Megatech's Lamborghini unveiled in Detroit
Megatech's Lamborghini unveiled in Detroit
By Russell Williamson
LAMBORGHINI, the Italian performance car-maker owned by Indonesia's Megatech has unveiled its latest supercar and a vision for the future baby Lambo.
The open-top Diablo Roadster VT was launched at the Detroit Motor Show in the United States earlier this month and is the first vehicle to reach production since the Indonesian company took control in 1994.
The Roadster was first seen as a research prototype at the Geneva Motor Show in March in 1992 and was originally expected to go into production in 1993.
However, after Chrysler decided to sell Lamborghini in mid- 1992 all plans for the vehicle were put on hold until Megatech took over.
With the Italian Marcello Gandini returning as designer, the production Roadster is more radical and more faithful to his original concept than the hardtop which was produced under the Chrysler ownership.
Although the Roadster shares its 5.7-liter V12 engine and six- speed manual transmission with its hard top brother, over half of the body panels have been revised.
The front bumper is more angular, the A pillar and the windscreen are lower and the engine cover has been altered to take the removable roof panel.
The composite-fiber targa-style roof is easily removed and can be locked into housings over the engine cover for storage.
The Roadster's interior remains the same as the coupe with full leather trim, climate-control air conditioning and an Alpine sound system.
This 325kmh supercar may not be on everybody's shopping list, however the Cala, although not yet in production, may be more affordable for some.
The Cala was first seen at the Geneva Motor Show last March and is Turin-based Italdesign's Giorgetto Guigiaro's vision for a "baby" Diablo.
However, this widely anticipated replacement for the existing Jalpa, expected to go into production towards the end of the decade, is more than just a designer's show car and has been developed as a production-ready prototype.
The Cala is a two-plus-two complete with a removable targa roof panel which converts the coupe into an open top.
As a competitor to Ferrari's 355 and Aston Martin's DB7, the Cala features a new Lamborghini V10 capable of pushing the vehicle to 100kmh in 4.3 seconds and a top speed of close to 300kmh.
The mid-mounted 40-valve, 3.9-liter V10 is a product of Lamborghini's now defunct Formula 1 program and produces maximum power of 298kW at 7200rpm and peak torque of 392Nm at 5500rpm.
The engine drives the rear wheels through a six-speed manual gearbox set on an aluminum chassis, wrapped in a carbon fiber body.
Accommodation is designed to take two adults up front with two children in the minimal rear seats, which fold to increase luggage space when carrying only two passengers.
Although a decision is yet to be made by Lamborghini's Indonesian owners as to whether the Cala goes into production, it most likely be super expensive and unlikely to go on sale in Indonesia.