2010 Lamborghini Murcielago

2010 Lamborghini Murcielago Overview

The Murcielago is named for a legendary nineteenth-century Spanish bull that withstood an unprecedented 24 thrusts of a matador's sword. True to its namesake, the Murcielago combines a muscular and aggressive design with knock-'em-dead performance capabilities.

Combining a 631-horsepower V12 engine with supercar handling, the Murcielago is a force to be reckoned with. While most sports cars struggle to break into the low four-second range, the Murcielago blasts from 0 to 62 mph in just 3.4. Plus it maxes out at 211 mph.

Multiply those figures by a wildly aggressive exterior design and first-rate interior craftsmanship, and it’s easy to see why reviewers find whatever faults the Murcielago has to be negligible. Car and Driver writes: "From mind-bending speed and the guttural shriek of the V-12 to the low-slung, sharply creased sheetmetal and the butt-on-the-ground seating position, the Murcie is the archetypal Italian exotic. It always draws a crowd, and it has the performance to warrant the attention."

If you're in the market for an exotic supercar, also check out the Ferrari F430. It’s not as powerful or quick as the Murcielago, but its Formula 1 inspired race technology makes it hard to ignore -- especially the high-powered Scuderia trim. It also features a classier low-profile exterior design and costs thousands less.

Shoppers seeking power and dynamic performance capabilities, but unable to break the 200 to 300 thousand dollar price range should opt for the 485-horsepower Nissan GT-R instead. It can hit a top speed of 193 mph and blast from 0 to 60 mph in the low three-second range -- not bad for a car with a sticker price under $80,000.

The 2010 Murcielago is available in two body styles, coupe and roadster.

• "Snake-belly low and reverse-cowgirl sexy, this car ... is the most heinously irresponsible, developmentally arrested, awesomely cool sports car the world has ever known. This $405,000 hypercar is, in short, a great big booger flicked in the face of respectability." -- Los Angeles Times
• "One look at this 50 Cent video on wheels, one taste of its seismic performance, and you'll know why the Murcilago LP640 is cross-referenced in the dictionary under 'centrifuge,' 'exhibitionism,' and 'lust.'" -- Motor Trend
• "For some, it's a da Vinci painting, for others, a Stradivarius violin. Those who like their Italian art to 'move' them even more should find the Murcielago LP640 simply 'fantastico.'" -- Edmunds