Lamborghini Gallardo production ends as its replacement is trailed

No sooner has the death knell finished tolling for the now departed Lamborghini Gallardo – the firm’s best-selling model ever – the Italian supercar manufacturer is already teasing the Gallardo’s replacement.

On a new website – Hexagonproject.com – Lambo is revealing "the roar of its new creature," which is thought to be called the Cabrera.

Lamborghini is keeping its cards very close to its chest, and the Hexagon Project website doesn’t really reveal any information on the new car.

However, clicking the virtual starter button does give a clue as to the Cabrera’s potential power plant.

Lamborghini

To us, it sounds like the car will again use Lamborghini’s direct fuel injection 5.2-litre V10 – from videos that have caught the car testing at the Nurburgring recently, this certainly seems to be the case.

What those spy videos also appear to show is that the production version of the Cabrera will feature a dual-clutch gearbox, more than likely related to the seven-speed S tronic item fitted to the facelifted Audi R8 launched last year.

Expect the new car to also feature stop-start – just like the Aventador hypercar – and for the twin-clutch transmission to further improve efficiency.

Other advanced technology could include F1-style pushrod suspension similar to that on its bigger V12-engined brother and maybe, just maybe, a carbonfibre chassis to rival McLaren’s 12C.

The new car is expected to make its world debut at the 2014 Geneva Motor Show, and could be priced in the region of £150,000.

But while we’re looking ahead to Lambo’s future, let’s also take a look back over the firm’s most successful model to date, the Gallardo…

The last Gallardo Lamborghini will ever build has rolled of the Sant’Agata Bolognese factory assembly line, closing the chapter on the raging bull’s most successful model.

The final car was a Lamborghini Gallardo LP570-4 Spyder Performante finished in Rosso Mars red, and destined for a private collector.

14,022 Gallardos have been sold since the supercar went into production as a junior companion to the Lamborghini Murcielago in 2003, coinciding with the celebration of Lamborghini’s 40th anniversary.

As with all great Lamborghinis, the name is connecting with fighting bulls – in this case the Gallardo bloodline dating from the 18th century, known for its ‘exceptional courage and undaunted nature’.
 

Lamborghini

The car debuted with a 500hp 5.0-litre V10 (which was actually derived from an Audi V8), while the standard four-wheel drive system meant lucky owners could make more of its performance more of the time.

Power output rose throughout the Gallardo’s lifetime, with the first generation ending up with 530hp by the time it was superseded by the revised 5.2-litre car in 2008.

This produced 560hp initially, though 550hp rear-wheel specials were later offered, and the final tally was 570hp – as per the car you see pictured here.

Exceptional versions include the rear-wheel drive only LP550-2 Valentino Balboni limited edition and the final LP570-4 Squadra Corse special, which featured the same engine as the Super Trofeo racing cars.

But then, the Gallardo has never been shy. Two remain in use by the Italian police as high-speed pursuit and promotional vehicles.

Now, though, the end isn’t just near, it’s actually upon us. So from being on sale in 45 countries, the Gallardo is suddenly available in none – despite making up very nearly half of all the 30,000 Lamborghini ever built.

And as yet, there is no official news of a replacement. But there have been plenty of spyshots, and expect to see the new Lamborghini at the 2014 Geneva Motor Show, if not before, possibly under the name of Cabrera.

By CJ Hubbard and Sean Carson, contributor, MSN Cars