Lamborghini Murcielago LP 670-4 SuperVeloce China Limited Edition

Italian super sports carmaker Lamborghini surprised audiences at the 2010 Beijing Auto Show with a highly exclusive edition of the Murciélago LP 670-4 SuperVeloce. The Chinese Edition is limited to not more than ten numbered cars and will be offered to the growing group of sports cars collectors in China only. Furthermore the Gallardo LP 570-4 Superleggera celebrated its Asian premiere on the Beijing auto show.

“Automobili Lamborghini’s strong performance at the 2010 Beijing Auto Show and its launch of a special edition of the flagship Murciélago LP 670-4 SuperVeloce exclusively for the Chinese market underscore our unwavering commitment to China and the development of a super sports car culture here,” said Stephan Winkelmann, President and CEO of Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A. “Last year, Automobili Lamborghini achieved 11 percent growth in China. At the beginning of this week on 20th of April, we have launched our seventh Automobili Lamborghini China dealership in Shenzhen. The inauguration of our eighth showroom in Xiamen will come soon. It is our pleasure that we can share our passion for Lamborghini with China’s super sports car drivers, collectors and fans.”

Murciélago LP 670-4 SuperVeloce China Limited Edition

Limited to only ten cars worldwide, the special edition Murciélago LP 670-4 SuperVeloce is designed and manufactured exclusively for China’s most discriminating super sports car enthusiasts. An orange stripe, symbolising the strength of an erupting volcano, decorates the flat grey painted carbon shell of the Murciélago. Every model holds a numeration badge with the name of its owner.

The Lamborghini Murciélago LP 670-4 SuperVeloce is one of the most fascinating super sports cars of all times. The exceptionally purist and even more extreme top model – the Murciélago LP 670-4 SuperVeloce – is even more powerful, lighter and faster than the Murciélago LP 640. With the output of the 6.5 liter V12 increased to 670 hp and a weight reduction of 100 kg (220 lbs), the Murciélago LP 670-4 SuperVeloce boasts a power-to-weight ratio of 2.3 kg (5.1 lbs) per hp. It vaults itself from zero to 100 km/h in just 3,2 seconds and hits top speed at 342 km/h.

With its outstanding performance, razor-sharp precision and exceptional high-speed stability, the Lamborghini Murciélago LP 670-4 SuperVeloce is the ultimate performance car for advanced sports car drivers. In order to achieve the substantial weight reduction of 100 kilograms (220 lbs), the Murciélago LP 670-4 SuperVeloce was extensively reworked and redeveloped in virtually every aspect – from chassis to engine and transmission, right through to the interior. The increase in engine output from 640 to 670 hp is the result of optimized valve timing and a reworked intake system. The significantly modified aerodynamics with substantially increased downforce brings considerable improvement to vehicle stability at very high speeds. The large “Aeropack Wing” and its added downforce give a top speed of 337 km/h (209 mph).

Gallardo LP 570-4 Superleggera

The Lamborghini Gallardo LP 570-4 Superleggera is the new top model of the Gallardo line. Its “superlight” name describes a high-performance driving machine with a true sporting character and an automotive high-performance athlete. In comparison to the already slimmed-down Gallardo LP 560-4 the weight of the Gallardo LP 570-4 Superleggera could be reduced 70 Kilograms. So the dry weight of the new Sant’Agata Superleggera is just 1,340 kilogram – a new benchmark in the very exclusive market of extreme super sports cars.

The use of carbon fibre for external and internal components is heavily contributing to the weight reduction of the Superleggera. This carbon-composite material is ideal for super sports cars, combining weight reduction with improved technical characteristics. Reduced weight optimises the driving performance and correspondingly reduces CO2 emissions. For many years Lamborghini has lead the way in the use of carbon fibre and is now increasing its advantage even further.

The 5,2 litre V10 engine output of the new Superleggera is 419kW (570 hp). The power-to-weight ratio of this new top model amounts to only 2,35 Kilogram per hp and guarantees a breathtaking driving performance. The Superleggera accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in just 3.4 seconds sprints to 200 km/h only 10.2 seconds later, ultimately reaching 325 km/h. The gasoline direct injection engine “Inezione Diretta Stratifica” achieves an impressive efficiency: fuel consumption and CO2 emissions dropped 20.5 percent in comparison to the previous model.

Lamborghini shows strong performance in China Market

The booming Chinese automobile market has matured and created a culture in which the brand of the raging bulls has taken root. In 2009, Automobili Lamborghini delivered 80 new cars to People’s Republic, achieving 11 percent year-on-year growth. With six dealerships in Guangzhou, Shanghai, Beijing, Chengdu, Hangzhou and Hong Kong, Lamborghini unveiled a new dealership in Shenzhen this week. Another Showroom in Xiamen will soon follow.

