From Auto Express:

There's no let-up at Lamborghini. Auto Express broke exclusive news of the Espada-inspired 2+2 in Issue 840, and we can now confirm more details - including the name. Our exclusive pictures in this week's issue prove the car will be called the Lagartijo.

The move will disappoint enthusiasts who had hoped the evocative Espada badge would be reborn. Instead, the sleek four-seater will take its name from the fabled Spanish matador who spared the life of the courageous bull Murciélago. This is an appropriate choice; the creature has already given its name to the company's £162,000 coupé.

There are obvious similarities with the legendary Sixties Espada, including two doors and pronounced overhangs. Other elements include the near-flat rear windscreen, which is tipped to hinge as a hatch, giving access to a sizeable boot.

The newcomer features carbon fibre construction, keeping weight to a minimum. Power will be taken from the Murciélago's 6.2-litre V12, delivering 620bhp. Sales are expected to begin in 2009, with the car costing an estimated £180,000. Ferrari's current 2+2, the 612 Scaglietti, carries a £170,500 price tag.

According to our sources, development of the GT means that a proposed SUV from Lamborghini - to be based on Audi's forthcoming Q7 - is now unlikely.

And some sketches of the concept as it has evolved, from Lamborghini Club of America:



A note on the name: the Auto Express article says it will be named for the matador who spared Murciélago the bull's life but doesn't mention that matador's name. After a little digging, I found his name was Rafael Molina "Lagartijo". So um, I guess this new car will either be the Lamborghini Rafael, Lamborghini Molina, or Lamborghini Lagartijo.

 

Lamborghini is drawing up plans to extend its range with an upmarket four-seater GT car in the style of the classic Espada.

Lamborghini chief designer Luc Donkewolke is keen to see the company’s range extended from its two current supercar models, the Gallardo and Murciélago. Luckily, Lambo’s back catalogue includes two cars ideally suited to re-invention: the four-seat Espada GT and the upmarket LM002 off-roader. And with the Murciélago and Gallardo well-established, and a new V12 engine on the way, it seems to be the ideal time for the German-owned car maker to finally expand into new niches.

The experience of Bentley - also part of the extended VW Group family - shows that a prestige brand coupled with high-quality and reliable engineering can deliver a healthy profit.

There have been hints from Lambo’s HQ that it was considering new models (including the unexpected display of quarter-scale styling models), but these exclusive design studies seem to show that work is well underway on a re-born Espada.

Autocar understands that the drawings - by student designer Emily Sawamuru - were generated as part of a confidential Lamborghini-sponsored project carried out at the Art Centre in Pasadena, California, one of the world’s leading car-design colleges. It’s quite common for car makers to set student projects at an early stage in a proposed new-car programme. Indeed, Ferrari has publicly announced a ‘blue-sky’ project at three different car design colleges.

Described as a ‘luxury Gran Turismo four-seater’, the proposal revealed here is called the Lagartijo, after a famous Spanish bull fighter. In production form, the car is likely to be based around an Audi-supplied aluminium spaceframe chassis. The engineering package requires a long body, with the V12 engine mounted well back in the nose. The specification calls for a 6192cc V12 engine that generates 620bhp and 511lb ft.

According to further information gleaned from these leaked design studies, the launch date is as far away as 2009. We don’t expect the green light to be given until next year, but here’s hoping.

http://www.autocarmagazine.com/News_...p?NA_ID=215601

 

Lamborghini is working on a 2+2 sport coupe inspired by the legendary 1970s Espada. But instead of reviving the Espada nameplate, Lamborghini has decided to name the car "Lagartijo," after a famous Spanish matador.

Lagartijo — his real name was Rafael Molino — became a bullfighting legend when, back in 1879, he famously spared the life of a particularly courageous fighting bull. This was, and still is, a rare occurrence in the bloodthirsty sport, and an honor granted only to the most courageous animals.

The bull's name? Murciélago, a name Lamborghini already uses on its two-seater supercar.

The Lamborghini Lagartijo, a competitor of Ferrari's Scagletti, features carbon-fiber construction and will share the Murciélago's 6.2-liter V12, delivering 620 horsepower. Sales are expected to begin in 2009 for about $330,000 each.

http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do...ticleId=106114

 

Lamborghini have presented design models that offer pointers to a new 2+2 coupe model that unashamedly draws on the original Espada for inspiration.

