10 Things You Need To Know About The Astounding Lamborghini Murciélago Before You Buy One

The Lamborghini Murciélago entered production in 2001 and was finally available for sale as a 2002 model-year car. It started as a 2-door coupe but eventually adopted the convertible body style as well. It also ended up getting the ‘SV’ or ‘Super Veloce’ or ‘Super Fast’ tag next to its name, which brought numerous performance upgrades.

However, the very first Lamborghini to ever receive the SV specification was the Miura. Having said that, there are many versions of the Murciélago you can explore before buying with Coupe and Roadster bodystyles. Lastly, in total, an estimated 4,099 units of the Lamborghini Murciélago were made.
 

10. Know your options or alternatives to the Murciélago

Lamborghini Revuelto - Source: Lamborghini Press

If you are unsure if the Murciélago is the right supercar for you, then hold your horses, have a look at the Lamborghini Murciélago cost, and evaluate other options before pulling the final trigger. You can go for similarly priced cars like the Maserati GranCabrio or GranTurismo, the Aston Martin Vantage, the Bentley Continental GT Speed, the Ferrari 812 Superfast, and more.

Otherwise, you are free to explore the newest Lamborghini models, such as the 2024 Lamborghini Revuelto, the 2022 Lamborghini Countach, the 2022 Lamborghini Aventador, and the 2023 Lamborghini Huracan. Lastly, the 2024 Lamborghini Urus SUV is also an alluring alternative if you are willing to change your preferred body style.

9. Design language

Lamborghini Murciélago Cabin - Source: Lamborghini Press

Lamborghinis are famous for their fighter jet or spaceship-like design, and the Murciélago is no exception. It does not matter if you are a car enthusiast or just a passerby environmentalist who is protesting against Exxon, just one glance at Lamborghini Murciélago is enough to make you forget about every single car that you have ever encountered in your life. All thanks to Luc Donckerwolke, who was the design director at Volkswagen Group back then. Also, who can ignore the Lamborghini Murciélago's iconic scissor door that makes it look like a fierce giant eagle that is ready for the hunt?

Those aggressive angles coupled with menacing body lines and the imposing stance that screams “Try me if you dare,” is as exhilarating as it can get. However, the Lamborghini Murciélago design is also plagued with flaws. The Murciélago has a close ground clearance and you need to go on the track to unlock its true potential.

8. Need practicality? Buy a minivan instead

Lamborghini Murciélago Scissor Doors - Source: Lamborghini Press

One of the things you must know before buying the Lamborghini Murciélago is that it is not the most practical car out there. Its cockpit can feel cramped and the versatility of the interior is not flexible. Be ready to not feel comfortable inside as the Murciélago is supportive in giving space to let you sit but if you are incredibly tall then things can get painful.

Additionally, storage space is scarce and we mean 4.3 cu. ft. kinda scarce. However keep in mind that you are driving a Lamborghini, not a full-size SUV or a minivan.

7. Powertrain, performance, and its drawbacks

Lamborghini 6.5L V12 Engine - Source: Lamborghini Press

The Lamborghini Murciélago 2-door coupe or 2-door roadster is known for its gut-punching performance, which is due to its various V12 engines throughout the production run. It has always been an all-wheel drive and mid-engine car except for its R-GT version which came with a rear-wheel drive system. That said, the early models like the 2002 Lamborghini Murciélago had a 6.2L V12 with a 6-speed manual transmission and it used to put out 575 horsepower and 479 lb-ft of torque.

On the other hand, the latest and the last 2010 Lamborghini Murciélago LP 670-4 SuperVeloce (SV) was powered by a 6.5L V12 engine which was connected to a 6-speed automated manual transmission but a no-cost 6-speed manual gearbox was offered as well. The V12 in this Murcielago SV made 670 horsepower and 487 pound-feet of torque. With these specs, the Murciélago LP 670-4 SV is considered one of the quickest accelerating Lamborghinis as it did 0-60 MPH in 3.0 seconds and had a top speed of 213 MPH.

However, such an incredible performance can easily blow evil whispers in your ears. Hence, make sure you are prepared for those dangerous bumps, speed limits, and other traffic restrictions in the city before googling “Lamborghini Murciélago to buy near me”.

6. Buying as an investment or something else?

Lamborghini Murciélago Rear - Source: Lamborghini Press

Old is gold and this saying is very much true for every Lamborghini. Hence, older Lamborghini models like the Countach and the Miura have average values of over half a million dollars. On the other hand, the average value of the Lamborghini Murciélago Roadster or Coupe produced from 2001 to 2010 is $282,276.

