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Murcielago: Factory enhancements by year?


Worldrider
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This is the year I buy a Murci. I’ve been saving for 15 years to buy a Lamborghini and the time has finally arrived. There are some killer deals around for e-gears, but I’m holding out for a manual.

Due to cost I must purchase a pre-LP. I know the range received a few upgrades over the years (eg: larger brakes) but despite my research I can’t determine which enhancements were added in which years.

- Does anyone have a list of enhancements by year?

– In reality, how much better is a later model (2006) versus an earlier model (2002 - 2003)?

 

My main goal is of course to find a clean, well-loved beast, and I’m not looking for an “investment” (it’s a car, it’s meant to be driven!) so I’m not scared by higher mileages.

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This is the year I buy a Murci. I’ve been saving for 15 years to buy a Lamborghini and the time has finally arrived. There are some killer deals around for e-gears, but I’m holding out for a manual.

Due to cost I must purchase a pre-LP. I know the range received a few upgrades over the years (eg: larger brakes) but despite my research I can’t determine which enhancements were added in which years.

- Does anyone have a list of enhancements by year?

– In reality, how much better is a later model (2006) versus an earlier model (2002 - 2003)?

 

My main goal is of course to find a clean, well-loved beast, and I’m not looking for an “investment” (it’s a car, it’s meant to be driven!) so I’m not scared by higher mileages.

 

 

The pre-LP Murcielagos are tough cars to live with IMO. They are big and heavy, have large turning radii, fairly cramped seating, little storage. The e-gears aren't perfect, definitely better at speed than crawl, jerky and unhappy at low speeds, reverse, and up hills. The gated shifters are much easier to deal with than the e-gear, and considerably more desirable. I personally would avoid 02s generally and would purchase the latest year you can afford. I owned two (03 and 04, one gated and one e-gear).

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The pre-LP Murcielagos are tough cars to live with IMO. They are big and heavy, have large turning radii, fairly cramped seating, little storage. The e-gears aren't perfect, definitely better at speed than crawl, jerky and unhappy at low speeds, reverse, and up hills. The gated shifters are much easier to deal with than the e-gear, and considerably more desirable. I personally would avoid 02s generally and would purchase the latest year you can afford. I owned two (03 and 04, one gated and one e-gear).

 

From an ownership perspective was there any difference between the 2003 versus the 2004?

I’ve been looking at a 2002 – why avoid it?

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From an ownership perspective was there any difference between the 2003 versus the 2004?

I’ve been looking at a 2002 – why avoid it?

 

Welcome to LP!

 

MY04 was the year they introduced e-gear. 1st attempt & 1st-gen so things were rather clunky & finicky to say the least. But I guess it doesn't apply to you which is a good thing.

 

There is rumour about the MY02-MY03 cars in their stock form being the strongest. I don't recall the exact details but do a search on this site and it should provide some answers.

 

MY02 was the 1st-model year. Like all cars, it had its share of teething problems. Early cars had electrical gremlins. In fact, the entire Murcielago series do not have stellar records on their electrical parts. The dash on the early cars was prone to burning out due to improper grounding. Lambo had a recall on that so make sure all the recalls had been done properly. By now, 16yrs had elapsed so you need to be careful and diligent on a MY02 car. I.e. either it's high mileage and many components are starting to show their age meaning prepare to sink $$ into replacement parts; or it's a garage queen that looks immaculate but many more components will need to be replaced (anything rubber & polymer related) so prepare to sink $$$ for that too. The rubber coating on most of the switches should start to decompose too so they would be tacky to touch. It's more of an annoyance than a problem though. You either clean them regularly or have the switches refinished or replaced. Good MY02 cars do exist though, you just need to dig deeper into them such as an actual test drive, study all its service records etc... Good luck on your find and keep us posted.

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Ed,

With your permission I’ll repost your blog here for reference:

 

The exotic car world was very different back in 2001. If you wanted an exotic car you had very limited options. The Ferrari 360 had revolutionized the exotic car marketplace in 1999 by offering a car that you could actually drive with great performance and usability. In 2001 Porsche brought out the 996 Turbo. It went 0-60 in 3.9 seconds and on to 189 miles per hour – world beating performance for the time. Lamborghini was just closing out the Diablo range and no one knew what was around the corner.

 

Named for a bull that was considered too brave to die, the Murcielago was released in 01 as a 2002 model. It was a re-definition of the word Supercar. It was gorgeous with some of the most aggressive lines the world had ever seen on a car. In Spanish the name means “Bat,” and it lived up to this translation with menacing opening rear air vents. The car was other-worldly but it was great to drive. Over the course of the next 9 years, Lamborghini produced 4,099 of the cars. Here is how the car evolved.

 

The Murcielago was released with a 6.2 liter V12 producing 580 hp. The car went 0-60 in 3.6 seconds and had a top speed of 205 mph.

 

In 2002 your options were very limited. You could pick your exterior color and interior color, opt for contrast stitching, order the centers of the seats done in alcantera, and that was pretty much it. The supply was extremely low with just 424 units being built for the world.

