Lamborghini Murcielago

Although the brand has some tough competition in the new millennium, Lamborghini is still the name to aspire to for both wannabe sports car owners and manufacturers alike. With only 3,000 Murcielago's built from 2001 to 2007, Lamborghini's newest model - replacing the Diablo - become the most sought-after sports car in recent history.

The all-wheel-drive (AWD) Murcielago, like most from the Lamborghini line, immediately turned heads. Even though the brand is certainly Italian, the name Murcielago means "bat" (as in the animal) in Spanish. Language lessons aside, to the common person, Murcielago simply means "wow."

Lamborghini hasn't really dropped off the map in terms of trendsetting power in recent years; it's just that other manufacturers, like Bugatti, have caught up. Of course, the Murcielago's 6.5-liter V12 632 horsepower engine is nothing to sneeze at, but it's not the most powerful out.

This is uncharted territory for Lamborghini. For years, the only other manufacturer to give them a run for their money in terms of out-and-out speed was Ferrari. Try as they might, other manufacturers still cannot remove Lamborghini from the top ranking among the world's best sports cars. They're a mainstay.

The Murcielago comes standard with a 6-speed manual transmission, but it is also available with an e-gear auto-shifting manual transmission, akin to what F-1 racecars use, with paddles mounted on the steering column that allow for instant shifting. Murcielago also boasts an electronic traction control with an electronic adaptive suspension.

No matter what the weather or terrain, the car's suspension will automatically adjust so the handling will be much easier for whoever's driving the powerful beast. Not only are these features convenient, but they've worked to make the Murcielago safe to drive.

Lightweight carbon ceramic brakes are optional on the car. Carbon ceramic offers many advantages over the old style brakes used. For starters, they don't wear out like conventional materials.

Other good aspects of the ceramic include a lack of lubrication needed, they don't heat up like other materials, and the stopping ability of the brakes won't reduce or fade. Other features of the Murcielago include a glass engine cover, so that drivers can show off their engine while driving.

The new model Murcielago - 2009, but carried over from 2008 - is available as a coupe or convertible. Some disagree with a car of this caliber being available in a convertible version, but the makers of Lamborghini are veritable trendsetters; a lot of modern advancements in sports car ingenuity were made possible by Lamborghini, so they're definitely entitled to spruce things up a bit and do something a little less conventional. After all, Lamborghini was the brand to make a high-powered sport convertible a "taboo" in the first place.

The low-set nature of the car makes it a little difficult to enter, but that's not only on the Murcielago; every Lamborghini, with their trademarked doors, is like that. Most safety equipment on the car is standard in the industry, and it's yet to have been crash tested. If you're looking into purchasing a new Lamborghini Murcielago, you can expect to pay over $350,000 for a standard.