Like many high-end automakers displaying at this year’s Beijing Auto Show, Lamborghini has decided to unveil a special edition model exclusively for the Chinese market. Lambo chose its flagship model, the Murciélago LP670-4 SuperVeloce, dubbing it the “China Limited Edition” and has delivered it with a stunning new paint scheme and interior trim changes. Just 10 LP670-4 SV China Limited Edition models will be offered to a growing number of Lambo enthusiasts in the world’s most populous country.

Some of the baddest street cars of all time are little more than race cars with a few concessions thrown in to make them suitable for day-to-day use. The Jaguar XK-SS was barely more than a LeMans-spec D-Type with a passenger seat. Nissan would sell special editions of its Skyline GTR that were stripped down for Group N road-racing, while the Big Three were fond of selling drag-strip specials from the factory.

The replacement for the Murciélago, the flagship of the Lamborghini brand, will be unveiled at the Paris Auto Show this fall. According to a report by TopSpeed, they have confirmation from their sources that the car, known internally as the “New V12,” will be unveiled in Paris with some ultra-impressive hardware and statistics.

Lamborghini has just officially unveiled its most powerful and impressive Gallardo to date, taking the Superleggera name to new extremes. Titled the Gallardo LP570-4 Superleggera, it takes after the original Super-G by offering a light-weight package, while adding even more horsepower.

True to the rumors, Lamborghini has launched a new high-performance version of the LP560 and it does get the Superleggera name. Officially called the Gallardo LP570-4 Superleggera, it takes after the original in applying a light-weight philosophy to the exotic bull.

Times might be tough in the world of exotic sports car sales, but Lamborghini continues to grow as an automaker announcing that the 4,000th Murciélago model has just rolled off the production line, destined for a customer in China.

Introduced back in 2001, the Murciélago has been a much larger success than its predecessor, the Diabo, which totaled 2,900 units over its 11 year production run. “The enthusiasm our products incite makes us proud and confirms that the company’s product strategy and model range are a winning combination, producing exceptionally desirable super sportscars,” said company President and CEO Stephan Winkelmann.

The 4,000th Murcie is no standard model either, but rather an ultra high performance LP670-4 SuperVeloce with 670-hp and significant weight reduction. Lamborghini claims a 0-62 mph time of 3.2 seconds and a top speed of 212 mph.

With 4,000 units now sold at a base price of at least $300,000 (most models costing much more than that), the company has moved at least $1.2 Billion worth of Murciélagos. Lambo’s more populist model, the Gallardo has been an even larger success with almost 10,000 units sold since 2003.

Official release after the jump:

The mere whisper of the name Lamborghini is enough to set the heart on fire. Minds race with thoughts of incredible speed and pavement crushing power. Taming the bull is something every car enthusiast has dreamt about since they were a small child.

Lamborghini has produced several models in recent years that have offered superior performance to their already exotic counterparts and they all had one thing in common – they weighed significantly less. Now Lambo is looking to bring that philosophy to the rest of the company’s lineup,

Few automobiles possess the required machismo to stop a person dead in their tracks, pull out a camera and take a multitude of pictures. The Lamborghini Murciélago LP640 Roadster is capable of causing such a reaction with not just one person, but a complete crowd. Spending two days behind the wheel of this incredible supercar in Bologna, Italy recently, I was impressed anew at the rock star status the Italian bull enjoys.

Ahead of any official announcement from Lamborghini, news and photos of the upcoming LP570-4 model have leaked into the net. Courtesy Romanian auto site Automarket, we have these two images of the ultra-raw LP570-4 SV.

Lamborghini always delivers something impressive at the Geneva Auto Show and 2010 looks to be no different. After launching the LP670-4 SuperVeloce in ’09, an SV version of the Gallardo LP560-4 is rumored to be in the works.

Despite the huge concentration of exotic and high end cars in Los Angeles, many exclusive automakers won’t be in attendance at this year’s annual LA Auto Show. The latest two to drop from the list are Bentley and Lamborghini. That means attendees won’t be able to see the amazing new Reventón Roadster or the massive Mulsanne luxury sedan, with both vehicles having recently made their official world debuts at the Frankfurt Auto Show. The Mulsanne, also made an appearance at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance earlier this year.