 

In 2003 the ordering was pretty much the same with the exception of a limited run of 40th Anniversary Edition cars. They were 50 of them built with the special paint scheme, a unique leather interior, and some extra carbon fiber elements, titanium colored wheels, and a different exhaust.

 

In 2004 alongside the release of the Gallardo, E-Gear was added as an option to the Murcielago. The rest of the car remained generally the same.

 

In 2005 there were a few enhancements and the range increased to include a Roadster. The seats were redesigned to give the driver more room, the brakes were improved drastically, and the wheels were changed to accommodate the larger disks and calipers. This wheel was called the Hercules design. Options such as a clear engine bonnet, carbon fiber interior, and navigation were added.

 

There were very few changes for 2006. The coupe and roadster were still offered. Carbon Ceramic Brakes became an option and the exhaust tips on the roadsters changed. If you opted for the carbon fiber bracing on the roadster, you also got bare carbon fiber on the underside of the decklid.

 

For 2007 the Murcielago was completely re-done and named the Murcielago LP640. This was the first official use of the LP nomenclature. L stands for Longitudinal and P stands for posteriore. The 640 stood for power in PS. The engine increased in size to 6.5 liters and produced 631 SAE hp. The cars could now go 0-60 in 3.2 seconds and one customer got his car up to 219 mph. The LP640 was immediately available as a coupe or roadster. There was a limited run of 20 Versace Edition cars that came with custom door graphics, a custom leather interior, and a full luggage set.

 

In 2008 there were a few minor changes. The Kenwood Navigation system was updated and if you ordered the carbon fiber interior package with E-Gear, the paddles would be done in carbon fiber as well. In 2008 the warranties were increased from 2 years to 3 years, still with unlimited mileage.

 

In 2009 the options remained generally the same. Late in the model year a clear engine bonnet for the roadster and a factory backup camera were offered but these are both very rare options. Matte paint also became available in black, brown, blue, or white. The buttons for the windows changed and carbon ceramic brakes became standard equipment as well.

 

2010 was the last model year for the Murcielago. The run included 350 very special cars known as the LP670-4 Superveloce. It was a lightweight version of the car with extra power, more carbon, the option of a large rear wing. E-Gear was standard as were carbon fiber sport seats and a full alcantera interior. There were a few LP640 coupes and roadsters with 2010 VIN numbers but they were quite rare. Another special edition, limited to 50 cars, was released called the LP650-4 Roadster. They were all Grigio Telesto with orange accents.

 

NEXT POST

 

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04 was the first year of the new coil packs design and extra protection over them from water. The 02-03 coil packs were known to go bad just from parking the car in the rain.

 

The folklore of the 02-03 being more powerful is probably BS. I have never seen any real tests, like back to back dyno, to prove that claim, just people talking out of their you know what.

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Not exactly a lot of evidence in that thread, LOL.

 

Agree. :) Hopefully Allan can chime in.

I wonder what’s the rationale behind it though as this isn’t something that popped up randomly. It’s been floating around for quite a while and not just on this forum only.

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From an ownership perspective was there any difference between the 2003 versus the 2004?

I’ve been looking at a 2002 – why avoid it?

 

 

If this is your first Lamborghini and you've been saving 15 years, I'd hate to see you become disgruntled over high service bills. Unmolested 02s exist... but they are rare and command top dollar. Remember these are still $300,000 cars and the parts and maintenance reflects that. Buying the newest car you can afford isn't a guarantee you'll avoid issues, but it's a good start. Getting a very good PPI would be a must, and you've got to have at least a rudimentary knowledge of maintenance IMO. Like VCR said, first year run cars always have issues and the Murcielago was no exception. Minor issues exist including the silly sunglass hatch breaking, condensation in the light assemblies, nose lift shitting itself, issues with the vent retraction, all common issues. More serious issues also exist, coil packs, throttle bodies, e-gear transmission issues, and so forth.

 

It's a fun car with tons of wow factor, but definitely requires some TLC.

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Agree. :) Hopefully Allan can chime in.

I wonder what’s the rationale behind it though as this isn’t something that popped up randomly. It’s been floating around for quite a while and not just on this forum only.

 

Internet rumors build on themselves all the time. It's a pretty hopeless job to set the record straight once they have taken hold and people repeat the rumor as fact. Don't fall for it.

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Internet rumors build on themselves all the time. It's a pretty hopeless job to set the record straight once they have taken hold and people repeat the rumor as fact. Don't fall for it.

 

Do you have evidence to the contrary? I assume you are basing your findings/conclusions on hard facts so you must have some concrete evidence that will also help dispel the myths/rumors otherwise from my POV it’s not too dissimilar from taking another internet opinion as fact.

 

I am genuinely curious and not having a go at you, let us know what you have so we can bust the myth :icon_thumleft:

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Do you have evidence to the contrary? I assume you are basing your findings/conclusions on hard facts so you must have some concrete evidence that will also help dispel the myths/rumors otherwise from my POV it’s not too dissimilar from taking another internet opinion as fact.

 

I am genuinely curious and not having a go at you, let us know what you have so we can bust the myth :icon_thumleft:

 

Reread my posts. I am not claiming for certain the 02-03 do not have more power, but I am claiming that no one has presented proof of that claim. Therefore, it's ridiculous to believe it's true.

