Lamborghini the famous Italian maker of exotic, high-performance
cars, celebrated the company’s 40th anniversary by showing the
latest version of the Murcielago coupe, the Barchetta Concept, at
the 2003 North American International Auto Show in Detroit. The
term “Barchetta” is a reference to the open-topped sports cars of
the fifties that took part in the Targa Florio Race and the Carrera
Panamericana. Luc Donckerwolke, Lamborghini chief designer, has
managed to make the roofless Barchetta look even more menacing than
its hardtop version, the Murcielago. The all-wheel drive system of
the Barchetta has a center viscous coupling to distribute the
power. The car features a 6.2-liter 575 hp V12 engine similar to that in the coupe along with a
6-speed manual transmission. The modified suspension and the
shorter windscreen and side windows make the concept car look
extremely low [136mm lower overall], particularly with a set of the
new 19” arch-filling allow wheels fitted. The vehicle retains the
door design of the Murcielago, with a front pivot to allow access.
The interior is as aggressive as the exterior, with streamlined
head restraints intergrated with the air intakes and asymmetrical
leather trim. There is also a re-designed engine cover sporting a
multitude of cooling vents.
