Sunday, January 31, 2010

ARGO Racing field two Gallardos in FIA GT3

Lamborghini will also be represented in the fifth year of the FIA GT3 European Championship. ARGO Racing, based directly on the legendary Spa-Francorchamps circuit, fields two Reiter Engineering developed Gallardo LP560 GT3.



As a result, the team, supported by the Lambert family’s internationally active automotive and motorsport industry supplier ATEC, returns to the series. ARGO Racing and ATEC also started in motorsport as team with the brand from Sant’ Agata in 2007.

ARGO Racing contested the German ADAC GT Masters for three years with the Lamborghini Gallardo GT3 claiming 2 wins, 16 podium finishes and 5 pole positions. During the 2009 season ARGO entered an Audi R8.

By choosing the Lamborghini Gallardo LP560 GT3 for 2010 the team was allocated two grid slots as newcomers to the European Championship. The number of grid slots per brand is strictly limited in this series. Teams, which represented a brand during the previous years, have priority for these grid slots. Following the unfortunate death of brother Günter Lambert early in 2009 the team’s involvement will be managed by Herbert Lambert of ATEC and daughters Andrea and Stefanie Lambert. ARGO Racing enters two cars again for the first time since 2008.

ARGO Racing takes delivery of its first Gallardo LP560 GT3 at the beginning of February. Technical Director Werner Schröder has already planned an extensive test programme before the season opener on the first weekend at Silverstone, England. Additionally, races under real conditions in the Belcar Series are scheduled. It is also planned to contest the 24 hours at Spa.

The driver squads for the FIA GT3 Championship are still not confirmed. Negotiations are currently under way in order to sign driver duos as strong as in the previous years. The first official FIA test is held in mid February at Paul Ricard, France. Every car registered in the FIA GT3 category is classified here in order to guarantee performance parity.

“We are extremely happy to have ARGO, one of the best GT3 teams, back among the Lamborghini ranks. The new Lamborghini Gallardo LP560 GT3 has even surprised Reiter Engineering as development team with its raw speed. The fact that the new LP560 is fielded from 2010 onwards by ARGO Racing makes us more than just optimistic for the forthcoming season,” says Hans Reiter.

Source: planetlemans.com

Tasmanian wins tarmac rally

Burnie driver Jason White has won the second annual Targa South tarmac rally.



White's Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera Type R finished 24 seconds in front of Western Australian Dean Herridge.

Tasmanian Geoff Duggan won the Classic section in a 1969 Datsun 2000 Sports and the Showroom category was won by Tony Warren in a 2006 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX.

Delays earlier today forced organisers to cancel the final two stages of the race around south-east Tasmania.

Source: abc.net.au

Overkill: Lamborghini Murcielago LP650-4 Black Edition

Special editions are named special because they are, but some people do think differently. This No2/50 Murcielago LP650-4 Roadster from an owner in Beverly Hills was shipped from the Lamborghini dealership directly to several tuning companies in the neigbourhood.



The supercar was stripped down to the metal and the complete interior was removed. A matte black paint job with gloss black highlights and brand new interior was installed. But that was not all. It also got 19-inch GFG three-piece forged alloy wheels with a glossy black outer lip, matte black center and orange highlights. The custom made rims got Pirelli P-Zero 245/30/19 front and 355/25/19 rear tires.

The final modification was a full new audio system including Focal Utopia KIT 7 component 3-way speakers powered by two Alpine PDX series amplifiers with over 1600 watts of power, and an Escort SRX radar detector with the main controller mounted on the center console.

We generally think this is a bit too much, especially the way they implemented the audio system setup. Your thoughts?



Source: gtspirit.com

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Lamborghini: Future Models to Reduce Weight, Emissions and Horsepower

How much horsepower is enough? While we're fairly certain some might be answering that rhetorical question with raised eyebrows (too much is never enough?), Lamborghini is seemingly content with a number just shy of 700 raging horses bulls. That doesn't mean that the Italian supercar manufacturer won't continue its unabated push towards ever-quicker acceleration – though top speeds higher than 211 miles per hour sound unlikely – but there's clearly more than one way to skin a cat Prancing Horse.

Why not just build a bigger engine? Simple, as company CEO Stephan Winkelmann correctly observes, "It has come to the point where acceleration equals consumption. More consumption means increased CO2 emissions." Apparently, the answer to the power conundrum will be less weight. "We will use composite materials in the right place, when it also has the right cost, stiffness and mechanical characteristics," explains R&D chief Maurizio Reggiani.

