Lamborghini Insecta Concept creates a buzz

Lamborghini is a brand with obvious bovine connections (company founder Ferruccio Lamborghini was born under the sign of Taurus, and hence the rampant bull logo), but this concept conceived by Romanian design student Iulian Bumbu derives inspiration from -- of all things -- the body armour of insects.

The aptly named Insecta Concept is derived from the Gallardo LP 560-4, but ditches the standard bodywork for altogether more radical clothing fabricated from carbonfibre.

The exquisitely proportioned coupe incorporates design elements such as scissor doors, sensuously flared arches and a novel glasshouse treatment with blacked-out A-pillars.

In the words of Bumbu himself: "The idea was to create an extreme race-oriented supercar with a style that introduces softer and more organic lines and integrate them into the geometrical style of Lamborghini.

"The main inspiration came from nature, and in particular from the exoskeletons found in insects (bugs). This kind of 'armour' appearance is particularly visible in the back and top views.

"I tried to apply this type of organic movements and translate them into Lamborghini's style so that when you see the car, you can immediately recognise it as a Lambo."

Twenty-seven-year-old Bumbu was born in Bechet, Romania, and he's packed an impressive list of accomplishments into his short career.

He received a Master Diploma in Car Design from Scuola Politecnica di Design Milano, and a degree from National University of Art Bucharest -- Product Design Department (2004).

Among his professional credentials to date are a three-month internship at Centro Stile Alfa Romeo (2008) and three years' experience as a third modeller and texture artist at AMC Studio.

The stunning concept you see here (although no more than a computer-based reality at this stage) suggests the man does have talent.

Lamborghini didn't sanction the concept, but we feel the company's designers could do worse than incorporating some of the Insecta's cleverly resolved styling cues into their future offerings.