This is a Lamborghini Murcielago LP 650-4 Roadster, as seen in the old Volkswagen Group China headquarters in the Sanlitun area in Beijing. The Murcielago LP 650-4 Roadster was a limited edition, with only 50 units produced from 2009 until 2010.
The Volkswagen headquarters often had special cars on display, like Lamborhgini’s, Bugatti’s, and Bentley’s. The building was near my office so I often visited during lunchtime to check out what was new.
In the background is the SAIC-VW Lavida sedan. The Murcielago LP 650-4 Roadster was only available in one color combination: Grigio Telesto gray with Arancio orange detailing and black five-spoke alloy wheels. It looked absolutely brilliant, like a spaceship on Earth, or an airplane on Mars.
It had LP 650-4 stickers on the air inlets. The Lamborghini Murcielago LP 650-4 Roadster is an old-school hardcore supercar. Power came from a 6.5-liter naturally aspirated V12 engine with an output of 650 hp and 660 Nm.
The big badass motor was mated to a six-speed AMT sending horses to all four wheels. The top speed was 330 km/h and it did 0-100 in just 3.4 seconds. The rated fuel consumption in China was… 25 liters per 100 kilometers!
The interior has the same color scheme as the exterior. The steering wheel seems large compared to the supercars of today. The seats are clad in Alcantara with orange stitchings.
It has a special plate between the front seats showing the number. This one is 23/50. Below the plate are the buttons for the roof mechanism.
There is a red Audi R8 in the background, and a FAW-Audi A4, also in red. The Lamborghini Murcielago LP 650-4 Roadster was officially sold in China for 4.58 million yuan, and at least one example is still on the road today (26/50).
The mighty engine was visible under a see-through cover.
The wheels are fitted with Pirelli P-Zero tires. The brake calipers are painted in orange as well.
Lamborghini was a super hot supercar brand in China at the time. The late 2000s was an era when everything was allowed and everything was possible. People earned lots of money and they showed it! Sadly, due to the changing political and financial landscape, that is no longer so. These days it is quite rare to see a Lamborghini on the road in the capital.
The Lamborghini Murcielago LP 650-4 Roadster was a brilliant old-school supercar. I am sure this 23/50 is somewhere in China now, safely in storage, waiting for better times to let its mighty engine roar again.