Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder: RWD LP550-2 here in 2012

Sant'Agata plans a two-wheel drive version of the Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder – reflecting 2009's limited-series rear-wheel drive Balboni edition of the Gallardo coupe.

Sales of the new rear-drive LP550-2 Spyder will start in early 2012, Lambo has confirmed to CAR. It will look the same as any other Gallardo convertible; the only changes will be to the hardware under the skin.

Like the rear-wheel drive Gallardo tin-top, the Spyder will have a slightly detuned V10 driving just the rear axle.

As the name suggests, the LP550-2 will develop 550 horsepower, instead of the regular 560. That's the metric pony, meaning the 550-2 will muster some 543bhp.

Although the Balboni edition was a limited-series run of just 250 copies, Lamborghini has in fact continued to offer a rear-wheel drive Gallardo as a basic 'entry-level' model (if anything hailing from Sant'Agata can ever be said to be entry-level).

That LP 550-2 loses the front driveshafts, saving a few kilograms here and there, giving road testers a more slidey, pointy Gallardo experience.

We expect the new 2012 Lamborghini Gallardo LP550-2 Spyder to cost less than the full-blown LP560-4 Spyder. Although prices are not yet confirmed, we're looking at around £10,000 less – pointing to a cost of some £152,000.

By Tim Pollard