2006 Lamborghini Murcielago

Massively powerful, definitively flamboyant and as eyeball-grabbing as an A-list Hollywood celebrity, the Lamborghini Murcielago LP640 firmly embodies the spirit and meaning of the word "supercar." Big and brashly styled, it has an undeniable street presence that few other cars can match.

In Spanish, Murcielago means "bat," though Lamborghini says the name actually refers to a 19th-century Spanish bull that earned fame through its courageous nature in a bullfight. As Lamborghini's top sports car, the Murcielago carries on the tradition laid down by its V12-powered predecessors, including the Miura, Countach and Diablo. It's not a particularly easy car to drive or, given its approximate $300,000 price, an easy car to obtain. Then again, that's all part of the appeal. In road tests and reviews, we found the Lamborghini Murcielago drives every bit like the supercar that it is. Its trucklike amble at low revs gives little clue as to the apocalyptic power delivery that awaits. At full throttle, there's a quick surge at 3,000 rpm, which gets more urgent at 4,500 as the exhaust clears its throat. This thrust is followed by the all-wheel-drive system shuttling torque to the rear and the most magnificent feral yowl up to redline. You can feel the accelerative Gs weighting your very fingertips, the scenery exploding through the wide-screen windshield. Handling, though never known as a Murcielago strength due to the car's size and weight, is still quite impressive.