Originally the L140 is believed to have been styled by Italdesign, with the imput of Luc Donckerwolcke and the Audi design team. It is also rumoured that Walter de'Silva, previously of Seat and Alfa Romeo, now head of Audi's "Sports Car" styling department has taken over the project and is responsible for a later major revamp of styling. Third train of thought has it that Luc Donckerwolcke, after his previous successes has had overall contol from the start.

Lamborghini's German owner, Audi, is to play a major role in chassis and mechanical production for the new L140.

Originally scheduled for release later this year, Audi's unhappiness with certain aspects of Lamborghini's quality coupled with major development of the Sant'Agata factory have seen the timetable put back. 

Audi will take full control of chassis manufacturing. The L140's aluminium spaceframe chassis has been designed by Audi and it will be built at the Audi Aluminium Centre at Neckarsulm in Germany. The completed chassis' will be transferred to coachbuilder Krupp Drauz, who will manufacture and assemble the aluminum body panel sections. 

The complete body will then be returned back to the Audi Aluminium Centre, where corrosion protection will be applied before final body painting is undertaken. The painted bodies will then be shipped to Sant'Agata for final assembly. 

Audi expect to see 800 L140 coupes built next year, that figure then rising to 1,300 in 2004, before full capacity is reached in 2005. The 1,400-kg L140 is expected to cost around €160,000 and Lamborghini claim an overall performance "more than 10%" better than the Ferrari 360 Modena and Porsche 911GT2 rivals. A second line has been set up in the factory next to the Murcielargo, which is currently running at just under two units per day.

Powered by a rear mounted all new 5-litre V10 engine producing in excess of 500bhp, the L140 will feature a six-speed manual gearbox, permanent 4x4 and major use of an electronically-controlled chassis stability set-up. The engine has been developed with the assistance of renown engine manufacturers, Cosworth Engineering. The bare blocks will cast at Audi's Hungarian foundry and shipped to Sant'Agata for building. 

The six speed gearbox is expected to be an evolved Magnetti Marelli "Selespeed" unit, already seen in production use by Alfa Romeo, Ferrari and Merecedes-Benz. The four wheel drive transmission, has been developed by Audi's Quattro division, which has long term experience in all wheel drive.

Breaking with Lamborghini tradition, the L140 has side opening doors as opposed to the traditional "gull wing" style. It also incorporates several small luggage stowage areas. It is also believed that Lamborghini will make use of speed adjusting aerodynamic features, as first seen on the Murcielargo with its side opening air intakes. This could possibly involve a almost flush rear spoiler which raises as speed increases.

ABS and a Lamborghini-developed advanced ESP system are fitted to the L140, while safety features include dual front and side airbags. 

Lamborghini expect to have production examples completed around January next year, with March's Geneva Motor Show the most likely launch date, and first cars rolling off the production line in late May. However with Audi scrutinising each step of the project, this timetable might be put back further.

It is believed that the car, still referred to by the factory by its codename, L140, could be called "Gallardo" or "Stella". Both names were registered by Lamborghini at the same time as Murcielargo.

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