Lamborghini Gallardo LP 570-4 Superleggera Picture and Lambo

Lamborghini Gallardo LP 570-4 Superleggera Review

I wanted to tell you about the aeronautical tradition of superleggera (super-light) construction; of aluminium lovingly formed over gun-cotton-wrapped, small-diameter steel tubes.

But down in the pit lane of the Monteblanco circuit near Seville in Spain, an engine whirrs on its starter, catches and shimmers the air with its singular, uneven warble. Your eyes dart over the window.

I’m trying to tell you how Touring of Milan brought superleggera into the car-body business, and when it went out of business in 1966, its employees went to Lamborghini coachwork specialist Carrozzeria Marazzi. But one by one, all 12 Gallardo Superleggera in the pit lane are fired up and I suppose you’d have to be very dull of spirit not to be distracted.

As I was saying, the new Gallardo Superleggera has absolutely nothing to do with the old construction method, but perhaps Lamborghini has more right to use the name than most, as… I give up. You’ve stopped paying attention as 144 cylinders displacing 62.5 litres and delivering 6,744 horsepower chime together. That’s a potential £2,184,000 insurance nightmare.

So maybe I’ll just talk to myself about how this modern Gallardo sits on an aluminium-alloy space frame with all-round independent wishbone suspension and that its 145lb weight saving over the standard car is to do with replacing interior panels with carbon fibre, plus parts of the exhausts, some exterior panels, suspension parts and swapping the standard seats for carbon-backed racing items.

But didn’t Lamborghini recently do a two-wheel-drive Gallardo in honour of its legendary chief test driver Valentino Balboni? Wasn’t that a lighter car? Incredibly, the 4×2 Balboni was 88lb heavier than the 4×4 Superleggera.

Maurizio Reggiani, Lamborghini’s R & D chief, claims that deleting the 4×4 system only saves 77lb. “The Balboni was a tribute to a driver,” he says, “where our unique selling point is four-wheel drive for a safe car in all conditions and reducing weight.

You can reduce weight by removing parts and that is easy [an air conditioning unit here, a window motor there], but from an engineering point of view that is bull—-. Anyone can do that.”

So in the interests of performance and economy (Superleggera produces 20 per cent less CO2 than the standard car), Lamborghini is collaborating with Washington State University and aeroplane maker Boeing of Seattle in researching the advanced production of carbon fibre, which Reggiani claims is the hi-tech supercar material of the future, although the Superleggera still uses expensive, oven-baked pre-impregnated carbon rather than the moulded stuff that promises dramatically to cut prices.

With Seville in the fevered grip of Semana Santa (Holy Week), the Gallardo flanked by Lamborghini’s leggy models outside the Hotel Alfonso XIII proved the Devil gets the best wheels as well as the tunes.

Designed by Luc Donckerwolke and first launched in 2003, this car has been largely responsible for turning round the Sant’Agata Bolognese company, although it has recently been through the mill. Last year, sales fell 38 per cent from 2,430 in 2008 to 1,515, and turnover fell by almost €200 million (£180 million).

While it is not the worst crisis that this VW-owned Italian carmaker has weathered, it has been tough. Management has a weary look and a touching comradeship that speaks of too many long nights and tough decisions. Nor is there any sign of a recovery this year except in Far Eastern markets like China.

Lamborghini Gallardo LP 570-4 Superleggera

Lamborghini Gallardo LP 570-4 Superleggera

Lamborghini Gallardo LP 570-4 Superleggera

Lamborghini Gallardo LP 570-4 Superleggera Interior Cabin

Lamborghini Gallardo LP 570-4 Superleggera Specifications

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