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Lamborghini Gallardo LP 550-2 Balboni by Anderson

August 5, 2010 at 10:31 am By Jacob Alexander Filed Under Cars, International News, Lamborghini

The Lamborghini Gallardo LP 550-2 Balboni is a special edition released by the Italian brand to celebrate test driver Valentino Balboni’s retirement after 40 years of service to the company. He has helped with the fine-tuning of cars such as the Miura, Gallardo and Murcielago. In stock form, the Balboni comes with a 542 hp 5.2-litre V10 engine that channels its power through the rear wheels.

German tuning firm Anderson (unrelated to the Man Utd player), has released a new tuning package for the Balboni. Not wanting to change a great car, they have concentrated largely on the looks along with minimal performance revisions. Why would anyone want to alter the looks of a 250-unit limited edition Lambo is anyone’s guess.

The V10 has been tuned up to produce an extra 39 hp, bringing total output to 582 hp along with an unspecified torque increase. Exterior changes include the tint of the tail lamps and the panes and three-tone rims with black, white and gold lacquering. The wheels measures in at 8.5 x 20 inch in front and 11.5 x 20 inches at the rear enveloped in high performance tyres.

The exhaust system can be adjusted with a remote controlled three-step valve control system, so you don’t have to wake the whole street up on the way home from the clubs. The interior is shod in logo emblazoned quilted leather seats with gold stitching along with quilted patterns on the door trims.

Gallery after the jump.
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It’s official: Volkswagen’s Lamborghini buys 90.1 percent stake in Italdesign Giugiaro

May 25, 2010 at 7:31 pm By Jacob Alexander Filed Under Cars, International News, Lamborghini, Volkswagen

It has finally been officially confirmed that Volkswagen Group and Italdesign Giugiaro S.p.A. (IDG) will be joining hands in a new era of motoring engineering and design.

An official press release has been circulated about the details of the new partnership today. This includes the previously mentioned fact that VW will take a 90.1 percent stake in the company which will include the brand name, rights and patents. Thus the remaining 9.9 percent, a very odd number, will be owned by Giugiaro.

Interestingly, the share is being acquired by Audi’s Italian subsidiary Lamborghini Holding S.p.A. This could purely be a pen on paper business decision or it could be the start to something more wonderful and magical, one that any motoring enthusiast will start dreaming about. The similarities between the two are of course the fact that they are both Italian and have a flair for producing ridiculously beautiful machinery.

IDG an VW have cooperated on many project which include the Golf Mk1, along with concepts such as the Passat, Scirocco and the Audi 80. A comprehensive development framework agreement was concluded in 2008 and VW will continue to work with IDG on projects such as the VW Up! family model.

“With this shareholding in Italdesign, we are participating in one of the most renowned design and development companies with one of the richest traditions in the automobile industry. Italdesign is the flagship for creative Italian automobile design and has been instrumental in shaping the face of the automobile industry worldwide. As the creator of the Golf I, Giorgetto Giugiaro laid a new foundation for Volkswagen design in the 1970s,” said Prof. Dr. Martin Winterkorn, Chairman of the Board of Management of VW.

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07/08 Lamborghini Murcielago at risk of fuel leakage

May 25, 2010 at 4:58 pm By Jacob Alexander Filed Under Cars, Lamborghini

Calling all Lamborghini Murcielago and Murcielago Roadster owners, your car may blow up! Well that may be an exaggeration, but the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in the US has announced recently that models that were made between 2007-2008 will have to be recalled.

Lamborghini is recalling these models due to the welds holding the fuel pump support inside the fuel tank could detach. This could ‘result in a fuel leak’. Which in turn could result in a fire when igniting the engine. But owners can rest easy knowing that dealers will replace the fuel tanks free of charge and the recall exercise expected to begin in June 2010.

There have been no indication whether cars outside the US are affected but it might be worth checking out as most Murcielago’s would have been assembled at the same point. Until June, you may want to keep your bull in the garage.

