Impossibly low, ridiculously wide, a small cabin pushed out to the nose followed by miles and miles of engine, all wrapped in lyrca-tight carbonfibre. The Murcielago LP640 has vicious looks, rabid performance and intimidating presence: it's the way supercars should look.

When it arrives this autumn, the Murcielago LP640 will replace the existing Murcielago. But hold onto your £190,000 - the 300 to be produced this year are already sold out. You'll have to wait until this time next year for your order to come through.

LP stands for longitudinale posteriore - in-line at the rear - the correct location for performance-oriented comfort-compromised supercars: 640 refers to its prodigious power output. You'll not mistake the LP640 for the outgoing Murcielago. With its new scalpel-sharp front and rear bumpers, rear diffuser, revised wing mirrors and beautiful alloy wheels, it looks even wedgier, lower and more aggressive than before.

The V12 has also been extensively revised, with engine capacity up from 6.2 to 6.5 litres. The engine now features variable valve timing on both inlet and outlet camshafts as well as a new drive-by wire system, all controlled for four electronic management systems. The result is 640bhp at 8,000rpm and 487lb-ft of torque at 6,000rpm.

And don't expect that amazing V12 engine to pop up in any other car except another Lamborghini. It won't be poached by Audi, says Gabriele Gabrielli, the LP640's lead engineer. 'It's our property and they can't have it.'

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Source = 4Car