Lamborghini Reventon Debuts

Lamborghini seems a bit bullish about how their latest supercar will do on the market and they have every right to be. The Reventon made its North American debut in southern California, a place that the automaker says "is the most important market in the world." The car looks sleek, aerodynamic and every bit of it Lamborghini-esque.

With the Gallardo Superleggera that was recently released, parked on the left and a Gallardo Spyder Superleggera on the right, the Reventon was the center of attention. Based on the Murcielago LP640, the Reventon is inspired by fighter jets with striking style and a unique exterior that is made of CFC, a composite of carbon-fiber material.

The front is characterized by the acute angle of the central "arrow" and air intakes. Although the intakes do not supply air directly to the turbine like an airplane, Lamborghini says a large volume of air is used to cool the carbon brake discs and six-cylinder calipers.

The cockpit is inspired by futuristic aeronautics with instruments that are comprised of three TFT (thin film transistor) liquid crystal displays. With just a touch of a button, the driver can choose from two vehicle information display modes.

Named after a fighting bull, the supercar has an astounding 650 horsepower and 487 lb-ft of torque from its 12-cylinder 6.5-liter engine. These numbers translate to a 0 to 62 mph in just 3.4 seconds with a maximum speed of more than 211 mph. A permanent Viscous Traction four-wheel-drive system gives the Reventon great traction at all times.

Only 20 of these supercars will be made and each will cost about $1.46 million (1 million Euro). Lamborghini is headed for another record year in 2007 and judging by the audience's response at the press conference, the Reventon will keep the automaker in a class of its own.