Source

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DMC Quattro Veloce kit for the Lambo Murcielago LP640

May 21, 2010 at 3:22 pm By Jacob Alexander Filed Under Cars, International News, Lamborghini

While we do see Gallardos on our streets from time to time, the Lamborghini Murcielago LP640 is a truly rare sight. But it may not be so unique in Beverly Hills or Monte Carlo, hence the need to dress up the car. For that, Dusseldorf based tuner DMC has come out with a 59,000 euro package called Quattro Veloce.

The QV kit consists of a redesigned spoiler, new hood, side vents and a new “stabilising diffuser”, all made in carbon fibre, of course. Up front, the Murcie gets a new front fascia with redesigned hood and intakes, plus a new splitter.

Inside, a touch of exclusivity is added by the use of ostrich leather whereas ostrich-like cow hide, which is said to be very durable, has been used for the rest of the interior. Add 40,000 euros for the optional leather treatment, carbon fibre seats and diamond forged white carbon wheels. Sounds like every rapper’s dream car.

Power from the 6.5-litre V12 has been increased to 670 bhp (with 660 Nm of torque), which allows the car to move from 0 to 96 km/h (60 mph) in just 3.2 seconds. Acceleration goes on to 343 km/h. The heart of the beast is kept in a custom red carbon cage for added effect.

Only be 40 of these Quattro Veloce LP640s will be made. More pics after the jump.
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Chinese man builds $3000 “Lamborghini” from scratch

May 18, 2010 at 9:05 am By Jacob Alexander Filed Under Cars, International News, Lamborghini

You can’t buy most cars with $3000 especially not a Lamborghini, but Chen Jen Miao, a 25 year-old mechanic from China proves critics wrong. Well, its not the same Lamborghini as those that roll out from Sant’Agata, but the amount of effort and commitment to the cause warrants some attention to this project.

Not made for any other reason than personal satisfaction, Jen Miao made his Lambo from scratch and used plans and sketches that he got off the internet. He used around $3000 worth of materials and started work on it a year ago, while maintaining a full time job.

Official specifications are a bit rough and top speed is somewhere between 97 to 145 km/h. Though for someone who has realised his dream of owning a Lamborghini, I doubt that it matters one bit.

Check out the home made “supercar” after the jump
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Gallardo 560-4 morphs into Edo Competition LP600/4

December 11, 2009 at 8:31 pm By Danny Tan Filed Under Cars, International News, Lamborghini

edo gallardo lp600/4

Many tuners claim to improve on perfection, but this tweaked Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4 looks rather credible. Tuned by German based Edo Competition, who is no stranger to tinkering with Italian exotica, it now bears some new numbers: 600/4.

No prizes for guessing that Edo’s Gallardo has 600 horsepower from the standard car’s 560. This is matched with higher torque, from 540Nm to 572Nm. The result of this added grunt is a top speed increased by 15km/h to 340km/h while 0-100km/h acceleration is shaved by 0.2sec to 3.5 seconds. No mention on where these gains were from, though.

Besides the improved figures, a sport suspension set adjustable in compression and rebound damping comes in; this track/high-speed oval/road tested system comes with low friction shock absorbers and new spring rates. A confident Edo says that “the result has to be experienced to be believed.”

Sound is a vital appeal for Lambos and Edo’s new stainless steel exhaust system with butterfly valves allows noise level adjustment via remote – besides freeing up 15bhp and weighing 12kg less than the original set.

Thankfully, not much was done to the Gallardo’s outer skin. The LP600/4 gets elaborate 19-inch three-piece wheels (with 39 stainless steel screws) plus a new front spoiler lip.

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VIDEO: Official Lamborghini Reventón Roadster film

September 21, 2009 at 5:20 pm By Paul Tan Filed Under Cars, International News, Lamborghini, Videos

Lamborghini Reventon Roadster

Lamborghini produced this short film for the unveiling of the limited edition Reventon Roadster at the Frankfurt show in 2009. How limited is limited you ask? Only twenty, and cars that can be purchased by owners will be less than that. According to the film, you’re more likely to be hit by a meteorite than get a chance to own one of these babies.

