Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4

By Ben Barry

Motor Shows

04 March 2008 20:35

What’s new on the Lamborghini stand?

The Gallardo LP560-4. The 560 stands for the 560ps (552bhp) that’s come courtesy of the all-new 5.2-litre V10 engine (previously 5.0-litre and 520bhp – and 20kg heavier), the 4 relates to the four-wheel drive system that usually splits torque 30/70 front-to-rear.

You’ll struggle to tell the LP560-4 apart from the old Gallardo, but the rear lights are new (inspired by the Reventon and Miura concepts), the rear diffuser is re-styled, the headlights feature Audi-esque LED daytime running lights and the cooling intakes are wider and more dramatically sculpted. It’s not just a styling exercise either; all in the changes mean the new car is 31 percent more aerodynamically efficient than its predecessor.

Lamborghini claims that only the cylinder count is shared with the old V10, while a huge amount of work has been put into reducing friction within the engine and maximising efficiency – an aluminium alloy crankcase and pistons plus wrought steel con-rods are said to be key to this. The suspension, four-wheel drive system and e-gear transmission have also been improved.

Despite the improvements, Sant’Agata’s engineers have achieved an 18 percent reduction in fuel consumption and emissions.

Customers of last year’s Superleggera should be miffed. They paid a hefty premium for a reprogrammed transmission system together with a tad more power and a little less weight. Now it seems the standard car has received similar improvements and then some.

Gallardo holistically improved. Pity those Superleggera owners.

3/5

By Ben Barry