Expect aluminum in the place of heavier steel along with improved aerodynamics and stop/start technology to reduce fuel consumption and carbon emissions. We've also heard repeated rumblings of full hybrid powertrains, though those seem more likely to come at the tail end of the decade. Whatever the case, it should be interesting to see how all the world's supercar manufacturers – Lamborghini included – grapple with the push to be green while also upholding their performance traditions.

Source: luxist.com

Friday, January 15, 2010

Spyshots: 2012 Lamborghini Jota Murcielago Replacement

Regarding the specifications there are a few things we can say. One of the biggest changes over the outgoing Murcielago will be the adoption of the Audi R8’s aluminum spaceframe chassis as well as a carbon-fiber bodyshell. The styling also changed and has been influenced by the Reventon models and the recent Estoque concept car. The Murcielago’s mid-engine layout will stay, but will be much lighter. Same goes for its wheelbase, similar in length to the Murcielago but its overhangs, both front and rear, will be much shorter.



On the subject of the engine Lamborghini will stay focussed to the V12 setup from its pre-decessor. An addition of direct injection technology should improve fuel-efficiency and power levels across the rev-range improving drive-ability of the supercar. Performance figures? Expect the same or higher figures as for the latest Murcielago LP670-4 SV. Somewhere around 700bhp is expected. To transfer the power to the road and the four-wheel drive system a dual-clutch transmission may also be offered.

The current ‘Going-green’ hype could also have its influence on the new Lambo. Hybrid powertrains are under discussion as well as fuel-saving engine stop-start and brake-energy regeneration technologies. Release? A 2015 launch for a hybrid Lamborghini would seem logical with respect to previous comments. The new Murcielago is expected for a 2012 release date.

Source: gtspirit.com

Monday, January 11, 2010

The moment a £140,000 Lamborghini parked UNDER another car

Finding a parking space can be a frustrating business sometimes.



But trying to slot a £140,000 supercar underneath another vehicle is not a tactic worth attempting – as these astonishing pictures show.

Somehow, while driving around Hollywood Hills, California, the skinny-nosed Lamborghini Gallardo slid right under the giant Saab estate, lifting it into the air.

And amazingly, the sports car seemed to hold up pretty well.

Despite damaging the front, the Lamborghni’s roof didn’t buckle under the two-ton Saab.

Source: dailymail.co.uk

Thursday, January 7, 2010

Lamborghini Countach takes it to the wire

Are you a petrolhead with a passion for collecting art? If that sounds like you, maybe this wireframe Lamborghini might be something you'd like to add to your collection.



British artist Benedict Radcliffe constructed his vibrant orange reinterpretation of the Koenig Lamborghini Countach using 160ft (48.8 metres) of steel tubing, and rather than putting it on display in some swanky London art gallery, he parked it in the middle of a high street. Frankly, we're surprised someone didn't nick it – it looks that good!



Various publications have reported that the wireframe Lamborghini is currently on sale for £40,000 – though Benedict tells us he actually sold it to the Lamborghini gallery in Berlin, Germany during the summer. So you're now looking at parting with a fair wedge of cash if you want to convince its new owner to part with it – but we think it would definitely be worth it.



As we're rather impressed by Benedict's artwork, we thought we'd put together our own gallery of the wireframe Koenig Lamborghini Countach. Please leave a donation at the end (we're just messing).

Source: The Times

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

First Pictures Of The Extreme Lamborghini Gallardo LP570-4 SV

Lamborghini will unveil at Geneva an extreme version of the Gallardo model, named LP570-4 SV, characterized by low weight and increased power.



Last days of 2009 were announcing an important premiere at Lamborghini stand at the Geneva Motor Show. Unofficial sources spoke of a performance version, named LP570-4 SV, of the Gallardo model. It seems that the rumors were true, Italians released today the first two pictures of the new version that will become the star of the Swiss auto salon in March.

Unfortunately for fans of sports brand, the images that appeared in the press today are not accompanied by the information on power and performances that supercar will be capable of. Unofficial sources say the current 5.2-liter engine unit will provide 10 extra horsepower, power indicated by the name – Lamborghini Gallardo LP570-4 SV – the previous LP560 featuring 560 HP. The resources will be sent to both axles, which will benefit, among others, from a recalibrated suspension for extreme behavior.



To control the 570 horsepower beast, the driver will have a new set of ceramic carbon brakes, custom made for this car. On the outside, the SV version will have a new aerodynamic package, which includes a new front bumper and a huge carbon fiber rear spoiler.

Soource: mibz.com