Car magazine Murci and Pagani rumors

Cool,

I've always liked the idea of maybe supercharging the 7.3litre V12 Mercedes powerplant in the Zonda.

 

I wonder how powerful will these exotics be with 750+bps. I was lucky enough to have a ride on both the Zonda and the Merci lately.

 

How far of an extent allen does it say about being a replacement? Does it mean like a totally new body as well or just engine modifications for the extra horses? And of course any time frame for this new beast? Thanks

 

makes sense, or at least 650 HP to get the murci away from that article we read on l-talk saying the gallardo was FASTER...Allan, interestingly, was in bed last night thinking...Do you realize how close a lightweight and muscled up (say 550 hp) and 300 lb weight loss gallardo would be to even an enzo? WOW!

 

I love the Zonda, but after seeing the the SL600, I think it is time for a power boost. I am guessing it will have twin turbos and be insanely fast. Of course, some people might prefer a NA engine.

 

Yes and No.

The Gallardo was weighed by Car and Driver, who are always great about actually reporting true wet weights, and not regurgitating MFG's weight estimates, and it came in at 3,560lbs.

So if you chop off 300lbs in say an SV version by using more composite materials and losing the 4WD system, and then add 50HP, you get a Gallardo that will roughly be slotted between the Enzo and the F40 (using mathmatical breakdown to determine the speeds of the two Lambos):

0-150MPH

21.4 Lamborghini Gallardo
20.0 Lamborghini Murcielago
18.0 Ferrari F40
17.0 Gallardo SV 550HP 2WD Theoretical
16.5 Murcielago SV 750HP Theoretical
15.4 Ferrari Enzo
12.8 McLaren F1

 

The beauty in that mako, is that the car has an all new thoroughly modern chassis too, making it truly a world class small supercar (entry level, whatever they wanna call it) while the murci is awesome, but not quite an enzo, CGT, Mclaren, bc they employ carbon bodies and monocoque chassis (I think right? a different design I know, hence the wide door sills) Murcielago needs ALUMINUM too! to be ahead of 575 replacement by a lot.

 

I personally love the look and feel of the Murcielago. But, if Lambo adds another 180 HP to bring it close to 750 HP what extra weight will the car have to get those extra HP? I just checked the CAR & DRIVER July 03 road test and the Murcielago came in at 4058 lbs I was a little surprised and disappointed because I thought the car was around 3600 lbs. The car is about 200 lbs lighter than the SL 55 and that is not a compliment!! I hope Lambo deceides to find some way to get the extra weight (about 500 lbs) off the new Murcielago!!

 

My theoretical numbers for the Murci above were based on the 4,058lb. figure, if Lambo can cut the fat a bit by dropping the 4WD system and adding some composites as they did to the GT and Jota previously, then the 16.5 figure will drop signifigantly.

PLUS, it's important to note that the system they decide on to boost the Murci's power is critical. If it's a s/c or turbo-based system, then the TQ figures will improve dramatically, and the time will drop even further. If it's just displacement, then the TQ improvement isn't as dramatic, although it would be no slower than the 16.5 number.

Here's a good example:

The SL55 AMG has 493 HP
The SL600 has 493 HP

They weigh within 50lbs. of each other and have the same overall .cd and transmissions.

Yet the SL600 is a TON faster than the SL55, literally 10 car lengths ahead through just the 1/4 mile mark (12.0 seconds versus 13.0).

Why?

Because the SL55 AMG has just 516 ft/lbs of TQ, while the SL600 has 590 ft/lbs. of TQ that peaks at a MUCH lower RPM.

That subtle change makes all the differance.

Can't imagine what a boosted Murci could do.

 

3638lbs is the factory spec'd dry weight. Fuel is probably 180lbs. So where is the other 240lbs coming in? Do they weigh the car with the driver as well?

 

No.

MFG weight ratings are always too optimistic, including Ferrari's. And C and D usually uses 1/2 a tank of gas.

 

I am not taking anything way from the Murci, I have test driven the car for about an hour, but, I do feel the weight of the car in corners. In a nut shell the Lambo is such a fun car to drive and that is what it is all about for me.

 

I got both figures from C & D, all are from stock cars:

0 - 150MPH

18.0 - F40
18.7 - F50
21.4 - Murci*

*I actually lowered the 21.4 that they got for their Murci in my post due to them claiming that the gearshift failed and they shifted slowly, which penalized the car slightly.