Lamborghini Sesto Elemento limited production run

At the worldwide preview of the Lamborghini Gallardo LP 570-4 Super Trofeo Stradale at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show, Automobili Lamborghini President and CEO Stephan Winkelmann also announced the Lamborghini Sesto Elemento (Sixth Element) will be going into production. But don't bother counting your pennies because the production run is limited to just 20 cars and all have already been spoken for.

When it debuted in concept form a year ago at the 2010 Paris Motor Show it was just a "technology demonstrator" that showcased the use of carbon-fiber to achieve an overall curb weight of 999 kg (2,202 lb). This extensive use of carbon fiber also gave the vehicle its name - carbon being the sixth element in the periodic table.

The sub-1,000 kg weight combined with its 5.2-liter 419 kW V10 engine borrowed from the Gallardo result in a power-to-weight ratio of 1.75 kg (3.85 lb) per hp. With the engine outputting 570 hp and 540 Nm of torque, the Sesto Elemento can accelerate from zero to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 2.5 seconds and reach a top speed in excess of 300 km/h (186 mph).

Lamborghini has previously stated that the Sesto Elemento would never be road legal and that doesn't appear to have changed so the vehicle is destined only for track use. But that didn't deter potential buyers who apparently pushed for the vehicle to go into production.

"The excellent feedback and the numerous requests we've had from our customers have really convinced us to embark on the challenge of producing a vehicle with unique characteristics," said Winkelmann.

Lamborghini didn't say how much it was selling the Sesto Elemento for but German magazine Auto Motor Und Sport reports a stratospheric price tag of EUR1.9 million (approx. US$2.6 million). Deliveries will begin from the start of 2013.