supercar. Intimidating dynamics, rabid performance, trouser-tenting looks.
And a bit of a bargain, to boot. When it arrives this autumn, the LP640’s £190,000 price tag gives it an almost unbeatable performance-to-pound ratio. A Pagani Zonda is well over £300,000 remember, and even the plain-Jane Ascari KZ1 is £45,000 dearer. But be quick - the 300 scheduled for production this year are already sold out and the order books for the 35 or so coming to the UK next year are rapidly filling up.
Madness: 640bhp
The LP640 is not a special edition – it replaces the existing Murcielago. The LP640 derives its name from longitudinale posteriore – the in-line rear position of the engine – and the 640bhp output of the V12 engine. Yup – 640bhp. Madness. From cam cover to crankcase, the Lamborghini’s 60-degree V12 engine has undergone an extensive reworking by Gabriele Gabrielli, the LP640’s lead engineer, and his team.
Both bore and stroke have been increased to boost capacity from 6.2 to 6.5-litres. ‘The cylinder head and inlet manifold has been redesigned,’ explains Gabrielli, ‘and the engine now features variable valve timing on both inlet and outlet camshafts as well as a new drive-by wire system.’ The result is a truly frightening 640bhp at 8,000rpm and 487lb-ft of torque at 6,000rpm. ‘And the best bit is that 80 per cent of that torque is available from 2,000rpm onwards,’ says Gabrielli. Amazingly, the engine meets Euro IV emission regulations, and needs four Orwellian electronic management systems keeping everything in check.
Even lower and wedgier
The LP640 looks even wedgier, lower and meaner than the outgoing Murcielago. Redesigned front and rear bumpers, aerodynamically tuned side skirts and a massive new rear diffuser are complemented some beautiful detailing – check out the three-dimensional starfish brake lights, the (optional) glass cover for the engine bay and arguably the world’s biggest exhaust pipe. From every angle, the LP640 exudes a satanic menace.
Slam the scissor door down behind you, and after the visual intensity of the exterior, the cabin is, well, a bit of a letdown. Flair-free backlit instruments, truly nasty indicator stalks - Fiat Punto or Marea, I think – and an unsightly after-market stereo system. Not good. But they can’t detract from the superb low-slung driving position, the wide range of wheel and seat adjustment and the sumptuousness of the diamond-stitched leather.
Fire up the engine – a shrill three-second whine of starter motor followed by an eruption of violent noise just behind your head. The engine settles down to a busy and rumbling 1,000rpm idle. Pull the right handle paddle-shift towards me – you can opt for the standard six-speed manual but the majority of UK buyers are expected to opt for the paddleshift transmission - and the Lambo leaps away.
Anger and aggression
Even at low speeds, the LP460 bristles with anger and aggression. It feels edgy and alive, straining to be unmuzzled. Deep breath, and sqeeeeeze the throttle. Sweet Jesus. That 640bhp is unleashed in a relentless and all-enveloping flood. It fires its way through first, second and third with a savageness that’s terrifyingly addictive.
There’s a synapse-sparking immediacy to the way the car hurls the road towards you. It makes you look far further ahead than normal because the slightest touch of throttle has the car ripping forward at speeds that seem to have a cavalier disregard for the laws of physics. You simply arrive where you want to be.
To unleash all that power is like getting a short and sharp stick and jabbing a bull where you shouldn’t. Explosive and immediate action. It’s just so quick – it rips through to 100mph in the time most muscle cars can reach 60mph – and even above 150mph, acceleration is veracious. And what a noise - a three-dimensional wall of sound that ranges from guttural rumble to ear-bleeding wail.
Instant deceleration
Your biggest allies are the (optional) ceramic brakes. They offer just the kind of action and response to rein in a rampaging LP640. Although the first inch of pedal travel results in little more than a sphincter-puckeringly small drop in speed, push deeper and it’s like deploying a chute – instant, shoulder-bruising deceleration. And the brakes will do it over and over without the slightest sign of fade. They’re worth every penny of their anticipated £8,000 price tag.
The Lambo rides and handles in a way you just don’t expect from a powerful and heavy supercar. The steering is a delight. Chunky, feelsome and unerringly accurate it allows you to pour the big Lamborghini into corners with real confidence – you can really feel the torque transfer between front to rear axle as it rockets you into, through and out of corners. Body control is also first class – roll, pitch and dive are all superbly contained, effectively keeping to tight grip on the physics of a fast-moving 1665kg car.
But there’s no getting away from the fact that this is a big, heavy and powerful car, and it demands utter respect. Up to a very well defined point, the chatty steering, exceptional body control and superbly damped ride quality do a fine job of camouflaging this size and weight.
It's a monster
After that point – the moment you realise you are travelling 40mph faster than you thought, the corner is tightening and your will isn’t up to date – the Murcielago is a monster. It’s violent and vicious. Unforgiving. If you have a shunt in this car, it will be a very big one. It always feels edgy and on the attack. It’s a hugely intimidating car, one with long sharp teeth that are constantly bared and ready to take a chunk out of your driving ego.
The LP640 is a car that combines fear and addiction – think of it as a fast-moving reminder of your own mortality. It’s unfeasibly quick, very tricky, brutish, loud, and jaw-slackeningly good looking. Think of it as a fast-moving reminder of your own mortality. Intimidation is back.
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