Thursday 3rd May 2012

PH buying guide: Lamborghini Gallardo

A proper supercar experience for vaguely affordable money or an expensive money pit? Time to find out...

---

As prices of the Lamborghini Gallardo now regularly dip below £60,000 in the used market, this so-called baby Lambo looks seriously tempting as a supercar bargain. With German quality to back up the Italian engineering, we find out if a Gallardo is a whole lot of fun or a whole load of trouble.

Rebadged Audi? Nope, proper Lambo...

The Gallardo was the first Lamborghini to be fully conceived, designed and produced under Audi's ownership of the Italian supercar firm. Arriving in 2003, the Luc Donckerwolke-styled Gallardo borrowed much of its look and aggression from the larger, faster Murcielago he'd signed off the previous year.

Search for Lamborghini Gallardos here

This was the right car at the right time for Lamborghini, introducing a smaller, more compact model but still with the drama and excitement a Lambo must offer. Sticking with the four-wheel drive of the Murcielago, the Gallardo also ushered in a new 5.0-litre V10 engine with some design similarities to Audi's 4.2-litre V8 from the RS6.

As you can seen from the list of models below, Lamborghini has not been shy about leveraging the most from its best selling model. There are subtle differences between most, notably more power over the years and a couple of rear-wheel drive models.

However, the essence of the Gallardo has remained the same and it continues to offer a Ferrari-rivalling driving experience whether you choose the coupe or open-top Spyder. Thanks to its sensible dimensions, with a footprint much the same as a Ford Focus', the Gallardo is also, and perish the thought for a Lamborghini, practical.

With more than 12,000 Gallardos produced so far, there's a good selection of used models to choose from.

Lamborghini Gallardo models:
Gallardo 5.0
Gallardo SE (250 built)
Gallardo Spyder
Gallardo Nera (185 built)
Gallardo Superleggera (173 built)
Gallardo LP560-4
Gallardo LP560-4 Spyder
Gallardo Supertrofeo (30 built)
Gallardo LP570-4 Super Trofeo Stradale (150 built)
Gallardo LP550-2 Valentino Balboni (250 built)
Gallardo LP570-4 Superleggera
Gallardo LP570-4 Blancpain Edition
Gallardo LP550-2 Spyder
Gallardo LP560-4 Bicolore
Gallardo LP570-4 Singapore Limited Edition
Gallardo LP560-4 Tricolore
Gallardo LP570-4 Spyder Performante

---

Owner's view:
"From the age of 17, I knew I had to have a Lamborghini one day. It's the stereotypical 'boy done good' supercar. I was always a Countach/Diablo kid over a Testarossa/Porsche one. I still feel like a Lambo guy and Lambos are just outrageous, everything a real supercar should be."

Steve Morrisey

---

Buying guide contents:

Introduction
Powertrain
Rolling Chassis
Body
Interior

Search for Lamborghini Gallardos here

Photos: GF Williams/Lamborghini

 

[Schermerhorn]

Nice car but a bit long in the tooth now.

It was concieved as a rival to the Ferrari 360 Mondena when the Ferrari was towards the end of it's life. It's since competed against the F430 and is still competing with the 458 Italia.

Reminds me of the Mercedes SL R129 in many ways. very nice car though:

Here is a great review on one

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p3knDnfTVCY

[NotNormal]

Schermerhorn said:

Nice car but a bit long in the tooth now.

Surely thats the whole point of the article? The majority of 2nd hand purchases tend to be cars that are older and have subsiquently been bettered by newer models.

Good job too as it gives most of us mere mortals a chance to get our hands on what was once cutting edge supercar.....





....still a supercar however, just not 'that' cutting edge, but heaps of petrolhead fun

[TomMc1990]

Great read.

Thanks guys

[BlueMR2]

NotNormal said:

Schermerhorn said:

Nice car but a bit long in the tooth now.

Surely thats the whole point of the article? The majority of 2nd hand purchases tend to be cars that are older and have subsiquently been bettered by newer models.

Good job too as it gives most of us mere mortals a chance to get our hands on what was once cutting edge supercar.....


....still a supercar however, just not 'that' cutting edge, but heaps of petrolhead fun

But if you are buying 2nd+ hand why not get a Diablo or are they too expensive now.

Much more presence and proper Lambo doors as well.

[SpudLink]

BlueMR2 said:

But if you are buying 2nd+ hand why not get a Diablo or are they too expensive now.

Much more presence and proper Lambo doors as well.

If I was in the market for a 60 grand toy, the real world appeal of the Gallardo would make it more appealing to me than a Diablo. This might be less pantomime, but I think it's the car I would rather drive. Actually, I think it's also the car I would rather be seen in.

[kambites]

Personally, I think I'd save another 15-20k and buy an R8.

[big_rob_sydney]

I've heard the Gallardo is better than a 360, but that the 430 is better than the Gallardo.

I'd love to know the thoughts of owners who may have experienced both of the marques.

From my point of view, the Gallardo and 430 are about the same price, so to me they are direct competitors in the 2nd hand market. Personally, I'd rather the Ferrari, but I'm not wedded to this.