Over recent years the offer of zero percent financing has become almost commonplace among domestic automakers, but now one of the imports is doing the same. What’s surprising isn’t that the automaker is from Europe, but (more specifically) that it’s from Italy.

That’s right, Lamborghini is now offering 0% financing on the LP640 coupe and roadster models, making them what must be the most expensive vehicles to ever get such a financing rate.

Now the deal isn’t about to attract Corolla shoppers, but it is quite enticing. On the $354,000 LP640 Coupe, it could make the difference between a $5,900 monthly payment (over 60 months at 0%) as compared to an almost $7,000 monthly payment ( over 60 months at 7%). That’s $1,100 a month!

The deal is the result of a new financing arrangement that Lambo has made with Woodside Credit and Volkswagen Credit. According to Lamborghini the zero percent offer is available over a term of 60 months for buyers who make a down payment of higher than 10 percent and who have a credit score of over 740. Those with a credit score of over 700 can enjoy rates from 5.99% for terms of up to 12 years.

“The Lamborghini Retail Finance Plan allows enthusiasts to finance one of most exclusive cars on the road at a more competitive rate than ever before,” said Pietro Frigerio, Chief Operating Officer of Automobili Lamborghini America, LLC. “We are pleased to continue our relationship with Volkswagen Credit as well partner with Woodside Credit, an established financing organization in collector and specialty cars, in order to provide several financing options to our clients.”

It’s official, being rich, just got better.

Official release after the jump:

Volkswagen may enter Formula One racing if the International Automobile Federation (FIA) is successful in cutting costs in the world’s premiere auto racing series.

A recent sighting of the Lamborghini Estoque concept car in Cologne, Germany has reignited rumors that the Italian automaker might still be planing to launch its wild four-door.

Unveiled in a stunning light-matte-gray color called Reventón Grey, Lamborghini drew back the covers on Reventón Roadster at the Frankfurt Auto Show today. With just 15 models scheduled to be built Lamborghini’s pre-unveiling video reminded those in attendance that while your chances of climbing Mount Everest at 2,000,000 to 1 and your chance of having a baby that will grow up to win a Nobel prize is 50,000 to 1, your chance of owning a Reventón Roadster is 700,000,000 to one.

Lamborghini has just confirmed that the Reventon Roadster will debut at the Frankfurt Auto Show tomorrow, but more importantly, it will come with the LP670 SV’s high-output 670hp engine. With full power at 8000 rpm, torque of 487 ft-lbs is available as of 6000 rm. When combined with Lamborghini’s all-wheel drive system the car blasts to 62 mph in 3.4 seconds and on to a top speed of 205 mph.

Just ahead of the car’s debut at the Frankfurt Auto Show, Lamborghini has released photos of its Reventón Roadster.

With rumors abounding that Lamborghini has already held a private unveiling for the Reventón Roadster at its factory in Sant’Agata, the official public debut is expected at the Frankfurt Auto Show next month.

This past weekend the Lamborghini Super Trofeo racing series was in Belgium, running during the same weekend a the famous 24 Hours of Spa. Lamborghini race car manufacturer Reiter Engineering used this opportunity to debut its full carbon-bodied version of the new LP670-4 SV.

Yesterday photos of a new Lamborghini model surfaced on the web and today Lamborghini has confirmed that the new model is indeed the LP550-2. But there is more to the story than that. The new model is officially named the LP550-2 Valentino Balboni, after the former Lamborghini test driver turned brand ambassador.

Lamborghini has just released dozens of stunning new photos of its latest exotic, the LP560-4 Spyder. This drop-top Lambo first launched at last year’s L.A. Auto Show and news of the model has been relatively quiet. The release of these photos, however, comes as customers start to take deliveries and the Italian automaker begins to once again drum up interest in its latest creation – so you’re sure to see plenty of LP560-4 reviews over the next few weeks and months.

Lamborghini isn’t commenting, but several photos of a new model from the exotic Italian automaker have wound up on the web. These pictures are reportedly of a new rear-drive version of the Gallardo LP560 – and they certainly do look official.

