April 24, 2008
Lamborghini says it's the only maker of bad-boy supercars... and, on the evidence of the new Gallardo LP560, we'd have to agree
'Design, engine, suspension and transmission have all been thoroughly revised'
For one tantalising moment it looks as though the two most influential men in the European car business are about to walk backwards into each other. Ferdinand Piech, Porsche king-pin and
architect of its audacious take-over of VW, is nosing about on the Ferrari stand when Luca di Montezemolo, Italy's automotive crown prince, arrives in the same air-space. A collision between these two would trigger a sonic boom. The Geneva motor show often throws up muscular little vignettes like this. Mrs Piech already has a Bugatti Veyron, but perhaps her other half is on the hunt for a 612 Scaglietti. Perhaps he's after the whole company. He owns pretty much everything else.
architect of its audacious take-over of VW, is nosing about on the Ferrari stand when Luca di Montezemolo, Italy's automotive crown prince, arrives in the same air-space. A collision between these two would trigger a sonic boom. The Geneva motor show often throws up muscular little vignettes like this. Mrs Piech already has a Bugatti Veyron, but perhaps her other half is on the hunt for a 612 Scaglietti. Perhaps he's after the whole company. He owns pretty much everything else.Question is: would you need Ferrari if you already had Lamborghini tucked in your back pocket, a part of the Piech empire (via Audi) since 1998? Once upon a time, yes. Lamborghini has always been the cheeky upstart, the chest-wig chariot, the company that some would say put the bull into bullshit. Ferrari is better bred, the real thing, auto-aristocracy. You can see the appeal. But in 2008 the gap is tighter than ever, the battle lines drawn with increasing intensity. Lamborghini now sells 10 times as many cars as it did when the Germans first arrived in Sant'Agata (2,406 in 2007), and it's making major money these days. The planet's rich are getting richer, of course, and rapidly increasing in number.
>'It's telling that the Gallardo has reached its fifth birthday more or less unscathed'
In this climate, Lamborghini could probably make money in exchange for old rope, but the fact is it's never been smoother or more sophisticated in every aspect of its business. It was the
Gallardo that really helped kick the company into the premier division and now, 7,100 cars later, there's a new version. One of the stars of this month's Geneva show, it's fair to say that the arrival of the LP560-4 - the name refers to the car's longitudinal engine layout, power output and transmission - took everybody bar Lamborghini employees by surprise. Some cars hang around way past their sell-by date and go whiffy, while others don't seem to age at all. It's telling that the Gallardo has reached its fifth birthday more or less unscathed.
Gallardo that really helped kick the company into the premier division and now, 7,100 cars later, there's a new version. One of the stars of this month's Geneva show, it's fair to say that the arrival of the LP560-4 - the name refers to the car's longitudinal engine layout, power output and transmission - took everybody bar Lamborghini employees by surprise. Some cars hang around way past their sell-by date and go whiffy, while others don't seem to age at all. It's telling that the Gallardo has reached its fifth birthday more or less unscathed."We specialise in the unexpected," Lamborghini's brand and design director Manfred Fitzgerald tells me in an ante-room on a Geneva stand that looks like the private chamber in Al Pacino's Carlito's Way Miami nightclub. "We have so many projects up our sleeves right now, I can't even begin to tell you..."
What he will brief me on, though, is the new Gallardo. Body design, engine, suspension and transmission have all been thoroughly revised, and Lambo claims significant improvements in
performance and efficiency. But let's start with the styling. Overseen by Fitzgerald - a former marketing guy turned design boss - and implemented by a seven-strong team led by Filippo Perini, the modifications are limited to the Gallardo's front and rear, but they give the car a razor-sharp new character.
What he will brief me on, though, is the new Gallardo. Body design, engine, suspension and transmission have all been thoroughly revised, and Lambo claims significant improvements in
performance and efficiency. But let's start with the styling. Overseen by Fitzgerald - a former marketing guy turned design boss - and implemented by a seven-strong team led by Filippo Perini, the modifications are limited to the Gallardo's front and rear, but they give the car a razor-sharp new character.Although the LP560 appears to have been heavily influenced by the recent million euro Reventón limited edition, it was actually the Gallardo that was signed off first. There are new air intakes at the front, a revised splitter, and a completely redesigned rear end that draws the eye out - creating the impression of extra width - rather than down, which emphasises height.
"We felt we could do even more with this car," says Fitzgerald. "The Gallardo was a wonderful piece, but I wanted the new car to be more aggressive and yet more minimal. The front lights are now as slender as we could make them and still pass the homologation regulations."
"We felt we could do even more with this car," says Fitzgerald. "The Gallardo was a wonderful piece, but I wanted the new car to be more aggressive and yet more minimal. The front lights are now as slender as we could make them and still pass the homologation regulations."