Love these cars (all of them), and would be happy with any one of them.

[markcoznottz]

SpudLink said:

BlueMR2 said:

But if you are buying 2nd+ hand why not get a Diablo or are they too expensive now.

Much more presence and proper Lambo doors as well.

If I was in the market for a 60 grand toy, the real world appeal of the Gallardo would make it more appealing to me than a Diablo. This might be less pantomime, but I think it's the car I would rather drive. Actually, I think it's also the car I would rather be seen in.

It's quite obvious that some of the posters on these threads don't have a clue what they are taking about. Other than the badge on the nose the Gallardo and Diablo have about as much in common as chalk and cheese. The Diablo isn't a car you buy it's a lifestyle choice, a car from a different era, and very few owners are patient enough to put up with the idiosyncrasies of such a car. The Gallardo is fully modern, and to be fair in its detailing; huge brakes, power output, tyre width, etc still cuts it. It still looks good because the proportions are spot on, something Ferrari got wrong with the 430 and 360. Sounds very good with the right exhaust as well.

[soad]

kambites said:

Personally, I think I'd save another 15-20k and buy an R8.

Why so?

[kambites]

soad said:

kambites said:

Personally, I think I'd save another 15-20k and buy an R8.

Why so?

Because 20k would pay for a third of the extension we're building.

[NotNormal]

BlueMR2 said:

But if you are buying 2nd+ hand why not get a Diablo or are they too expensive now.

Much more presence and proper Lambo doors as well.

I didn't specify what 2nd hand purchase to make, just these types of car in general. Everyone has different tastes as we all know.

[Sexual Chocolate]

BlueMR2 said:

But if you are buying 2nd+ hand why not get a Diablo or are they too expensive now.

Much more presence and proper Lambo doors as well.

One you can use everyday the other not so much.

[j_s14a]

One of the reasons I bought my Audi S2 is that it sounds like a slightly mute Gallardo at WOT. One of the best supercar soundtracks of all IMO.

[m30dus]

I had a 2004 Gallardo last year and subsequently traded it for an F430 (now in a 430 Scud').

Very different cars really... The Gallardo was a much greater challenge to drive and attracted far more attention than the F430, but nothing can detract from the fact that the F430 is in another league altogether when it comes to the drive itself.

I miss the Gallardo a huge amount, but no matter how much I'd never trade my 430 in for another.

[ktm301p]

I personally admire anyone that owns a Lambo, it is a dream car that I indeed dream to own one day!

[robinessex]

The question I've never had answered. The biggest concern re owning a car of this ilk is the running costs, i.e, repairs and maintenance. For 50 odd years, I've been stripping re-building, repairing cars, and know my way around them pretty well, although I design airplanes for a living. So, the question. If I was to buy a Gallardo, is it practical for me to do my own maintenance? Oil changes and filters, brake pad changes, routine stuff should be easy, but what happens if it becomes a bit special. I guess an engine diagnostics faculty would be useful, and they’re not that expensive to buy. But what about 'special' bits if they should re their ugly head. I'm not talking about an engine re-build. What about quirks that the dealers get to know about the Joe public doesn't?

[martisracing]

I have both a LP560 and a 430 Spider. There is no comparison the LP560 is far better than the 430 on build quality, performance and being able to make fast cross country journeys. However the 430 is also brilliant and fun (reminds me of a faster more luxerious Elise in some ways)and the fact that it is a spider makes it a different driving experiance but if I could only keep one it would be the LP560. I do not think I would want to have a 430 coupe as a stable mate to the LP as I think it would show up the inferior points too much which the spider does not because it is so different. When the LP came out one magazine (I think it was performance car) compared the LP and the 430 and their comments really sum up the difference saying that the 430 felt old and fragile compared with the LP.
Personally I still prefer the LP to the 458 as the test drives I have had in a 458 it felt a little too uninvolving and play station and for the price of a 458 I can have the best of both worlds with a LP and a 430!
And do not compare an R8 to a LP. Yes it is cheaper but I would say it is only 75% of the driving experience and not even that pratical. In that price range I found the 911 Turbo I use to own a far more pratical daily driver.

[T1berious]

One of the consultants down the road has a Gallardo, Black and it's his daily driver, I believe he has a few private practices dotted about but not local and he drives the Lambo to them. The magic thing is, he parks it on the street (parking a nightmare) never heard anything regarding reliability etc and he must be doing at least 8k a year on it.

Just think he's a legend for a) getting it and b) driving it daily and treating it like a focus (never seen it clean and parked on the street).

I can't imagine the same happening with a Ferrari or a Diablo.

A Black Filthy Gallardo has an almost understated cool about it (yes, I know, how can a Lambo be understated).

[Captain Muppet]

T1berious said:

I can't imagine the same happening with a Ferrari or a Diablo.

I know a chap who daily drove his 360 and never cleaned it. Seemed pretty reliable too. They aren't all garage queens.

[the_hood]

[quote=markcoznottz]

It's quite obvious that some of the posters on these threads don't have a clue what they are taking about. [/qu

I'ld never had guessed