Hence, it is a wiser choice to buy a Lambo Murciélago if you are getting a limited-edition model. It will give you additional benefits during future sales due to its rarity. However, don’t forget when you are investing in a Murciélago, you will have to pay for its hefty maintenance as well unless you plan to keep it frozen on a display platform.

5. Various Murciélago versions and iterations

Lamborghini Murciélago LP 650-4 Roadster - Source: Lamborghini Press

Initially, the Lamborghini Murciélago was only available in the coupe body style. The open top version was showcased at the 2003 Detroit Motor Show and was named as Murciélago Barchetta (Murciélago Roadster for the production version). Over the next couple of years, the Murciélago offered various specifications. There was the LP 640 coupe, LP 650–4 Roadster which had limited production, and so on. However, one of the most famous iterations of the Murciélago is the LP 670–4 SuperVeloce or simple Murciélago SV, which means super fast in Italian. It was a special track-oriented version of the Murciélago. Furthermore, only 186 units of Lamborghini Murcielago LP 670-4 SV were sold globally.

The Murciélago SuperVeloce was the fastest of all road-legal versions. Meanwhile, between 2001 and 2010, Lamborghini also produced some special or limited edition Murciélago such as the 40th Anniversary Edition, LP 650–4 Roadster, and LP 670–4 SuperVeloce China Limited Edition which was reserved for China. Moreover, a total of 20 Versace LP 640 Coupes and Roadsters were produced, but only 8 were available for purchase.

4. Road Version or racing version?

Lamborghini Murciélago R-GT - Source: Tony Harrison from Farnborough, UK, CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

The Lamborghini Murciélago Coupe and Roadster for sale are easily available but if you want to get your hands on the racing version then it is a different story altogether. The rarity and auction value of the Murcielago R-GT, RG-1, RG-1 LM, and LP 670 R-SV are on another level.

However, if you have money and connections then one of just 11 R-GT is listed on an auction. RM Sothey’s fetches $750,000 to $900,000 for the 2004 Lamborghini Murciélago R-GT.

3. Maintenance and handling cost

Lamborghini Murciélago Roadster Cabin - Source: Lamborghini Press

Let us get one thing straight. Lamborghini is not a Nissan. It will not be easy for you to just open up the hood and do some quick fixes in case something breaks down. Hence, the ownership of the Lamborghini Murciélago comes with a monumental maintenance cost. You need specialists to look into due to the complex electrical and mechanical systems. Additionally, the Murciélago just like any other Lambo is not famous for its reliability.

However, you can easily afford it if you have more than enough money to buy a Murciélago in the first place and keep it running despite current fuel costs. Just a regular normal service will cost you more than $1,000 bucks. Moreover, as the mileage count goes up, it is highly likely your Murciélago will need major repairs or service which can cost over $4,000.

2. Lamborghini Murciélago price and auction value

Lamborghini Murciélago LP 640-4 Coupe - Source: Lamborghini Press

Here's everything you need to know to answer the question 'Can you buy a Lamborghini?' When the Lamborghini Murciélago model year 2002 was launched, it had a base price of $273,000. Now on average, it costs $227,750. However, a Murciélago in good condition can cost as low as $158,000. Furthermore, the 2010 LP 670-4 SuperVeloce (SV) had an original MSRP of $450,000. Safe to say, the Lamborghini Murciélago SV price is substantial enough to leave a dent in your bank account.

Meanwhile, its current auction value can easily cross $865,000. On the other hand, in 2021, one of the 20 Lamborghini Murciélago LP640-4 Coupé Versace 'E-Gear' had been sold for $164,096. In another auction, the 2009 Lamborghini Murciélago LP640-4 Coupe received a final bid of $214,587.

1. Financing the Lamborghini Murciélago

Having enough capital to buy a Lamborghini is as necessary as having a black dress for your ex’s funeral. You must be prepared for it. However, if you do not have a budget for the latest or limited edition, you can go for the used Lamborghini Murciélago or those models that were produced in slightly higher volume.

Now that is sorted let get’s to the middle part of the cake. You can either simply take a loan to finance the Murciélago or choose a hire purchase agreement option. You can also go for a leasing agreement or hire a finance specialist to hunt for your Murciélago at an auction.