These new slim line lights feature LEDs in a Y-shape, underneath the main bi-xenons, while the
idea is echoed in the redesigned rear lights that were apparently inspired by the illumination on the controversial 2006 Miura concept. Along with the quad exhaust set-up and a new diffuser, the LP560's reworked rear doesn't fully soften the Teutonic modernism of Luc Donckerwolke's tautly surfaced original, but certainly gives the car a juicier presence. Lamborghini claims a 31 per cent improvement in aerodynamic efficiency compared to the current car, whose high-speed stability and steering feel is already extremely impressive.
idea is echoed in the redesigned rear lights that were apparently inspired by the illumination on the controversial 2006 Miura concept. Along with the quad exhaust set-up and a new diffuser, the LP560's reworked rear doesn't fully soften the Teutonic modernism of Luc Donckerwolke's tautly surfaced original, but certainly gives the car a juicier presence. Lamborghini claims a 31 per cent improvement in aerodynamic efficiency compared to the current car, whose high-speed stability and steering feel is already extremely impressive.Like last year's Superleggera, the LP560 displays its mechanical wares beneath a clear cover in a pleasing piece of theatre. Mind you, if I'd actually bought a Superleggera I might be a bit cheesed
off at the arrival of this new Gallardo. It's 80kg heavier than its racier 'lightweight' brother, but with 556bhp it's also a useful 34bhp more powerful, enabling it to accelerate to 62mph in an identical 3.7 seconds and onto a top speed of 200mph-plus. No doubt there'll be a 600bhp Gallardo along sometime next week…
off at the arrival of this new Gallardo. It's 80kg heavier than its racier 'lightweight' brother, but with 556bhp it's also a useful 34bhp more powerful, enabling it to accelerate to 62mph in an identical 3.7 seconds and onto a top speed of 200mph-plus. No doubt there'll be a 600bhp Gallardo along sometime next week…The 5.2-litre V10 now features direct injection - iniezione diretta stratificata - which promotes more efficient combustion and allows for a lofty compression ratio of 12.5:1. There's variable valve control on all four of the engine's camshafts, and despite the additional grunt and superior performance figures the LP560's emissions and fuel consumption show an 18 per cent reduction compared to the previous model. Not enough to convert Ken Livingstone and his lackeys to the cause, but useful progress.
>'Our customers want to feel special, and we'll always be the most extreme guys out there'
"Our customers shouldn't feel bad about owning one of our cars," says Fitzgerald, "and we have
to be socially acceptable. But we also need perspective when it comes to the environmental debate."The Gallardo's excellent six-speed manual continues as before, but its slightly less excellent 'E-Gear' paddle-shift transmission has been redesigned; it's now much lighter and shift times have been improved by 40 per cent. The suspension is the same surprisingly compliant double wishbone set-up, but features firmer kinematics. Eight cylinder Brembos grab 365mm brake discs at the front, with four-cylinder ones acting on 356mm discs at the rear. Carbon-ceramic brakes are available as an option. Inside, things are largely as before, with the addition of aluminium hoop-surrounds on the
central instrument display. Lamborghini, like every other big player in the supercar arena, has developed increasingly clever ways of charging money for bespoke exterior colour schemes (three matt black, white and brown finishes debut on the LP560) and lavish cabin fabrics.Its individualisation programme is called Ad Personam, a far cry from the early Nineties-era Diablo which came with fuzzy felt as standard on its dash and a stereo system by Halfords.
If nothing else, the LP560-4 is proof of how far Lambo has come in 10 years. The new car is faster, lighter, more efficient, and available in a seductive choice of colours. But for all the talk of
becoming more socially acceptable, of greater refinement and elegance, and even of a desire to sell more cars to women, Lamborghini isn't quite waxing its hairy chest just yet.
"Exclusivity is the key," Fitzgerald claims. "It's not how many cars you sell that's problematic; it's when you have a high concentration of your product in one place. Our customers want to feel special, and we'll always be the most extreme guys out there. We'd make a big mistake if we give that away. We're the only real bad boys left out there."
If nothing else, the LP560-4 is proof of how far Lambo has come in 10 years. The new car is faster, lighter, more efficient, and available in a seductive choice of colours. But for all the talk of
becoming more socially acceptable, of greater refinement and elegance, and even of a desire to sell more cars to women, Lamborghini isn't quite waxing its hairy chest just yet."Exclusivity is the key," Fitzgerald claims. "It's not how many cars you sell that's problematic; it's when you have a high concentration of your product in one place. Our customers want to feel special, and we'll always be the most extreme guys out there. We'd make a big mistake if we give that away. We're the only real bad boys left out there."
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