Lambo Murcielago Kit on Fiero Chassis For Sale...

Kit car-building is always a fascinating world to delve into; kit cars in themselves are all-too-often executed either very cheesily, or else in a way that is not only true to the original, but even goes as far as being better than the original. We don't know if this V6-powered, Murcielago replica has stumped the world of Italian exotics, but it is pretty close to scale.

Actually, the builder of the Murcielago kit car, who is currently looking to sell the car, originally built it with the intention of driving it for "a year or two" before selling it to start a family. Apparently, those plans came sooner than later, and so the owner must give-up this unique, exotic automotive work of art.






This yellow-and-black, Murcielago "mock-up" is built with all of the correct, functional Lamborghini implements, including full-functional power windows (something not typically seen on Lambo kits since fabrication is usually too difficult), gull-winged doors and functioning mechanical side vents.






Pontiac Fieros are a frequent choice for kits this unique, and this Murcielago is built on an extended Fiero chassis that's been reinforced for both strength and stability. The motor is a rebuilt V6 chasing a 5-speed manual, a trans that's mated to a real Lamborghini chrome shifter with a shift gate plate. The Murcielago also features real Gallardo wheels, and the owner has custom-built an instrument/gauge panel to resemble that of a true Lamborghini.






If ever a backyard-built kit car was built to Maranello's standards of perfection, this Fiero-based, Murcielago kit car is definitely it!

Ferrari Unveils The 458 Italia Spyder

Ferrari has unveiled the Spyder version of their current, F430-successor, the 458 Italia, three weeks before the supercar is to be unveiled at the 2011 Frankfurt Auto Show.

The automaker from Maranello describes the 458 Spyder as the first mid-engined supercar to feature a retractable hardtop, and the 458 Italia Spyder abandons the traditional fabric top used by generations of drop-top Ferraris for an aluminum piece that shaves about 55 pounds off-of the retractable top used by the previous F430 Spyder. The retractable aluminum top folds itself into a stowage area directly behind the seats and in front of the engine bay, a process that Ferrari claims only takes about 14 seconds.


Several other enhancements have been made to ensure maximum comfort and usability at relatively high speeds, such as an electronically-controlled wind stop within the car's interior, allowing driver and passenger to be able to hold a normal conversation within the cab at up to 124mph. The stow-away area for the retractable top has also allowed for a small amount of extra space between the passenger cab and the engine bay, allowing for what Ferraristis and other "Maranello insiders" have described as a "generous rear bench for luggage."

As Edmunds so delicately points-out, most Ferraristis may not want to abandon Ferrari's traditional, Spyder fabric top for an aluminum one, but Edmunds also makes the smart observation that the engineering involved behind this new feature will probably have those same critics becoming none-other than converts!