What's the Murci line currently producing in Sant'Agata?

So all the 670SVs have been built, no? I'm hardly seeing any regular 2010 640s. So what exactly are they making on the Murci factory line right now? Is it really going to lay dormant until the new car comes out some time next year? Or are they just going to continue to make the odd 640 order?

So all the 670SVs have been built, no? I'm hardly seeing any regular 2010 640s. So what exactly are they making on the Murci factory line right now? Is it really going to lay dormant until the new car comes out some time next year? Or are they just going to continue to make the odd 640 order?

 

I could be wrong, but "regular" LP640 are no longer produced, so I think in the meanwhile the factory is preparing to manufacture the new Gallardo which should keep them busy enough until it's time for the Murcielago replacement!

I could be wrong, but "regular" LP640 are no longer produced, so I think in the meanwhile the factory is preparing to manufacture the new Gallardo which should keep them busy enough until it's time for the Murcielago replacement!

 

The two lines are pretty separate. I'd be surprised if they're just going to let the Murci line sit idle until the new car is ready. And there are a few 2010 Murcis landing, so maybe they're just sorta spinning the wheels with the few orders that tick in for the old car.

 

There's no new Gallardo any time soon. There's the new SL, but not a replacement model. I'm sure that the SL is just being built off the same assembly line as the regular 560s. When I visited the factory the line was a mix of spiders, coupes, and super trofeos.

Pretty sure the SV line is still pumping out some stuff, must be too early to re-tool it to suit the replacement.

 

I am not sure how easy it is to setup so maybe someone else can deny or confirm but maybe they have rotated and shifted that line to produce the new G-SL

This is actually an interesting question.

 

The lines are too independent to easily switch production between platforms and the early cessation of the M line when the SV wraps up makes you wonder what it will be used for during this time-gap between generations.

It's a bit weird if they already pumped out all the SVs.

If they haven't made all the SVs yet, how can we know that, say, there are only going to be 3 green ones? If there are still open build slots, then you'd think that there are still choices to be made. Unless the order book is full and they just haven't produced all the ones that are already specced. Maybe that's the case, then.

 

There's no way that they can use the Murci line to make GSLs on. The lines are entirely different. I believe the Murci line only has 6-8 stations while the Gallardo line has something like 18 stations. Also, there's no way they're pumping out regular Gs at capacity anyway. So there should be plenty of slack to produce the GSLs.

 

In any case, you'd think that the SVs would be done soon. They can produce 2 Murcis per day and there are 350 cars. So that's a 35 week production table. When did the first cars drop? Mid last year?

 

So the question remains about what that line and all the people working on it are going to be doing. I seem to remember something about it taking 1 year to tool a new production line. That just sounds awfully high. Why wouldn't you keep your old production line churning while the new one is getting up to speed? Unless they're using the same tools and are just reprogramming them. But a year to reprogram?

 

Anyway, enough rambling

If they haven't made all the SVs yet, how can we know that, say, there are only going to be 3 green ones? If there are still open build slots, then you'd think that there are still choices to be made. Unless the order book is full and they just haven't produced all the ones that are already specced. Maybe that's the case, then.

 

There's no way that they can use the Murci line to make GSLs on. The lines are entirely different. I believe the Murci line only has 6-8 stations while the Gallardo line has something like 18 stations. Also, there's no way they're pumping out regular Gs at capacity anyway. So there should be plenty of slack to produce the GSLs.

 

In any case, you'd think that the SVs would be done soon. They can produce 2 Murcis per day and there are 350 cars. So that's a 35 week production table. When did the first cars drop? Mid last year?

 

So the question remains about what that line and all the people working on it are going to be doing. I seem to remember something about it taking 1 year to tool a new production line. That just sounds awfully high. Why wouldn't you keep your old production line churning while the new one is getting up to speed? Unless they're using the same tools and are just reprogramming them. But a year to reprogram?

 

Anyway, enough rambling

 

It's taking them that long because they aren't doing agile development ;p

I seem to recall seeing some pictures a few years ago of the Diablo line showing the last car, and the new car right behind it which ended up being the Murci, with a car cover on it. And no one had seen it yet. Maybe Im dreaming, but I seem to recall something like that. but from what you guys are saying about re-tooling, that wouldnt be possible.

I am pretty sure SVs are done. I wouldn't be surprised if roadsters were still being built.

 

I seem to recall seeing some pictures a few years ago of the Diablo line showing the last car, and the new car right behind it which ended up being the Murci, with a car cover on it. And no one had seen it yet. Maybe Im dreaming, but I seem to recall something like that. but from what you guys are saying about re-tooling, that wouldnt be possible.

