Lamborghini Gallardo LP550-2: PH Carpool
The owner of our Blood Brothers Gallardo talks us through the path to his dream supercar
Car: Lamborghini Gallardo LP550-2
Owned since: November 2013
Previously owned: "A seven and a half year tenure with a Porsche 996 GT3 Mk1 (featured as a PH Hero), an Aston Martin DB7 Vantage, TVR Cerbera, TVR Chimaera and a smattering of hot hatches as well as another former PH Hero, an Audi RS2 . Alongside the Gallardo I have an Audi RS4 Avantfor when multiple passengers need to be carried quickly in luxury, and a Caterham Superlight R for when passengers and creature comforts are less in demand. For coping with the demanding terrain of urban living, a Land Rover Defender also serves on the fleet."
Had to be a manual, had to be RWD
"Ever since I spent time driving Gallardos as part of my Ecurie25 supercar club membership, including an incredible week long tour of Scotland, I knew I wanted to own one. Drop dead gorgeous looks, outrageous performance and all in a relatively practical compact package - to my mind the ultimate baby supercar. I'm convinced that petrolheads are either of a Ferrari or Lamborghini persuasion when it comes to Italian exotica, and having tried examples from both camps I was clear that my loyalties lay with Sant'Agata.
"My search for a suitable Gallardo has taken some significant time, which in itself has become a joke amongst friends and other PHers, due mainly to my exacting requirements. It had to be a manual coupe, and in a citrus colour. Two-wheel drive would be a bonus, but Balboni stripes and interior are not for me. Oh, and I needed to be able to sell my GT3 first (or as part of the transaction) in order to have somewhere to put the new arrival. Having finessed my well-worn PH classifieds query to single out likely candidates, the long period of the search enabled man-maths to kick in and see my budget steadily creep up.
"Even when this perfect LP550-2 was spied, the path to purchase was a rocky one. Initially for sale privately (which meant I needed to sell the GT3 myself) I was then gazumped by a matter of hours when it was on sale-or-return at a dealer earlier this year. Somewhat downhearted at missing out and the scarcity of suitable cars, I took my plight to local Lamborghini dealers to see if they might know of any in their customer base. Hearing of my near miss, the guys at Lamborghini Pangbourne took on the task of tracking down and trying to secure the self same, ideal car. Luckily the owner had barely used it in the five months of ownership and was persuaded to sell. So Signor Arancione finally came to be mine.
"As to why, well, I just want to experience supercar ownership while I can!"
What I wish I'd known:
"Such a protracted search has allowed plenty of time to absorb experiences and details of the model (both online and from other owners) which, together with my previous experiences of driving Gallardos, has meant that there have been few surprises. The somewhat unusual purchase process also meant that I was able to research in detail every aspect of this car's past, and speak to all of the previous owners.
"None of this though quite prepares you for the brutality of the power delivery which brings a manic smile to every drive along with the need for concentration and determination to keep it pointing in a straight line; such traction control as it does have is not the most quick-witted!
"I perhaps also hadn't appreciated just how loud the Capristo exhaust is on cold start-up, with all of its valves open. Still, no complaints from the neighbours yet, and my excuse is that I can't tell how much of a noise nuisance I'm being from within the garage!"
Finding the ideal car easier than buying it!
"For me it's about the whole driving experience that the Gallardo offers: that magnificent and vocal V10 just behind your shoulder (and peeking through its glass cover), the clack-clack of the open gate as you change gear and the fact that it does demand some semblance of skill and control to pilot - no fancy stability control, nor of course four-wheel drive, here.
"Of course it also helps that to my eyes it looks fabulous, and all the better for its orange shoutiness. It is a surprisingly compact and low package which enables the Gallardo to shrink around you (if it weren't for the colour it would be difficult to spot in car parks as it disappears below the waistline of SUVs).
"Every journey is a delight: it does feel a little like my Caterham scaled by a factor of 2.8 in shove and bulk. Both have identical power to weight ratios and similar acceleration to 60 and 100mph after which the power of the Lamborghini (and challenging aerodynamics of the Caterham) means the Gallardo just keeps on going to double that speed.
"And whilst it is a cliche, this really is a car that you turn around to look at - several times - once you have got out. It never fails to raise a smile when the garage door is opened - just looking at it is a pleasure."
Things I hate:
"It is too early in the honeymoon to have found anything to hate with the Gallardo. I'll report back in a year to see if there are stories of fabled Italian electrics and warning lights that have tried my patience, though I'm hoping some Germanic efficiency has crept into the build.
"I can't say I'm a fan of the attention the car attracts though. I have witnessed the most bizarre manoeuvres from traffic around me just so they can take a look, point, wave or get photos (I've even had a driver behind me hold their iPhone on top of the steering wheel to get a shot). Filling with petrol generally takes longer than necessary as people want their picture taken on, near or in the car."
Costs:
"Obviously very few to date (and long may that continue), with fuel being the main consideration. Gentle motorway journeys can easily see a surprising 21mpg+, but generally the exploration of the performance envelope dents this figure somewhat.
"An annual service schedule and another year of manufacturer's warranty should hopefully keep the appearance of too many surprise costs at bay."
Noisy, uncouth, a bit lairy - perfect
"So far it's been trips to the south coast to see family (the long way round), a couple of trips to Goodwood and the Sunday Services at Mercedes-Benz World and Beaulieu.
"I'm planning on a reprise of an Italian driving tour next year so the Gallardo can be experienced on home turf, as well as return to the factory for a visit."
What next?
"I struggle to see what I might swap the Gallardo for if I stick to my dogmatic preference for manual gearboxes. It would appear that few supercars offer the option even today, and the next generation of Lamborghinis certainly won't offer the delights of the open gate change.
"But I don't see it as a hardship to have to keep hold of this particular Gallardo for a long time; it really does tick all the boxes for me (however eccentric they might be), so perhaps I have found my absolute keeper."
A huge thanks to all the PHers who've submitted their cars for PH Carpool - if yours hasn't appeared yet it will in due course and if you fancy having your car featured drop us a line at carpool@pistonheads.com
Were all the earlier cars four wheel drive? Think I might like that for reassurance and wet conditions. (And with a fair wind and a couple of good years work-wise, an early car might one day be affordable).
Must work harder in 2014...
Were all the earlier cars four wheel drive? Think I might like that for reassurance and wet conditions. (And with a fair wind and a couple of good years work-wise, an early car might one day be affordable).
Must work harder in 2014...
Probably not that many older members want to be featured?
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