New Baby Lambo Revealed
by Giancarlo Perini (Auto Express)
Here's a wild young bull loose on the road, and Auto Express magazine has caught it on film with the first ever pictures of the forthcoming 'baby' Lamborghini, destined to star at next year's Geneva Motor Show.
Although eagerly anticipated as the legendary firm's small car, our insiders can reveal it'll be anything but tiny. Powered by an all-new 500bhp V10 – also destined for Audi's RSR – the two-seater will go on sale in 2003 and line up alongside the Murciélago.
Lamborghini has enjoyed the full support of Cosworth and road car tuner Quattro GmbH during the development. Work on the new project, which saw the first prototypes built late last year, has been so successful that the cars are now making regular test runs. Aimed at rivals such as the Porsche 911 GT2 and the Ferrari 360 Modena, the newcomer is expected to cost around £100,000, and offer a mix of exclusivity and performance.
Codenamed L140, the car has been styled by SEAT design chief Walter de'Silva, and offers four-wheel-drive and a six-speed F1-style sequential gearbox. Although performance is a tightly guarded secret, it's expected to break the 200mph barrier easily, and sprint from 0-60mph in only 4.5 seconds. These figures mean light-weight bodywork is guaranteed, but insiders say structural stiffness and comfort have not been compromised.
Safety remains a major factor, too, so ABS and ESP, as well as front and side airbags, will all feature. The launch of the L140 will coincide with Lamborghini's 40th birthday, and the car needs to bring a lot to the party. It's charged with lifting production from less than 200 motors a year to 2,000.
#####################
I hope Honda steps up to the plate
[This message has been edited by cojones (edited 08 June 2002).]
by Giancarlo Perini (Auto Express)
Here's a wild young bull loose on the road, and Auto Express magazine has caught it on film with the first ever pictures of the forthcoming 'baby' Lamborghini, destined to star at next year's Geneva Motor Show.
Although eagerly anticipated as the legendary firm's small car, our insiders can reveal it'll be anything but tiny. Powered by an all-new 500bhp V10 – also destined for Audi's RSR – the two-seater will go on sale in 2003 and line up alongside the Murciélago.
Lamborghini has enjoyed the full support of Cosworth and road car tuner Quattro GmbH during the development. Work on the new project, which saw the first prototypes built late last year, has been so successful that the cars are now making regular test runs. Aimed at rivals such as the Porsche 911 GT2 and the Ferrari 360 Modena, the newcomer is expected to cost around £100,000, and offer a mix of exclusivity and performance.
Codenamed L140, the car has been styled by SEAT design chief Walter de'Silva, and offers four-wheel-drive and a six-speed F1-style sequential gearbox. Although performance is a tightly guarded secret, it's expected to break the 200mph barrier easily, and sprint from 0-60mph in only 4.5 seconds. These figures mean light-weight bodywork is guaranteed, but insiders say structural stiffness and comfort have not been compromised.
Safety remains a major factor, too, so ABS and ESP, as well as front and side airbags, will all feature. The launch of the L140 will coincide with Lamborghini's 40th birthday, and the car needs to bring a lot to the party. It's charged with lifting production from less than 200 motors a year to 2,000.
#####################
I hope Honda steps up to the plate
[This message has been edited by cojones (edited 08 June 2002).]
