Road Test: Lamborghini Murciélago Roadster LP640

(Original Source : By Patrick Hong with photos by Bruce Benedict, Yahoo!Autos )

Unadulterated Fun. Test drive Lamborghini’s new $400,000 sports car. Lamborghini's new roadster goes zero to sixty in three seconds.

The Lamborghini Murciélago Roadster LP640 is bold, aggressive and powerful. But some practical-minded people may argue that there is hardly any sensible reason to own the $400,000 exotic that: 1) has only two seats, 2) is powered by a 632-bhp and 487-lb.-ft.-of-torque 6.2-liter V-12 engine, and 3) can rocket you from 0-60 mph in just 3.4 seconds, and to a top speed of 205 mph. Plus, where would you be able to experience the car's extreme performance limits in these days of traffic-laden highways?

Well, just throw out your thinking cap and trust what your heart and soul tell you. Driving the low-slung and wide LP640 Roadster is a heart-pounding experience. You may feel guilty about pressing the pedal to the metal for the sole purpose of getting a quick rush of adrenaline. But boy is it fun to hear the deep-throated growl as the engine revs past 5000 rpm — and feel the air rushing above the open top.

On the road, the LP640 Roadster is a movie star, with large numbers of passers-by pointing and looking at this Italian raging bull from Sant'Agata Bolognese. Some will stop and ask you about the car. Some will just give a thumbs-up or a slight nod of approval. But the best is to see the reactions of kids: eyes wide open and mouths agape.

Largely unchanged from last year's Murciélago LP640 Coupe styling, the Roadster offers a special bevel-cut window line that adds more sleekness to the exotic. Inside, the seats are snug and the instrument panel is canted toward the driver for better reach. The 6-speed paddle-shift transmission and the traction control take the worry out of trying to master all of the car's massive torque on acceleration at a stoplight.

Also helping to keep the powerful Lamborghini in check is the full-time all-wheel-drive system. Through a viscous clutch aided by electronic management, torque can be distributed up to a full 100 percent to the front or the rear when it is appropriate. At cruise, the drive force is split 30 percent front and 70 percent rear.

The LP640 Roadster retains much of the coupe's steel and carbon-fiber chassis, with added reinforcement in the engine compartment to ensure body stiffness with the open top. The suspension is of multilink type all-around, riding on front 245/35ZR-18 and rear 335/30ZR-18 tires. Our test car is fitted with the $6500 carbon-ceramic brake rotors acted on by 6-piston calipers. Full ABS stopping distances are quite exemplary: From 60-0 mph, 107 ft., and from 80-0 mph, 189 ft. Not bad for a car that tips the scale at 4160 lb.

The LP640 is a competent performer, but by no means is it the fastest or the best-handling car in the world. However, the Murciélago Roadster offers the unique styling flair and driving atmosphere that only the folks from Sant'Agata Bolognese can deliver. This makes the Lambo an irresistible ride for any car enthusiast.