In fact so much so that Lamborghini design staff themselves actually refer to the project as the 'new' Espada. With its sweeping lines, huge overhangs and two door format, the scale models successfully bring one of the marque's most fascinating historic models right back to the attention.

This new Espada, if it is given the green light by the sportscar maker's bosses at Audi, could be presented as early as 2008. Like the original it will be a hatchback, but interestingly Lamborghini's engineers are considering dispensing with the use of conventional door pillars, and instead follow a path recently trodden by the highly successful Mazda RX-8, by utilising the rear, small 'suicide' door approach.

Power will be delivered by the Gallardo's 5.0-litre V10 and the Murcielago's 6.2-litre V12 engine, both of which will by then have benefited from a performance upgrade, while traction will be fed to the wheels via Lamborghini's stock four wheel drive system.

The new V10 Espada will be a direct competitor to the Aston Martin DB9 as well as Maserati's forthcoming 5000GT. The more powerful V12 engined version, to be built in limited numbers, will take on Ferrari's recently introduced 5.75-litre V12-powered 612 Scaglietti. One of the reasons Lamborghini have decided on also offering the Murcielago's fearsome engine, which currently boasts in excess of 600 bhp, is that the decision has been made that, right across the range, their models should go head-to-head with the Prancing Horse marque in the power stakes.

The new project has been designed around the VW-Audi Group's new D4 'architecture' set. These are prestige market-end floorpans that are expected to be used by Audi for the next A8 saloon, Bentley for the Arnarge replacement, VW for the next-generation Phaeton, if this project is given the go-ahead after the disastrous sales that are being achieved by the first model to bear this name, and Bugatti, for a planned 'entry-level' sportscar, which will complement the 'future' Veyron. However these underpinnings do not technically approach the highly sophisticated transaxles, and perfect weight balance of 42/58 percent, that has been achieved by Ferrari with its new 612 Scaglietti, a feat which is expected to be mirrored by the forthcoming Maserati 5000GT.

http://www.italiaspeed.com/2005/cars...pada/0201.html

 

I'm getting a red X from ya on that last pic Fatbooty.

 

Yea that site's blocking hotlinking

 

i think this is the blocked image:

 

All these new Lambos are way too "refine".

 

Yes, that's the picture.

Here's another article:

Lamborghini has released pictures of a new concept car revisiting the Espada (1968-78): a front-engined 2+2 GT which could compete against the likes of the Aston DB9 and Maserati 5000GT. It could be fitted with either the Gallardo's 5.0-litre V10 or the Murcielago's 6.2 V12, and could go into production late 2007: it is said to be entirely production-feasible, and not too far off getting the go-ahead as Audi seeks to widen the Lamborghini product range and achieve Ferrari-rivalling sales volumes.

Built on a version of the next-generation VW Group 'D4' platform - to be used for the next-generation Audi A8, Volkswagen Phaeton and related models, Bentley Arnage and even a rumoured 'entry-level' Bugatti (less powerful than the Veyron) - the new Espada will have a practical hatchback-type boot and could also have RX-8-style 'suicide' doors for easier access to the rear seats. However, although it is referred to internally as the 'Espada', it is likely to take a new name if - when - it goes into production. Sources suggest 'Lagartijo", after a famous matador.

This concept car could make its debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show next month, though Lamborghini may not wish it to detract attention from the launch of the Gallardo Spyder and Roadster (the latter the production version of the no-compromises Concept S seen in Geneva) and special edition Gallardo Piton coupe models. The facelifted Murcielago will probably not, however, be seen until next year, when four-wheel drive versions with the uprated 6.5 V12 will be revealed, and perhaps even the long-rumoured diesel models with the VW TDI V10. Lamborghini is also said to be working on a modern-day LM 002 off-roader, and prototypes have been built of 'LM 00X' high-spec Reef Runner, Road Runner and Race Runner derivatives featuring a pair of scissor-opening doors. There are also reports that the so-called 'baby Lambo' project is well underway, with a coupe using an Audi V8 scheduled for launch in 2008.

http://www.channel4.com/4car/news/ne...?news_id=12795