Tuesday 26th November 2013

Lamborghini Gallardo farewell

After 10 years and innumerable special editions, the last Gallardo leaves Sant'Agata

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'Almost half of all 30,000 Lamborghinis built since the company was first founded in 1963, are Gallardos'. Whatever your view on the junior Lamborghini, nobody can deny it's been a hugely successful and important car for Sant'Agata. Since 2003, 14,022 Gallardos have been made by Lamborghini, the last Rosso Mars Spyder Performante rolling off the line yesterday.

Remember this?

But how to mark such a significant occasion? Unfortunately the news didn't come with any further details of the Gallardo's replacement, believed to be called the Cabrera. It's not officially due until Geneva, but expect new info to surface as March nears.

A decade of the Lamborghini Gallardo then. It says a lot about the Gallardo's age that the PH first drive of the 500hp original now doesn't have working pics and only 34 comments. But that was back in 2004, since then it's become more powerful, better looking and attracts even more attention. The Gallardo's changed a bit too...

The history of the Gallardo, as you will know, is fairly complex but we'll endeavour to cover the important cars. The first-gen Spyder arrived in 2005 along with the SE that previewed the 2006 facelift. The original Superleggera was launched in 2007, a car we described as 'jaw-slackeningly desirable' despite it not being the 'true featherweight' some expected.

2008 facelift brought more power, of course

2008 and it was time for the Gallardo's major mid-life (supposedly) refresh. The LP560-4 introduced Reventon-esque styling tweaks, chassis revisions and a V10 upped to 5.2-litres and 560hp. Such was its fabulous ability, Steve Sutcliffe lost the ability to write: 'All in all it's a heck of car' he said.

Still with us? The Spyder was updated soon after, just before the 2WD Balboni made its debut in 2009. For those who didn't grab one of the 250 special editions, Lamborghini quietly added a 'regular' rear-wheel drive LP550-2 Coupe and Spyder to the range also.

A plethora of special editions have been spun off the current Superleggera and Performante Spyder, too many to list here. And we wouldn't want to get our Super Trofeo Stradales confused with our Singapore Limited Editions. The final Gallardos featured on PH were the MY13 model and the Squadro Corse. For every last detail on the Gallardo lineage, until last year at least, see our PH Buying Guide.

We couldn't resist a quick skim through the classifieds for a bit of Gallardo window shopping (and to see where the market is, of course). The cheapest cars are now at around £60K, and this manual 2007 car is intriguing at £72,995. There are three LP550s for sale on PH currently and they're all white. The earliest Superleggeras are now under £100K, the most recent (and very blue) 'Edizione Technica' available at £155,000.

[Source: Autocar]

 

 

 

[coogy]

Still would love a Balboni(sp?) edition

[delays]

So many special editions...!

[Dave Hedgehog]

its never really done anything for me, aventador please

[Armen]

Good Bye Gallardo !
Finally... after all these special editions.
I wish last editions were more powerful... seems to be only marketing.

[Schnellmann]

Two abiding memories of the Gallardo: seeing it for the first time at the Geneva motor show and being wowed by its looks. Second, one of the unluckiest test drives I've had. When it was launched there wasn't an official Lambo dealer in Zurich so I had to arrange a test drive at the dealer in Neuchatel. Took best part of two hours to drive there. Although overcast it was dry. Got there and the dealer let me out in a manual Gallardo first: soon as I left it started to rain. I mean, really, really rain. Even though I had found some good roads it was hopeless. Returned to dealer and swapped to an e-gear car. But the weather was the same. Apart from testing how it coped (just) with massive puddles and how slow you had to go to avoid aquaplaning it didn't give me much of an insight. Typically, when I took the car back the rain stopped and by the time I drove home the roads were pretty much dry. So had spent an entire morning out of the office for nothing.

A real pity as somehow never managed a second drive. Would be interested in trying one of the last models to see what they were like.

[Andy ap]

I never found the Gallardo that interesting, I did look better later in life but the Plethora of 'special' editions as you put it also ruined it. All the different special editions made them a bit ironic in that there wasn't much special about them. flogging a dead horse comes to mind.

They just seemed a bit of a spin off and a mule for the R8 in my eyes although i do think the Galardo looks much better than the R8.

[j_s14a]

One of the best engine sounds of all time.

[walsh]

Nothing much too add, Other than I have always had a soft spot for them. Probably helps that one was the first truly rapid car I drove. Pretty mental when they get going, even the early e-gear "standard" spider I had a short blat in made me laugh outloud pinned in 3rd.

[Agent Orange]

Everything about the Gallardo should mean I absolutely adore it. Unfortunately it left me cold.

It is such a competent car that at no point did it feel special. Even the engine note... nothing, not a sausage. Odd and I cannot explain it beyond maybe I don't have the driving ability to take the car to the point it feels special.

A Quattroporte feels more of an event and more special to me.

[kayzee]

Only super car I've ever driven, and tbh I didn't find it that much faster than my tuned Impreza. However, some of the versions released are just spectacular... I recently thought my first car if I won £1,000,000 on the lotto would be a green superleggera.

[VladD]

That green superleggera has been my desktop wallpaper for a while now and I can't see it changing for quite some time. What a stunning looking car. My dream garage is an Aventador coupe and a Gallaro spyder, though I fear an Aventador will never be affordable for me.

[Davey S2]

Never really done it for me TBH.

Should have been replaced years ago.

[IanV12]

What competitors did it have ten years ago- Ferrari 360 until 2005 and then 430. no much else
No mclaren, Audi r8 back then - things have moved on a hell of a lot in those 10 years. Don't think it has aged too badly

[nonuts]

I will own one at some point, think it needs to be either a Balboni / 550-2 or 570-4 before they ruined the back in the last facelift.

[El Shafto]

Driven this back to back with the 458 and the MP4 - they were both noticeably faster and more capable. Everything about them outstripped the Gallardo in terms of performance (and comfort)... but you know what? I'd still rather own the Gallardo. It just inspires that childish excitement and supercar lust like no other. For sheer drama and excitement, it's unbeatable.

Oh, and the sound of that V10!!!!

[Krikkit]

Love the Gallardo, a 550 or Balboni would be my choice without a doubt.

[jdw1234]

El Shafto said:

Driven this back to back with the 458 and the MP4 - they were both noticeably faster and more capable. Everything about them outstripped the Gallardo in terms of performance (and comfort)... but you know what? I'd still rather own the Gallardo. It just inspires that childish excitement and supercar lust like no other. For sheer drama and excitement, it's unbeatable.

Oh, and the sound of that V10!!!!

I have always thought if you want a Lambo you should do it properly and get the Diablo/Murci/LP640/Aventador etc.

[Clivey]

I remember these being the hot topic in 2005 when I started college…and where has that time gone? I still think of them as a new car!

They still sound the business though; the PH'ers who brought theirs to the recent Sunday Service at Mercedes-Benz world reminded me just how much character and desirability a large NA petrol has over many of the new cars. I was especially jealous of the chap I was speaking to (don't remember his name) who had a new 550-2 manual. What a car.

Just one more point to make: The was Italian supercar available with a manual 'box. What a travesty. RIP.

[franki68]

there are better drivers cars out there,but none better looking and for making you smile and laugh when driving ,nothing comes close in my experience.

Oh and the attention,just gobsmacking the amount and 100% positive.

[thebigmacmoomin]

The orignal Superleggera was always the one I wanted, in orange. Not so keen on the facelifted versions.

As with the Zonda, I dont like all these special editions. Doesnt make them as special as they should be. The Balboni is special as its a thanks for all the hard work he did for the company, but the rest are just a marketing tool to sell them at a higher price.