 

At this point, the only evidence that would be valid would be from Lamborghini. The cars are so old right now, the variations in maintenance and condition would make a dyno test invalid, and forget a drag race.

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I love my 2002 6-speed. These cars are uncompromising but have a ton of character and road presence. I’d be hard pressed to say there is an experience that can reliacate a mid mounted V12 right behind your head. I drive mine every weekend in the nice weather. Keeping it in tip top shape is not cheap, but not as expensive as most folks would have you believe. I’ve had to replace two throttle bodies which were a pain, but nothing too crazy

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Perhaps consider a Gallardo as your first foray into Lamborghini? Can be a significant cost savings, still looks like a spaceship, and the depreciation hit is baked in so you won’t suffer if or when you trade it in for a v12 down the line...

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From an ownership perspective was there any difference between the 2003 versus the 2004?

I’ve been looking at a 2002 – why avoid it?

dont avoid an 02

 

the 02-03 cars actually feel way lighter driving them than lp cars.. ive driven enough different ones

 

they are great cars.

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Agreed with megachad. With due respect to all Murci/LP6x0 owners, these cars are antiquated from day 1 (to be fair, I have a 670SV myself). The chassis is a slight evolution from the Diablo's which itself is an evolution of the Countach's. It really isn't too different from the later Diablo models; the Murci simply have one more gear and does everything a bit easier. But the MY02/03 cars have that old-school charm. They aren't that sophisticated and borderline outdated even back in the days when they were introduced. But they are quite fun and it is the driver who does all the driving rather than the computer. I briefly lived with a MY04 e-gear car for a week and totally hated it. Perhaps it was the first year that the Murci had e-gear and perhaps they fitted all the optional CF interior trimmings, the car felt much less responsive, a lot heavier and have all kinds of squeaks and rattles. It was a car I set out to buy but ultimately gave up on. The LP6x0 is a bit more sophisticated and its styling revisions more contemporary but not by much. Lambo tried to jam as much tech and bells and whistles as they could into an outdated chassis that really couldn't handle all of it and it was showing and it can be felt. The early Murci's may be crude in some ways but its somewhat rudimentary character makes it a more entertaining car to drive. Maintenance-wise, it's not as crazy as some may let you to believe. It's no worse (but also no better) than any 15+ yr old exotic car.

 

As said above, do the homework, find a proper earlier car and put some $$ into it to make it nice & proper and then enjoy!

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The early cars are quicker than the later ones due to a computer remap for the later cars. I think it had to do with EPA demands.

 

I agree with VCR on the Murci. It certainly wasnt the leap forward from the Diablo, as the Aventador was from the Murci. Inmo, you either buy a Murci in a manual , or you dont buy a Murci at all. The Egear is terrible throught the entire production run, including the Lp640.

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If you decided to go egear like Allan said, set aside $10-15k easy, just in case you need to do an engine-out. I had an 04 and then 09, both had egear issues and had to pull the tranny out both times. Needless to say, after this, no more Murci for me. Unless 6-spd, but I refuse to pay the premium.

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The early cars are quicker than the later ones due to a computer remap for the later cars. I think it had to do with EPA demands.

 

I agree with VCR on the Murci. It certainly wasnt the leap forward from the Diablo, as the Aventador was from the Murci. Inmo, you either buy a Murci in a manual , or you dont buy a Murci at all. The Egear is terrible throught the entire production run, including the Lp640.

 

Yes, that's the internet legend.

 

So you're saying Lamborghini overrated the 04-06, or underrated the 02-03? Because they didn't change the published specs.

 

Where's the proof of this different mapping?

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Agreed with megachad. With due respect to all Murci/LP6x0 owners, these cars are antiquated from day 1 (to be fair, I have a 670SV myself). The chassis is a slight evolution from the Diablo's which itself is an evolution of the Countach's. It really isn't too different from the later Diablo models; the Murci simply have one more gear and does everything a bit easier. But the MY02/03 cars have that old-school charm. They aren't that sophisticated and borderline outdated even back in the days when they were introduced. But they are quite fun and it is the driver who does all the driving rather than the computer. I briefly lived with a MY04 e-gear car for a week and totally hated it. Perhaps it was the first year that the Murci had e-gear and perhaps they fitted all the optional CF interior trimmings, the car felt much less responsive, a lot heavier and have all kinds of squeaks and rattles. It was a car I set out to buy but ultimately gave up on. The LP6x0 is a bit more sophisticated and its styling revisions more contemporary but not by much. Lambo tried to jam as much tech and bells and whistles as they could into an outdated chassis that really couldn't handle all of it and it was showing and it can be felt. The early Murci's may be crude in some ways but its somewhat rudimentary character makes it a more entertaining car to drive. Maintenance-wise, it's not as crazy as some may let you to believe. It's no worse (but also no better) than any 15+ yr old exotic car.

 

As said above, do the homework, find a proper earlier car and put some $$ into it to make it nice & proper and then enjoy!

 

 

Excellent advice. Well reasoned and unbiased. I totally agree.

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