Oh boy. Another potentially great car getting shelved due to the worldwide financial crisis. Lamborghini has decided to put all plans to develop the four-door Lamborghini Estoque on hold. The Estoque’s shell was first seen last year in the Paris Motor Show and created quite a buzz among enthusiasts for its looks and projected performance figures. Lambo explains, “The timing and market conditions are just not right for an additional model line.”

The Estoque concept was drawn up to be a four-door, four-seater supercar with a mid-ending and AWD. Its 5.2L V10 was speculated to dish out massive number of horses most probably in the 500 range as competing four-door supercars are already hitting those figures. What separates the Estoque from other four-door supercars is its exquisite styling that even outclasses the Aston Rapide (IMHO) and definitely shames the Porsche Panamera.

February saw auto sales fall by as much as 40% and the general outlook doesn’t seem to offer any silver lining for now. BMW, who is suffering from a dangerously steep losing trend, also scrapped plans for the Z4 M

So this move leaves the market with a bleak selection of exotic four-doors to choose from. Choices currently include the Maserati Quattroporte, the Aston Martin Rapide and the Porsche Panamera. And if you’re looking for a really fast four-door that doesn’t look like a mangled chunk of metal, then the Aston and the Maserati remain to be better choices.

The Lamborghini Estoque will see launch in 2012, but that’s a big ‘maybe’ as of now. The proposed saloon still has to pass the approval stage with Volkswagen AG’s executive board, and the possibilities regarding the Estoque’s specs are still being explored.

The standard configuration currently being proposed has the Estoque at 500bhp and 450lb ft of torque, drawing from a variant of the Gallardo’s 5.2-liter V10 engine. The Estoque will also draw from the Gallardo’s all-wheel drive system. These settings allow the Estoque to deliver at lower revs the kind of torque the Gallardo has, albeit with lesser power.

The Estoque could also feature several Lamborghini firsts. Its gearbox will be a seven-speed twin clutch type, compared to the usual manual and robotized transmissions using the E-gear system. The Estoque might also be the first Lamborghini vehicle to have variable options for the drivetrain and engine. The main platform could accept both petrol and diesel V8s. It could possibly feature a hybrid electric system in a low-emission configuration.

If the Estoque sees production, it will have a niche quite unlike that of other sports cars, in that it has the potential to be cheaper, greener, and more versatile. All this is a big ‘if’, of course – everything hinges on costs and figures.

After the deluge of teasers, we finally get to the culmination of said drum-banging -a real look at Lamborghini’s four door – the Estoque. Set to compete with the other mean four-doors like the Porsche Panamera and the Aston Martin Rapide, it also boasts of supercar power and styling but with two additional at the back.

Powering the Estoque is choice between a 560-hp V10 from the Gallardo LP 560-4 and a smaller V8 which, according to Lambo, might be mated to a hybrid module or will feed entirely on diesel. Now isn’t Lamborghini being more family-man oriented with this car?

Now rich families can ride in style. Kids can now give other kids that my-daddy-can-beat-your-daddy look anywhere they go. Even if daddy is a pencil-neck geek who happens to need a Lamborghini to stoke his manliness.

Source: eGMCarTech

Quite interesting how automakers known for their sports cars and thoroughbreds are now creating four-door saloons. To rival the Aston Martin Rapide and Porsche Panamera, Lamborghini is set to preview their own four-door concept, rumored to be called the ‘Estoque,’ at the Paris Motor Show.

This is quite interesting since Lambo execs have said that Lambo will never showcase a concept that they don’t intend to take into production. This four-door is also said to be released next year. The ‘Estoque’ is slated to be powered by a V10 located at the front of the car so we can expect for power to probably be in the 500-600 range. So hold on to your hats, boys and girls. It will be a four-door beast slugfest in 2009.

Quick language lesson ‘estoque’ is short blade matadors use to kill bulls in bullfighting. Makes you wonder though if this car is set to kill Lambo. (They do have a bull as their badge, don’t they?)

Source: Autocar