The Lamborghini Murciélago is a high-performance two-door, two-seat sports car that was produced by Italian automaker Lamborghini between 2001 and 2010. Often referred to as a supercar, it was the flagship of the automaker's lineup. The Murciélago was introduced as a coupé in 2001 for the 2002 model year, succeeding the famed Diablo supercar in Lamborghini's lineup. The car was the automaker's first new design in eleven years, as well as the first under the ownership of German automaker VW. It was styled by Peruvian-born Belgian Luc Donckerwolke, Lamborghini's head of design from 1998 to 2005.A roadster version of the car was introduced in 2004, followed by the updated LP 640 coupé and roadster and 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 11 May 2010, with a total run of 4,099 cars. A successor, powered by a new V12 engine, is expected in 2011.The Murciélago is a four-wheel drive, mid-engined sports car. Its coupé body is especially low-slung, with its roof rising to just under four feet above the ground. The supercar features scissor doors, which contribute to its exotic image. First-generation Murciélagos, produced between 2001 and 2006, were powered by a 6.2-litre V12 which traces its roots back to the company's beginnings in the 1960s. The rear differential is integrated into the engine unit, and the four-wheel drive features a central viscous coupler. Power was sent to the wheels through a six-speed manual. The Murciélago possesses an independent double-wishbone suspension design, and features a combination of carbon-fiber and steel bodywork. The rear spoiler and the air scoops integrated into the car's shoulders are electromechanically activated, and fold out from the body at high speeds to aid aerodynamic performance and provide additional engine cooling, respectively.
In a continuation of Lamborghini's tradition of giving its cars names 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, which provided the name for one of Lamborghini's first great cars.Murciélago is the Spanish name for the bat. The word is pronounced with a voiceless dental fricativeas 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, , with an sound.
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Tuesday, November 30, 2010
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