In an ambitions new emissions reduction strategy Lamborghini has just unveiled, the Italian exotic car maker says it will look to hybrid powertrains (among other things) to cut vehicle emissions by 30 percent by 2015. The company has already made a significant step in that direction with the launch of the LP560-4. Due to the use of direct-injection, that new vehicle emits 18 percent less CO2.

As for the other engineering initiatives Lamborghini will make to hit its target, the company said in a press release that it will also look at biofuels. This shouldn’t be too difficult considering Bentley (which, like Lamborghini, is owned by Volkswagen) has already made significant progress in this field.

Start-stop systems, which turn off the engine when at a light or in traffic, are also a possibility and would no doubt be a part of any hybrid powertrain.

More conventional practices will also be employed, with the company promising to cut the weight of its vehicles while further enhancing aerodynamic efficiency.

The company also cites “improved combustion” in its list of green initiatives and we are no doubt likely to see direct-injection on the successor of the Murciélago – if not sooner.

But Lamborghini’s green plan isn’t just limited to its cars. The company aims to reduce CO2 emissions by 30 percent at its factory.

To do this it will transform the roof of its factory in Sant’Agata Bolognese, Italy into an energy generator using solar panels. The company says the system will produce 20 percent of the power the factory uses. At the same time, the roof will undergo a massive overhaul with better insulation, lighting and heating that will reduce energy consumption by an additional 10 percent.

“Despite the difficult situation in today’s global economy, Lamborghini is committed to its policy of environmental management, since we are well aware of the great opportunities that derive from it,” said  Lamborghini CEO Stephan Winkelmann. “We have an objective to reduce CO2 emissions to the greatest possible degree. We have also set compulsory annual goals that are part of an integrated approach both considering the automobile as an element which is more considerate of the environment, in terms of emissions and the use of resources, to the accomplishment of a series of corresponding measures such as modifications to our factory.  This is an important action for Lamborghini and a central opportunity for our long term corporate and product development.”

The move has been applauded by the European community, with Guido Sacconi, President of the European Commission on Climate Change saying the company was “on the right path.”

“We have been particularly satisfied with the actions it [Lamborghini] has taken thus far, because they illustrate this company’s desire to embrace a new industrial vision which combines competitiveness and performance with social responsibility,”  Sacconi said.

Official release after the jump:

Recently spy photographers captured a Lamborghini out testing on the Nürburgring, and while it was speculated this model might be the upcoming replacement for the Murciélago, that seems unlikely – especially as that car won’t debut until 2012.

According to a recent report in German auto pub Auto Motor und Sport the replacement for Lamborghini’s flagship Murciélago won’t arrive until 2012. This means the current Murcie will have to hold on for an additional two (or possibly even three) years before it bows out. This will give the raging bull a total production run of 11 years – the same as the Diablo before it.

DP7 Racing, the team behind the lone Lamborghini Gallardo in the SPEED World Challenge GT series has just hired on World Challenge veteran Chip Herr to pilot the exotic racer for the remainder of the season.

Lamborghini Super Trofeo GTR @ Monza from Lamborghini München on Vimeo.

When you’re an automaker, there are two ways to significantly improve profits. First, you can sell a vehicle to as many people as possible, using the “economies of scale” approach. Second, you can sell a reduced number of vehicles at a higher profit margin, feeding off an increased demand and a reduced supply.

If you’re looking at purchasing a new Lamborghini, now is the perfect time.

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Lamborghini has just released the first official photos of the new Murciélago LP650-4 Roadster and as the name suggests, it’s more than just a drop-top version of the coupe. The coupe, (the LP640) makes 640h, whereas this roadster makes an additional 10 ponies for a total of 650hp.

**UPDATED with Official REVEAL Photos

Lamborghini has just announced dates for its 2009 Lamborghini Academy driving schools – sort of. The actual dates have not been made public (presumably to avoid flocks of car-horny young men from descending on the tracks).

The Lamborghini Academy is an on-track driving school, which teaches Lamborghini owners, as well as anyone with the funds and the testosterone, how to really drive a raging bull. The Track Academy course is an entry level experience aimed at improving driving skill while “exploring the full potential” of a Lamborghini. This course uses Lambo’s new LP560-4 and includes a ride-along instructor.