Each Lamborghini Reventon Roadster will be sold for 1.1 million euros (and this is without taxes, even in Europe). It’s available exclusively in a shade of matte grey called Reventon Grey. Deliveries will begin October 2009.

The weight penalty for not having a roof and requiring additional chassis reinforcements is minimal – only 25kg heavier. This is because the original chassis was already very stiff. 0 to 100km/h takes just 3.4 seconds thanks to its 6.5 litre high compression V12 making 670 PS and 660Nm of torque.

I’ve got two different versions of the video after the jump. They’re essentially the same but one is regular resolution while the other is in 720hp HD for those with better internet connections. Enjoy!
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New Lamborghini Gallardo LP 550-2 Valentino Balboni: 250 units with rear wheel drive!

July 1, 2009 at 8:32 am By Paul Tan Filed Under Cars, International News, Lamborghini

Lamborghini Gallardo LP 550-2 Valentino Balboni
Click for enlarged image

Here are the full details of the rear wheel drive Gallardo we saw earlier this week. The new rear wheel drive version of the Gallardo will be limited to 250 units only, and has been christened the Lamborghini Gallardo LP 550-2 Valentino Balboni. Now you probably get what LP 550-2 means – 550 PS and 2 driven wheels, but what about the VB?

Valentino Balboni is actually a test driver who has helped shape many legends such as the Lamborghini Miura from the 60s to the current Gallardo and Murcielago. He was hired personally by Lamborghini’s founder in 1967 but he is retired now after 40 years with Lamborghini. Feedback from Balboni guides Lamborghini engineers to finetune their car to become a car with qualities that Balboni refers to as “the precision of a race car with the reliability of a good friend”.

Lamborghini Gallardo LP 550-2 Valentino Balboni

The LP550-2 is not a mere regular Gallardo with the all-wheel drive system removed. The car now weighs 1,380kg dry and goes from 0 to 100km/h in 3.9 seconds, thanks to its 550 PS 5.2 litre V10. Various settings like springs, dampers, stabilisers, aerodynamics and even the tyres had to be modified for rear wheel drive. The 45% LSD rear axle was also redeveloped, and the e-gear automated manual transmission has also been recalibrated. The ESP’s CORSA (race) program now permits greater drift angles, something that you really must have with rear wheel drive!

Look after the jump for the previously showcased 4 photos.
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First pix of new Lamborghini Gallardo LP550-2

June 30, 2009 at 11:20 am By Paul Tan Filed Under Cars, Lamborghini

These are supposed to be the first photos of a new rear wheel drive version of the Gallardo, aptly called the LP550-2. And just like the name suggests, the 550 indicates the engine has been tuned to make 10 horses less than the 5.2 litre V10 motor in the LP560-4. More details will come later but the initial word is that it will be about 10% cheaper and be lighter by 30kg thanks to the absence of all-wheel drive hardware.

Look after the jump for 4 shots.
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Lamborghini axes its 4-door Estoque?

March 22, 2009 at 12:01 pm By Harvinder Sidhu Filed Under Cars, Lamborghini, Rumours

Lamborghini Estoque

Rumor has it that Italian sports car maker has decided to discontinue its plans to produce the Estoque, which is 4-door super sedan project, and we not sure if its a permanent shut down or a temporary one. Just like many other axed projects, the speculated shut down of the production Estoque project is linked to the uncertain world economy, leaving the sports car maker to concentrate on both the Gallardo and Murcielago models.

Apparently, Lamborghini also revealed that it will continue to use its e-gear automated manual transmission, instead of switching to a dual clutch setup, and that its customers prefer the “gutsy” e-gear transmission over a “smoother” dual clutch transmission. We will update you as soon as we get a confirmation from the auto maker itself. Meanwhile please click here to learn more about the Lamborghini Estoque.

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