 

a basically hand assembled car production line just needs a few jigs replaced and some other very primitave changes. I think there are similar photos around of the production line going from Miura to Contach, and Contach to Diablo. If the new car is basically hand assembled then a zero downtime retool is very possible just like before.

well someone posted a video of SV #348 a couple of days ago, so if theyre not all done, there's only 2 left to make.

 

the Discovery channel Documentary from last year showed that the SV and LP were being made simultaneously on the same line, so i'd presume theyre still just filling LP orders until re-tooling.

well someone posted a video of SV #348 a couple of days ago, so if theyre not all done, there's only 2 left to make.

 

the Discovery channel Documentary from last year showed that the SV and LP were being made simultaneously on the same line, so i'd presume theyre still just filling LP orders until re-tooling.

I think, Lamborghini isn't making SVs according to its numbers...

The numbers are not in sequence. Owners can pick their number within a range so #348 doesn't mean two are left. Hopefully Lamborghini will make an announcement regarding the status of the SV, but I do know that they were at the end and color, etc., could not be selected outside of what was on the production schedule. I believe 2010 Murcielagos are only built to order. The actual number of SVs in the US, this means SVs that will ever come into the US is rather low. This is why some of us think they will hold their value well. I don't want to say how low until Lamborghini says something publicly.

there were also 50 LP650s no?

there were also 50 LP650s no?

 

good point. In fact, there's probably a fair chance that lambo will

do another special version LP at Geneva. Perhaps something like a roadster with a 670 engine? I can't see them just letting the line sit idle for 1+ year. But who knows how extensive the retooling is.

 

In any case, it's interesting to see regular LP640s as 2010. I remember not too long ago talk about 2009 being the last model year for the regular car. Wonder if that was just bad speculation or if lambo pushed things back. Like Pagani pushing back the C9 because of the economy.

the Discovery channel Documentary from last year showed that the SV and LP were being made simultaneously on the same line.

Missed that one.

That is correct, there is only one line for all Murcielago variants.

Wouldn't they have to retool the line so that they can have the new cars built in time for the launch.

It's supposed to be launched this year as nexts years model is it not?

Wouldnt they need to have made a few cars for the launch? I seem to recall 2 or 3 Murcielagos at the launch presntation years ago. Not to mention the cars that they had in the promo videos for launch. The would have had to have been assembled, and filmed at least a few weeks before the show, if not months with all the marketing promos that were done.

 

And if the car is supposed to go on sale next year, wouldn't large dealers already be putting in orders to have show room models delivered shortly after it goes on sale?

Wouldn't they have to retool the line so that they can have the new cars built in time for the launch.

It's supposed to be launched this year as nexts years model is it not?

Wouldnt they need to have made a few cars for the launch? I seem to recall 2 or 3 Murcielagos at the launch presntation years ago. Not to mention the cars that they had in the promo videos for launch. The would have had to have been assembled, and filmed at least a few weeks before the show, if not months with all the marketing promos that were done.

 

And if the car is supposed to go on sale next year, wouldn't large dealers already be putting in orders to have show room models delivered shortly after it goes on sale?

 

Initial cars and concepts are all hand made (unless already built on an existing platform) for initial display/testing. only once that part of the process is completed they re-tool. That is in fact the hardest part of any car design/manufacturing process. Its easy to build 1 or 2 cars by hand, but then developing the process to put it on a production line and mass produce (relative term) the parts and a consistent product outcome, thats where the difficulty lies.

Initial cars and concepts are all hand made (unless already built on an existing platform) for initial display/testing. only once that part of the process is completed they re-tool. That is in fact the hardest part of any car design/manufacturing process. Its easy to build 1 or 2 cars by hand, but then developing the process to put it on a production line and mass produce (relative term) the parts and a consistent product outcome, thats where the difficulty lies.

 

 

that makes sense.

 

spending the better part of a year figure out that process maybe?

 

Maybe somebody on this forum will visit the factory soon and take a peek or ask a question about whats gonna be manufactured on the M line?

I heard somewhere, that Murci assembly line will be closed during July

I don't believe Lamborghini has officially announced anything regarding the date for the Murc replacement. Everyone thinks it's a 1012, but we just don't know. Assuming it is a 2012 model car, then that would work back to a Geneva announcement (my guess) in 2011, with cars hitting the US in late 2011. Lamborghini may also be waiting for favorable market conditions or until some new technology is fully tested. We just don't know.

 

Also keep in mind that when creating an entirely new hand made model it isn't as simple as reprograming a bunch of robots. They also have to create the manufacturing steps, QC procedures, documentation and process, etc., to make it all flow smoothly and that too will take significant time. I think it makes sense that production will slow way down between models. Also, it helps Lamborghini to dry up the market so there is strong demand for the new model. If the used market begins to dry up, prices will rise making it easier for buyers to step into the new the replacement car.

 

 

They also have to finish the Reventon roadsters.