(Source: Lamborghini Press Release)

2010 Ferrari 599 GTO Photo Gallery

Now available are the first photos and information on the new 599 GTO, an extreme V12 berlinetta developed to a specific performance-oriented brief. The 599 GTO is, in fact, the company’s fastest ever road car. It is an exclusive limited edition special which, in true Ferrari tradition, is a completely new concept, albeit inspired by a production car. In fact the 599 GTO is based on the 599XX, the advanced experimental track car, and can be considered almost a road-going version.

The 599 GTO is reserved for just 599 clients who seek the maximum expression of high-performance driving. The 599 GTO benefits directly from the technological transfer from racing and set a record lap time at Fiorano in 1’24”.

The Fiorano lap time provides just one indication of the potential of this car. Just as significant are the technical specifications – 670 hp in a 1495kg car represents a weight-to-power ratio of just 2.23 kg/hp, and ensures a 0-100 km/h acceleration time of just 3.35” as well as a top speed of over 335 km/h.

Fundamental to the GTO’s performance is the innovative approach to chassis development which, for the first time on a production car, saw the integration between a handling set-up tuned for a level of responsiveness that is close to the limit and highly sophisticated electronic controls. The result is the almost complete absence of understeer and a truly communicative chassis.

As is Ferrari’s policy, every new Ferrari features new solutions for a road car. Thus the 599 GTO is equipped with the latest, second-generation carbon-ceramic brakes which are lighter and offer better performance, new aerodynamic innovations, such as the wheel doughnuts which increase aerodynamic efficiency as well as improve brake cooling, and the Supersport tyres developed by Michelin include a wider front tyre for greater roadholding. The driver-car interface is also new with the adoption of the Virtual Race Engineer (VRE) which provides the driver with instantaneous information on performance.

The 599 GTO’s more aggressive character is also apparent in a number of styling elements that recall the 599XX and from the powerful sound of the V12.

The GTO (Gran Turismo Omologata) moniker instantly calls to mind two Ferraris that have entered the collective imagination as symbols of performance. After the 1962 250 GTO, which swept the boards in GT racing categories in the 1960s and is now a highly prized collector’s car, came the iconic 1984 GTO, which basically invented the entire modern supercar genre.

The web special includes photos, videos and interviews on the new car, while an exclusive preview for a small number of Ferrari clients will be held on April 14th at the Military Academy in Modena. The public debut of the 599 GTO will instead be at the Beijing International Motor Show at the end of April.

599 GTO TECHNICAL CONTENTS

ENGINE AND GEARBOX

The 599 GTO’s engine is directly derived from the 599XX unit implementing, however, the necessary modifications for road-going homologation. It thus complies with Euro 5 and LEV 2 standards. The 5999 cc 65-degree V12 engine punches out 670 CV at 8250 rpm with maximum torque of 620 Nm at 6500 rpm and there is a smooth, constant rush of power all the way to the redline with no loss of flexibility even at medium and low revs. This result was obtained by working on the fluid-dynamics and components to reduce internal friction and by adopting, amongst other things, the 599XX’s redesigned crankshaft. The car also has a racing-type intake system with a new manifold with diffuser-type intake geometry and short inlet tracts designed to improve power delivery at high revs and reduce losses. To maximise volumetric efficiency per cylinder, a connection between the two plenums at the front compensates for variations in the volume. This is how the engineers managed to achieve maximum performance at high engine speeds. The engine sound inside the car is carefully controlled to balance the intake sound with the exhaust, which features a 599XX-derived 6-into-1 manifold.

The 599 GTO features the same, lower 60 ms shift times and the possibility to make multiple downshifts as on the 599XX.

VEHICLE DYNAMICS

One of the most significant innovations on the 599 GTO is the close correlation between the chassis set-up, which is close to the handling limit, and the input from the electronic controls which are developed to increase overall levels of performance.

Since the very earliest states of the two cars’ development, Maranello’s engineers worked to ensure that these two areas of the car would be seamlessly integrated thus pushing responsiveness to the limit. The result is, of course, superlative driving involvement as well as faster lap times. Apart from new springs and a stiffer rear anti-roll bar, the car also features a second generation magnetorheological suspension control system (SCM2). The suspension works in tandem with the VDC (Vehicle Dynamic Control) and latest-generation F1-Trac traction control. This makes the car extremely responsive to driver inputs – thanks in part to the adoption of a very direct steering ratio – but also very stable under braking, sharper on turn-in, more precise in cornering and quicker out of corners.

