Lamborghini to Make Lighter Vehicles

Though some car enthusiasts might get offended, we’ve been having this feeling for a while that supercars nowadays need more powerful engines. It seems that we are not the only ones thinking that way, as Lamborghini decided to shift its research and development department from more horsepower to fewer pounds, says autoweek.com.

"It has come to the point where acceleration equals consumption," said Stephan Winkelmann, CEO of the Italian automaker. "More consumption means increased CO2 emissions."

One of the problems is the fear that, as everyone is turning into a tree hugger, future government regulations might restrict the engine’s performance. Another serious aspect is that the vehicle’s top speed is limited by the physics of aerodynamic resistance. Maurizio Reggiani, Lamborghini's R&D chief, says that after the vehicle reaches 211 mph, there is a declining rate or return for each additional horsepower.

Even if we don’t take such reasons into consideration, Lamborghini’s decision makes a lot of sense as there are few places in the world where a driver can go faster than 211 mph. So the Italians will focus on acceleration and forget about top speed.

"The weight-to-power ratio will be the key factor," Reggiani said. "We will use composite materials in the right place, when it also has the right cost, stiffness and mechanical characteristics."

After getting the Murcielago LP670-4 SV 30 hp more powerful and 220 pounds lighter, people from the R&D noticed something interesting.

"No one can really tell 30 horsepower was added, but everyone can feel how much lighter the car is," Reggiani said.

Another surprise is that Lambo is also considering start-stop technology, though doing that with a V10 or a V12 engine could be difficult.

"Where is the supplier who can provide the right starter and alternator for our engine?" Reggiani asked. "That's a lot of cylinders. It's easy to make a mistake."