1:24 Lamborghini Murciélago

A bull that was named after a bull

The Murciélago came in 2001 as the first entirely new model built under the German ownership of the marque and replaced the legendary Diablo. Under the rear sat a twelve-cylinder engine of over six liters, it drove all four wheels and in a later version it put out over six hundred horsepower. The name comes from a fighting bull that according to Spanish tradition survived dozens of blows and was therefore spared; it suited the carmaker perfectly.

The body combines sharp edges with raised side intakes, which extended according to the temperature of the engine. The doors open upward and the rear is dominated by a grille above the engine bay. The car was built until 2010 and became the last Lamborghini with a manual gearbox on offer.

Building the model

A car of this type stands and falls with its paint. The sharp edges of the body will not forgive too thick a layer, but they will reward patient sanding between coats and a final polish.

• Wash the body before painting and let it dry thoroughly.
• Spray the base in thin layers, otherwise the panel lines will be lost.
• Flatten the interior; the contrast with the glossy body is then more striking.
• Degrease the chromed parts with a dry cloth only; the surface is delicate.

1:24 scale is the most widespread for passenger cars, so the finished model will fit in among the other cars in a display case without a disturbing difference of size. The longer piece of the twelve-cylinder engine moreover allows the car to be displayed with the rear cover removed.