The star automotive exhibit at the MPH06 Motor Show at Earls Court last weekend was undoubtedly the stunning, brand-new Lamborghini Murciélago LP640 supercar, finished in the Metropolitan Police’s lurid “Battenberg” colours, which literally stopped visitors in their tracks. The LP640 – which takes the 6.5-litre, 640bhp, V12-engined supercar to the very edge of performance and dynamics – was in fact only presented to the world at the Geneva Motor Show earlier this year. That the Metropolitan Police’s Traffic Operational Command Unit had secured one of these awesome beasts just as global deliveries get underway was impressive enough, but to have it in their silver/grey colours, overlaid with their lurid blue/green check pattern, perfectly served to focus attention on the message that they had arrived at MPH06 to get across.

The ‘Metropolitan Police’ Murciélago LP640 was one of the show stoppers at MPH06 during its tenure at the Earls Court Exhibition Centre in Central London from Thursday to Sunday last week, the car never ceasing to be surrounded by onlookers snapping photos on digital cameras and mobile phones, while the police officers who were on the stand were constantly fielding visitors’ never-ending questions as to whether the LP640 would be seen fighting crime on the streets of London anytime soon.

The capital city’s hardened criminals can rest easier in their beds though: the LP640 – which can achieve 0-100 km/h in 3.4 seconds and hit a top speed of 210mph – will not be entering service with the Metropolitan Police any time soon. This car was actually on show at MPH06 to emphasise the London police force’s on-going road safety priorities, a point the LP640 got across rather well. It was presented on the stand, alongside one of the force’s regular BMWs, in conjunction with ‘Secure Plates’, a rapidly-growing young company that manufactures automotive registration plates that are designed to be theft-proof.

Everyone, of course, has seen and heard about the Italian Police’s Lamborghini Gallardo ‘Pantera’, but the connection between the Metropolitan Police and the Bologna-based sports car maker originated in 2004 when a police-liveried Gallardo appeared at last year at London’s Regent Street Festival, where it was a real star turn. That led to the Met being invited to the start of the Gumball Rally this year with the V10 sportscar again grabbing much attention. Another appearance was made by the Met at the ExCeL Motor Show this year where the presented a police car and motorbike, while at this year’s Regent Street festival a specially-liveried ex-Fernando Alonso Renault F1 car turned out to be a big attraction.

“We’re not out there to ram road safety down people’s throats,” says Police Constable Lee Ellingham. “Our message is that speed doesn’t actually kill, but inappropriate speed does. If one person takes one bit of advice home with them and it saves one life then it’s been worth it. These events also allow people to see (that) the traffic police are human beings.”

From this series of events came the dramatic MPH06 initiative. The MPH06 organisers invited the Met to take part, and in turn the police managed to source an LP640 from a generous owner. SSDM then devised and applied the stunning livery, whilst Woodway Engineering built the special (and fully-working) roof light unit, with the whole project sponsored by Secure Plates. Coincidentally, the LP640 arrived in the Met’s usual silver/grey colours: the icing on the visual cake.
 

Sarah Kell, a Police Staff member at the Traffic Operational Command Unit, was delighted by the public’s response to the LP640 at MPH06, a prestigious event that only showcases the most exotic and expensive of sports and luxury cars. “The owners of the cars here are in a different league, but just because you have a high priced car doesn’t mean you are exempt from accidents,” she tells me in between fending almost non-stop questions from visitors enquiring if Lamborghinis will be soon be seen on the streets of London. “Be sensible when driving and enjoy your car,” she adds.

Lee and Sarah have actually tried out several Lamborghinis under track conditions at the private Millbrook Proving Ground. “We were recently invited to a Lamborghini corporate day at Millbrook,” says Lee. “I tried the Gallardo in both manual and e-gear specification, but then it was on to the LP640 and to describe it as ‘awesome’ is really an understatement. Around the ‘Alpine Circuit’ it was amazing, and without wanting to get into clichés, it was just like a high-speed train on rails, and as hard as I was chucking it into bends the car was almost saying ‘go for it’.” Meanwhile, “I went out with a rally instructor who demonstrated exactly what the LP640 was capable of,” says Sarah, “nothing short of sheer exhilaration!” she concludes.“

I easily caught up with an Aston Martin and on the long test straight the LP640 was able to hit 175mph from standstill and then slow it back down again in 3/4 mile, with Lamborghini’s test driver Mario telling me, “Don’t brake until I say so”, and urging me to keep the engine at 8,000rpm,"continues Lee. "We were also able to achieve 180 to 0 in less than 1/4 of a mile, and another highlight was two laps of the ‘Bowl’ at 120mph, although this felt almost tame after having reached 180mph. An amazing car!”

The whole project at MPH06 was sponsored by ‘Secure Plates’, a 3-year-old company that manufactures a new style of registration plate. Theft of registration plates in the UK hit 33,000 in 2004 and is growing, aided by the ease with which plates can be removed. The problem is especially bad in London where a stolen plate, in addition to gaining the thief a free tank of fuel and avoiding a speed camera penalty, will also get them past the congestion charge. “These new plates are made out of aluminium and riveted firmly in place; they are anti-clone, anti-forge, tamper and shatterproof, and come with a three-year warranty,” says Secure Plate’s Khalid Mia. “With ‘identity theft’ now right in the public eye, these plates will save the victim of the registration plate theft – and the police – a lot of time and inconvenience.”

by Edd Ellison