Lamborghini's grinning senior test-driver Valentino Balboni celebrates his 38th anniversary with all the business the day before our entrance in the manufacturing plant in Sant'Agata Bolognese on a quiet Saturday after the atmosphere remains, the traffic fairly mild, and northern Italy appears to be down for a rest.

That is since the narrow farm roads round the Lamborghini factory in Sant'Agata, Italy, have three lanes, two obvious types for routine traffic and one undetectable lane only for Balboni. He darts into it often to pick off slowpokes, the obliging Fiats going to the right side with hardly a headlight of criticism. The 81.0-inch-wide LP640, in our abnormally careful hands, snorts and burbles and drops steadily behind.

If the road clears, the brand new Murcielago, anticipated in U.S. showrooms by concerning time you read this, for an estimated base cost of $320,000, slips its leash with a mighty wail from its goggling mono-conduit.

The LP640 is still a super-car through an older definition, meaning it pushes and feels and pogos typically gargantuan. However, the Murcielago now serves hp every bit as civilized as that from its nearby opponents at Il Cavallino Modenese.

What occurred was an engine redesign. The 572-hp, 6.2liter dry-sump V-12 became a 6.5, rising a millimetre in bore dimensions and 2.2mm in throw. From the mains up was redesigned to improve emissions, flatten the delivery of the 487 poundfeet of torque, and pull more electricity, starting with reshaped combustion chambers in new cylinder heads. Variable valve - timing mechanisms on both sets of cams are actually rotary - kind with infinite variability; before, it turned into a program. The multichamber intake plenum transformed from the crossflow into a perpendicular downdraft, the atmosphere ramming through tubes straight into bigger valves.

The engineers say they also reduce 60 lbs from the engine compartment.

You'll understand the LP640 by its bigger oilcooler scoop - there are nearly 13 quarts on tap - on the driver's-side rock panel. A chin spoiler, a back aerodynamic undertray, plus a seethrough engine cover are other cues for the LP640's newness, as are redesigned taillamps and bumpers. Inside, the leather is crisscrossed with a diamond - pleat stitch design, and also the boring instrument cluster eventually gets - tadum! - A emblem. In a couple more years it might get chrome rings, also.

It is a daunting challenge to make it seem quickly in graphics, therefore we asked Balboni, a guy with more miles in Lamborghinis than anybody else living, to direct for some cornering shots. In the 2nd run, the LP640 suddenly lost its basis in some sand, spun backwards, and clonked a sign post. Balboni got out and analyzed the moderately dimpled fender and cracked taillight with an abashed frown. "Match over," he said.

Despite 38 years, Balboni's match, like Lamborghini's, appears far from over.