The Lamborghini Murci�lago is a two-door, two-seat sports car produced by Italian automaker Lamborghini between 2001 and 2010. Successor to the Diablo and flagship of the automaker's lineup, the Murci�lago was introduced as a coup� in 2001. The automaker's first new design in eleven years, the car was also the brand's first new model under the ownership of German parent company Audi. It was styled by Peruvian-born Belgian Luc Donckerwolke, Lamborghini's head of design from 1998 to 2005.
A roadster version was introduced in 2004, followed by the updated LP 640 coup� and roadster and limited edition LP 650-4 Roadster. The final variation to wear the Murci�lago nameplate was the LP 670-4 SuperVeloce, powered by the largest and final evolution of the historic Lamborghini V12 engine. Production of the Murci�lago ended on November 5, 2010, with a total run of 4,099 cars. Its successor, the Aventador, was released at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show.
Production will be limited to 4000 units (4099 Murci�lagos have been built). The moulds used to make the carbon-fibre monocoque are expected to last 500 units each and only 8 have been made. Lamborghini says that the Aventador is two generations ahead of anything else on sale, using Formula One-style suspension and a lightweight carbon fibre monocoque. Stylistically, the Aventador represents an evolution of its predecessor, the Murci�lago. The car's shape also borrows heavily from Lamborghini's limited-edition Revent�n and their Estoque concept car.
In a continuation of Lamborghini's tradition of naming its cars after stars from the world of bullfighting, the Murci�lago was named for a fighting bull that survived 28 sword strokes in an 1879 fight against Rafael "El Lagartijo" Molina Sanchez, at the Coso de los califas bullring in C�rdoba, Spain. Murci�lago fought with such passion and spirit that the matador chose to spare its life, a rare honor. The bull, which came from Joaquin del Val di Navarra's farm, was later presented as a gift to Don Antonio Miura, a noted local breeder; thus began the famed Miura line of fighting bulls, and the name for one of Lamborghini's greatest designs.
With the Aventador LP 700-4, Automobili Lamborghini is redefining the very pinnacle of the world super sports car market � brutal power, outstanding lightweight engineering and phenomenal handling precision are combined with peerless design and the very finest equipment to deliver an unparalleled driving experience. With the Aventador, Lamborghini is taking a big step into the future � and building on the glorious history of the brand with the next automotive legend. The first customers will take delivery of the new Lamborghini Aventador LP 700-4 in late summer 2011.
Murci�lago is the Spanish name for the bat. The word is pronounced , with a voiceless dental fricative , in the Castilian Spanish spoken in most of Spain. However, the Italian automaker often uses the Southern Spain and Latin American Spanish pronunciation, with an [s] sound.[citation needed] The Italian word for "bat" would be pipistrello.
