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The pushrod spring and damper concept was
inspired by Formula 1, says Lamborghini, and
it claims, is tuned perfectly to meet the
needs of a high-performance road-going
vehicle. |
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An extremely precise, indeed razor-sharp,
driving feel accurately describes the soul
of the newest and most powerful sports car
ever to bear the sign of the bull, claims
Lamborghini. |
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Lamborghini's has
announced that the replacement for its Murciélago
supercar, the LP700-4, which is due to debut at the
Geneva Motor Show next month, will feature an innovative
motorsport-style pushrod suspension to go with an
all-new V12 engine and a chassis that makes greater use
of lightweight materials.
The pushrod spring and
damper concept was inspired by Formula 1, says
Lamborghini, and it claims, is tuned perfectly to meet
the needs of a high-performance road-going vehicle.
Together with aluminum double wishbone suspension and a
carbon ceramic brake system, this lightweight chassis is
another element of the unique technology concept in
Lamborghini’s new flagship model.
An extremely precise, indeed razor-sharp, driving feel
accurately describes the soul of the newest and most
powerful sports car ever to bear the sign of the bull,
claims Lamborghini. This includes a steering system that
can think its way through a bend adhering to the perfect
line, a suspension that masters the ideal balance
between race-car feel for the road and plenty of comfort
for ramping up the miles, and lateral stability that
ensures absolute safety even at the very highest speeds.
Pushrod suspension derived from motorsport
With its phenomenal engine output of 515 kW / 700 hp and
its comparatively low vehicle weight, the new V12 super
sports car from Lamborghini blasts its way to the very
highest speeds. The most important characteristic of the
new suspension is its design in line with the pushrod
principle – inspired by Formula 1. The spring/damper
elements are not located on the wheel mounts, but
connected inboard to the bodyshell structure. They are
transversely positioned: under the windscreen in the
front and close to the engine in the rear. Pushrods and
relay levers / rockers transmit the forces from the
wheel mounts to the spring/damper elements.
Responsive handling characteristics at all speeds
This solution offers a whole series of impressive
benefits: due to the combination of the double wishbone
and pushrod arrangement, wheel control and damper remain
separate from each other. As a result, handling is more
responsive and easier to manage at all speeds, while
rigid connection to the chassis also improves the
precise and spontaneous reaction of the springs and
dampers. As a result, spring stiffness can be notched
back a little – comfort increases, while precision
remains. On the front axle, the shock absorbers are
equipped with a hydraulic lifting system, which enables
the front end of the super sports car to be lifted by 40
millimeters at the touch of a button, simplifying its
ability to negotiate minor obstacles.
Systematic lightweight engineering in aluminum and
carbon fiber
Aluminum and carbon fiber are also the most important
lightweight engineering materials on the chassis. The
entire suspension system, including upper and lower
control arms, wheel mounts and relay levers are made
from forged aluminum alloy. The large-diameter discs on
the high-performance brake system, on the other hand,
are made from lightweight and extremely hard-wearing
carbon ceramic composite material. On the front axle,
the ventilated discs measure no less than 400
millimeters in diameter, with braking force delivered
via six cylinder calipers. On the rear axle, 380
millimeter diameter discs are used in combination with
four cylinder calipers. The parking brake on the new
Lamborghini top model is electrically powered.
Steering forms the sensitive connection between
driver and automobile
The hydraulic steering on the Lamborghini V12 forms the
highly sensitive connection between the driver and the
super sports car, which runs on 19-inch wheels clad on
255/35 tires at the front and 20-inch rims on 335/30
tires at the rear. Steering Gear foresees 3 different
servotronic characteristics managed by drive select
mode. After all, not every day is the same and the
“corsa” (race track) setting can perhaps sometimes be a
little too demanding.
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