An Advanced Academy is also offered which pushes the driver and the car further, focusing on vehicle control and race track driving. This course also includes a professional in-vehicle telemetry system. The Advanced school makes use of the LP560 as well as its big brother, the LP640.

Both courses include classes on vehicle dynamics and track safety, as well as handling and performance exercises. Participants will learn to manage understeer and oversteer, practice maneuvers with and without ABS and stability control, and master “controlled drifting.” Special attention will also be paid to finding the correct racing line on a track.

All participants will receive an in-car video of the experience as well as a photo CD of the day.

The events will take place starting in the Spring and while we might normally bemoan the fact that the Academy is only held in Europe, we’re sure those able to afford it won’t mind the extra expense of getting over there. As for the cost, it is 3,900 Euro, or roughly $4,900 and includes accommodation.

For more info visit:

www.lamborghiniacademy.com

Official release after the jump:

Rarely, if ever, does the sequel to a successful motion picture outshine the original on the big screen. As evidence I give you The Matrix Reloaded and Jurassic Park: The Lost World. Despite decades of silver screen history lessons, studios still become fixed on attempting to re-create the box office magic of a blockbuster by churning out a poorly written script that wouldn’t make it past a studio execs garbage bin had the original never existed.

When Lamborghini Orange County suddenly shut its doors a few months back the rumors began to fly. Today the facts are only just starting to come to light after Volkswagen (Lamborghini’s parent company)  filed a lawsuit in Orange county Superior Court against the Lamborghini Orange County dealership, its affiliate in Calabasas and owners Vik Keuylian and his sisters Asdghig, Nora and Sossi Keuylian.

Lamborghini President and CEO Stephan Winkelmann didn’t have much to say at the company’s press conference at the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit, but it was still well worth attending.

Winkelman announced that the company sold a record 2430 cars in 2008 and opened up 15 more dealerships. The highlight, however, was the cars, two of which (the LP640 and LP560-4) featured a stunning new matte blue color offered as a part of Lamborghini’s Ad Personam personalization program.

Front and center sat the company’s latest car, the LP560-4 Spider in matte-white (Bianco Canopus). Lamborghini als offers two other matte finishes, a matt-luster black called Nero Nemesis and a matte brown finish called Marrone Apus.

“Ad Personam offers every Lamborghini customer the opportunity to acquire a completely exclusive vehicle from a unique brand – one that is perfectly in tune with their own lifestyle,” said Winkelmann. “A super sports car from Lamborghini is always a fundamental expression of the buyer’s personality. And that is why the highest levels of exclusivity are possible, right through to absolute one-of-a-kind Lamborghini vehicles.”

Along with the three different Lamborghini models, there were also three models of the female variety.

Official release after the jump:

Following in the footsteps of Ferrari and its Challenge series, Lamborghini has decided to form its own one-make series using the successor to the Gallardo, the LP560.

Toyota Motor Corp stock decline over the past 12 months. Source www.BigCharts.com
According to Bloomberg news, Toyota will soon announce a possible dividend cut or profit loss. Following the announcement by Toyota Motor Corp. President Katsuaki Watanabe, stocks dropped (just 0.2 percent) but still remained strong.
Bloomberg sources the Nikkei English News, which doesn’t give a source, but states that Toyota may actually post an operating loss of $1.7 Billion. It would be the first loss in the company’s 71 year history.
Toyota’s US sales fell 34 percent last month.

The news also brought about some market turbulence in German where both Daimler and BMW posted three percent losses for the day.

Meanwhile, Lamborghini has announced that even the ultra-rich are not free from the economic woes. While they do expect to post another record sales year, production will be slowed as the company will add an additional eight days to its Christmas brake.

Exotic car manufacturers, it should be noted, are in a unique position during such dire financial times as they rely on a pre-ordering process with lengthy wait times for customers. This means that sales of 2009 vehicles more accurately represent the 2007 marketplace as orders would have to have been placed much earlier. The advantage for companies like Lamborghini or Ferrari is that this system gives them a significant amount of time to react to an economic downturn.

[Source Bloomberg & Bloomberg]

Official Toyota Sales figures after the jump:

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