WEIGHT REDUCTION

The 599 GTO inherits much of the development work – using the same principles as employed in F1 – that went into making the 599XX such an extreme performance car. Reducing weight was a vital objective and the result was the widespread use of composites and components manufactured with technologies more akin to racing specifications. The areas involved include the bodywork and greenhouse (with thinner gauge aluminium and thinner glass), the brakes, transmission and exhaust system. The result is a dry weight of 1495 kg and a weight-to-power ratio of just 2.23 kg/hp, a very significant figure that underlines the GTO’s performance potential.

AERODYNAMICS

The 599 GTO’s aerodynamics have benefited significantly from Ferrari engineers’ experience in F1 and with the 599XX which allowed downforce to be greatly increased without impacting on drag. Thanks to solutions transferred from the track car to the road-going version, the GTO generates downforce of 144 kg at 200 km/h. The entire car was honed, including the front, the sides, the flat underbody and cooling flows. In the latter instance, the GTO can count on improved ducting to the brake discs and pads, and the adoption of wheel doughnuts – a disc positioned outside the brake disc that ensure that hot air exiting the wheelarch stays as close to the body of the car as possible to reduce drag.

Work on the nose of the car was aimed at reducing the width of the wake generated by the front and thus reduce drag. The front spoiler incorporates a separate lower wing that increases downforce at the front of the car and increases the flow of cooling air to the oil radiator. On the flanks there’s a new sill design with a more pronounced leading edge that improves the efficiency of the central section of the underbody. The underbody itself incorporates a new, lower front section with diffusers ahead of the front wheels to optimise downforce, and a new double-curve rear diffuser.

WHEEL RIMS AND TYRES

Here the difference in size between the front and rear tyres has been changed. The GTO’s front tyres are now 285/30 on a 9.5’’ channel with 315/35 on an 11.5’’ channel at the rear. The 599 GTO has 20’’ rims. Roll rigidity is greater at the rear to minimise understeer. These solutions guarantee improved lateral grip and quicker turn in.

BRAKES

The new CCM2 braking system is lighter and even more consistent in high performance situations. Its consistent coefficient of attrition meant that the ABS could be calibrated to a particularly high performance level, further reducing lap times, thanks to improved deceleration and shorter stopping distances. In fact, the 599 GTO boasts an excellent 100 to 0 km/h braking distance of just 32.5 metres. As well as their role in improving aerodynamics, the Formula 1-derived wheel doughnuts also improve braking efficiency by optimising brake cooling.

CAR-DRIVER INTERFACE

The car-driver interface was designed to maximise car and driver performance with a layout of the main commands that ensures absolute efficiency and minimum distraction. The Racing manettino also puts the emphasis firmly on sporty, track-specific driving settings by offering the driver full choice with regard to the electronic control parameters. The ICE position on the 599 GTB Fiorano has been replaced by CT-Off (traction control off). The GTO is also fitted with bespoke, longer carbon-fibre F1 paddles for easier use in high-speed driving. In addition the GTO also features the Virtual Race Engineer, a system that monitors the status of the car and gives the driver immediate visibility of vehicle performance.

599 GTO technical specifications

DIMENSIONS AND WEIGHT
Length: 4710 mm (185.4 in)
Width: 1962 mm (77.2 in)
Height: 1326 mm (52.2 in)
Wheelbase: 2750 mm (108.3 in)
Front track: 1701 mm (67.0 in)
Rear track: 1618 mm (63.7 in)
Dry weight*: 1495 kg (3296 lbs)
Kerb weight*: 1605 kg (3538 lbs)
Weight distribution: 47% front – 53% rear
Fuel tank capacity: 105 litres (27.7 US gal/23.1 UK/gal)
Boot volume: 320 litres (11.3 cu ft)

ENGINE
Type: V12 – 65°
Bore & stroke : 92 x 75.2 mm (3.62 x 2.96 in)
Unitary displacement: 499.9 cc (30.51 cu in)
Total displacement: 5999 cc (366.08 cu in)
Compression ratio: 11.2:1
Maximum power: 500 kW (670 CV) at 8250 rpm
Maximum torque : 620 Nm (457 lbs/ft) at 6500 rpm

GEARBOX
F1 6–speed + reverse

SUSPENSION
SCM2 – Magnetorheological Supension Control

TIRES
Front: 285/30 ZR20’’
Rear: 315/35 ZR20’’

CARBON-CERAMIC BRAKES
Front: 398 x 38 mm (15.7 x 1.5 in)
Rear: 360 x 32 mm (14.2 x 1.3 in)

ELECTRONIC CONTROLS
CST with F1-Trac: Traction and stability control
TPTMS: Tyre pressure and temperature monitoring system

PERFORMANCE
Maximum speed: over 335 km/h (over 208 mph)
0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) : 3.35 sec

FUEL CONSUMPTION
Combined cycle (ECE)*: 17.5 l/100 km
CO2 EMISSIONS
Combined cycle (ECE)*: 411 g/km
*European version

(Source: Ferrari Press Release)