Nardo, the epitome of high speed on the fastest oval track in the world. October 21st, 2007. A 4am wake-up Espresso has to suffice. The remaining drowsiness disappears as soon as the 6.5-liter V12, now with 663 bhp, is fired up. Re-torque the wheels once again. After checking the pressure of the new Continental V-max tires, the edo competition LP 640 Versione Nardo rolls onto the 7.8 miles (12.6 km) long oval.

Each contestant has 3 laps. The first one as the warm-up lap, the second one as the highspeed lap and the third one as the cool down lap. By now it’s 6am, the sun is rising over the test track. It’s chilly with light winds, but above all - it’s dry. On this Sunday morning the warm-up lap is driven at speeds between 174-186 mph (280 and 300 km/h).

Particular attention is paid to vibrations, oil- and water-temperatures. It feels good, the LP 640, and thanks to the newly developed rear wing it’s so fantastically stable, as if the tires were glued to the south-Italian tarmac.

Now it’s on. The second lap counts and the growl of the V12 is turning into an infernal shriek as the revs rise - similar to a chainsaw cutting through a giant sequoia tree. Wide open throttle is the norm now and even at 174 mph (280 km/h) one is still being pushed into the seat.

Meanwhile in 6th gear the raging bull comfortably eclipses the 211 mph (340 km/h) mark, but there’s more. 214.8 mph (345.7 km/h) is what TÜV-Rheinland’s meticulously accurate and incorruptible GPS-based measuring system shows.

Cool down lap. Not without pride the engine is brought back into more sedate rev ranges, with the knowledge to have achieved the fastest ever recorded top speed of a Lamborghini! Even the newly developed rear wing could prove itself in these extreme conditions. No drop in top speed - far from it, and absolutely stable driving behavior even at these high speeds. With this result Edo competition has clearly proven that even small modifications like an ECU recalibration, new high flow air filters and high performance catalytic converters specifically designed for the LP 640 can have a resounding effect.

Edo competition Motorsport will field the Lamborghini Murcielago LP 640 with considerably more power next time. The goal is 700 bhp, which should allow for a top speed in excess of 224 mph (360 km/h).