13 Jun 06
Apart from the doors and roof panels, the LP640's monocoque is carved from carbon fibre, but at 1,665kg, it's still a big and heavy beast. Up to a very well defined point, the chatty steering, exceptional body control and superbly damped ride quality do a fine job of camouflaging this size and weight.
After that point - the moment you realise you are travelling 40mph faster than you thought, the corner is tightening and your will isn't up to date - the Murcielago is a monster. Vicious and violent, it doesn't do forgiving. If you have a shunt in this car, it will be a very big one.
It's searingly quick, hitting 100mph in the time most muscle cars can reach 60mph - and even at 150mph it accelerates with real venom.
Your biggest allies are the (optional) ceramic brakes, which offer just the kind of action and response you need to rein in 640bhp of rampaging Murcielago. Although the first inch of pedal travel results in little more than a small drop in speed, push deeper and you get instant, shoulder-bruising deceleration.
I've never been so filled with addictive fear as I have driving this car. Lamborghini's new Murcielago LP640 is a proper supercar - the kind I used to read about and lusted after as a 12-year-old. Big, brutish, loud, tricky, unfeasible quick and just jaw-slackeningly good-looking, it's totally over the top and goes like it looks.
