Lamborghini sesto elementO

Surely, one of the most hotly anticipated releases at the 2010 Paris Motor Show would be the Lamborghini Sesto Elemento Concept. After all, no automaker has teased the masses these last few weeks more than Lamborghini, and perhaps no single vehicle manufacturer is as beloved by the teenage boys lurking inside each one of us.

That said, any new Lambo is going to have big shoes to fill, with such classics as the Miura, Countach, Diablo and Murcielago, Gallardo and Reventon each holding its well-earned place in the annals of supercardom. Will the Sesto Elemento turn out to be yet another masterpiece from Italy? Too early to say, but we can still drool a bit over the live shots in our high-res image gallery below. Enjoy!

lamborghini sesto elemento interior

Lamborghini Sesto Elemento Concept

Lamborghini is redefining the future of the super sports car with a unique technology demonstrator. Boasting an extremely lightweight construction thanks to advanced carbon-fiber technology, the Lamborghini Sesto Elemento Concept has an overall curb weight of just 999 kilograms (2,202 lb) - including V10 power unit and permanent all-wheel drive. This makes the Lamborghini Sesto Elemento a unique demonstration of the technological expertise of Automobili Lamborghini. Innovative carbon-fiber technologies are being used here for the first time in an automotive application. As a 100 percent subsidiary of Audi AG, the Italian carmaker also benefits from the undisputed expertise of the German manufacturer when it comes to lightweight construction.

With its amazing output of 570 hp, sensational power-to-weight ratio of only 1.75 kilograms per hp and 0 to 100 km/h (0-62 mph) acceleration of only 2.5 seconds, the Lamborghini Sesto Elemento guarantees unparalleled driving fun. At the same time, fuel consumption also drops because of the extreme lightweight engineering applied throughout.

The name of this technology demonstrator is derived from the periodic table, where carbon is classified as the sixth element. Thus, the Lamborghini Sesto Elemento demonstrates the worldwide leading expertise of Lamborghini in carbon-fiber reinforced plastics (CFRP) technology. The super sports car brand from Sant'Agata Bolognese is the only vehicle manufacturer in the world to have mastered the complete CFRP process across a range of technologies, from 3D design through simulation, validation, production and testing - all in a state-of-the-art industrial process that stands for the very highest quality standards.

Lamborghini drives the technology development in its two research centers the ACRC (Advanced Composite Research Center) and the ACSL (Advanced Composite Structures Laboratory) through collaborations with organizations such as Boeing, with the resulting technology secured under a host of patents.

Technology in a progressive form
Uncompromising dynamics from the very first glance: the design of the Lamborghini Sesto Elemento displays the sensuality of high performance and possesses the elegance of pure, unadulterated power. The Lamborghini Sesto Elemento Concept lifts the design DNA of the Lamborghini brand to a new level and integrates the functional consistency of carbon-fiber technology into its design language. A clear strength of the CFRP technology is the reduction and integration of components - something that has been used to its full extent in this innovative technology concept.
The hi-tech material is visible everywhere. The Lamborghini Sesto Elemento is finished in a new, matt-shimmer clear coat, meaning that the CFRP structure can be seen throughout. Yet the Lamborghini Sesto Elemento Concept is not just black; during the final stage of production the carbon fiber parts receive a newly developed and patented coat. Nano-Technology makes it possible to add fine crystals with a red shimmer. Surfaces covered with this type of finish glow red and deliver an outstanding effect. Further, the surface is particularly robust.