2007 Lamborghini Murcielago LP640 First Drive

Lamborghini Murcielago LP640 – First Drive: Inches from my head, screaming from within its carbon fiber encased lair, the Lamborghini Murcielago LP640 Roadster’s stunning V-12 bellows as a I repeatedly smack the right paddle shifter and rocket well into triple-digit territory. This is the money shot, the one chance I’m willing to take with my driver’s license in this glowing orange Italian sampling of supercar engineering, my one thrill ride into warp drive and blurred vision with one of the fastest automobiles on the planet. It is a glorious experience, as unforgettable as any worthy first time, a dangerous narcotic for addicted speed junkies, and highly recommended if you have the means.

The Basics: Origins

Ferruccio Lamborghini made his fortune making tractors and heating equipment. In 1962, he bought a factory in Sant’Agata, Italy, hired an engineer to spearhead design and development of a new sports car, and debuted his first prototype at the Turin Auto Show in November of 1963. The production Lamborghini 350 GT debuted in 1964 at Geneva, but it was the timeless Muira and unforgettable Countach that cemented Lamborghini in the annals of exotic car history. The Countach was also the first Lambo to wear the LP designation – in Italian, – followed by digits representing engine displacement. On the Murcielago, the numbers refer to horsepower.

The Basics: Model Mix

Lamborghini offers the Murcielago LP640 in coupe and roadster formats, the latter equipped with nothing more than a temporary tonneau for the rare occasions that the owner has the car out during inclement weather. Each Murcielago can be custom tailored to help ensure that no two cars are exactly alike, thereby guaranteeing exclusivity. At the 2006 Los Angeles Auto Show, Lamborghini debuted a Versace edition of the LP640 to the North American press, decked out with special white paint, unique trim patterns, a lovely watch, and handsome fitted luggage.

The Basics: Pricing

Our Lamborghini Murcielago LP640 Roadster carried a base price of $351,700 including the $1,300 destination charge and $5,400 in gas-guzzler taxes. To that, more than $50,000 in options was added to bring the final tally to $404,835. Hermera alloy wheels, carbon fiber trim, ceramic brakes, and the E-gear transmission accounted for the bulk of the extra cost.

What’s New: Outside

With the introduction of the LP640 designation, the Lamborghini Murcielago gets minor exterior changes to help separate it from the original. New bumpers, more aerodynamic side mirrors, a single center exhaust outlet, and new LED taillights are key identifiers, along with asymmetrical side air inlets. The scoop on the left is larger than the one on the right due to the location of the oil cooler. Pricey Hermera alloy wheels are also available in silver or dark titanium finish. The Murcielago LP640’s body remains carbon fiber except for steel roof and door panels.

What’s New: Inside

Pop the scissor-style doors, and the Lamborghini Murcielago LP640’s driver-centric interior awaits. This year there’s a restyled instrument panel, new gauge graphics and slightly wider seats. A Kenwood audio system with a 6.5-inch display screen is new, and a navigation system is now optional. Our test sample included the optional carbon fiber trim, suede steering wheel, and two-tone interior décor.

What’s New: Under the Hood

As the LP640 designation indicates, the 2007 Lamborghini Murcielago gets more firepower under its rear deck. Mounted amidships, the 6.5-liter V12 gets a bump from 580 horsepower at 7,500 rpm to 640 at eight grand as well as a little extra torque – 487 lb.-ft. at 6,000 revs from 480 at 5,400 rpm. Acceleration and top speed are both higher with the LP640: 3.4 seconds to 60 mph and a top speed of 211 mph. To accommodate the added power and speed, Lamborghini has beefed up the drivetrain and braking systems and the suspension is tweaked for improved high-speed stability and handling.

What’s New: Technology

Drive-by-wire engine management and continuous variable valve timing are partially responsible for the Murcielago LP640’s power boost, and this year the E-gear transmission option receives recalibrated “thrust mode” acceleration programming. Also new for the Murcielago is an optional navigation system that’s integrated with the standard Kenwood audio system and its 6.5-inch display. The new audio system is compatible with DVD, MP3 and WMA formats.

Driving: Test Car and Location

We borrowed our LP640 Roadster from the kind staff at the world’s largest Lamborghini dealership: Lamborghini of Orange County. They gave us 24 hours with the car, which meant no road trips up California’s fabled Highway 1. Instead we headed inland to the twisty two lane roads of Temecula’s wine country for test driving, photography, and a video shoot. Returning to the O.C. via commuter-clogged freeways, we stopped at a gas station where a fellow motorist marveled at the courage (perhaps stupidity?) to take such an exquisite automobile into rush-hour traffic.

Driving: Engine Performance

Sheer, ungodly, instantaneous power is available from the Lamborghini Murcielago LP640’s V12 when the driver plants the accelerator to the floor. Forward thrust shoves occupants deep into the supple leather seats, the engine wails an aria that only Italian-tuned powerplants can, and the Murcielago behaves as though equipped with a bottomless well of power. For an enthusiast, driving this Lambo is equivalent to an anything-goes date with Jessica Alba (or Jesse Metcalfe, depending).

Driving: Transmission Performance

Our test car came equipped with the optional E-gear sequential manual transmission. Tap the left steering wheel paddle to downshift, tap the right steering wheel paddle to upshift, and tap both to place the Murcielago LP640 in neutral. Reverse is activated using a button on the left side of the dashboard. To launch smoothly in traffic, the driver must roll gently into the throttle before accelerating normally because E-gear’s clutch must be gradually released just like a regular manual transmission. Or, hammer the pedal and the Murcielago instantly leaps forward. Normal shifts are slow and smooth; in Sport mode the E-gear tranny shifts hard and fast. Downshifts are automatically rev-matched, making even the most ham-handed driver look, and sound, like a pro.