11:11 am, May 12, 2008
IN our latest Cult Cars feature we take a look at why the Lamborghini Gallardo has earned its place in the motoring hall of fame. James Baggott reports.
Lamborghini’s Gallardo may look like a wedge of cheddar, but that doesn’t stop every man and boy with a slight trickle of petrol in their veins wanting one with every ounce of their being. I know I do.
Yes, it’s looks might be a little futuristic for some – but I’d argue there really isn’t much out there that can cause more neck creaks than a Gallardo pottering down a high street.
The baby Lambo really is one amazing car and one that’s meant writing this Cult Cars column has been somewhat of a battle with that new fangled website, the You Tube. You see, every time I go to write another paragraph I can’t help but want to watch an awesome video of Tiff Needell ringing the thing’s neck in a time trial with another one of my favourite machines – the Ducati 999.
In the clip from Fifth Gear (don’t let that put you off), Tiff is hammering around a track in a bright yellow Gallardo. The sound the 520bhp V10 makes when it’s being whipped into submission by the drift king himself is worth every penny of your broadband connection. Deeper and more soulful than a Ferrari, it even sounds good through my PCs tinny little speakers. I won’t spoil the results of the race – you can see it below – but it’s safe to say that if you don’t want a Lambo after you’ve seen it you probably shouldn’t be selling cars.
The fact the video’s been viewed over half a million times gives you some idea of the cult status the Gallardo has achieved. It’s quickly become a legend and rightly so. With the company now in the safe pair of hands that is Audi – and the engineering brilliance that comes with the German firm – these Italian supercars are no longer tempremental pieces of automotive art, simply there to be stared at and never driven.
No, these days they’ve got Italian flair; they still look a million dollars (and are not shy of costing it too), but under the skin there’s German DNA – and that’s no bad thing. Ok, so they might still be a little uncompromising – but then what did you expect? This is a supercar after all.
Those compromises will soon be forgotten on the road. With four-wheel drive and that stonking V10, the Gallardo is as good to drive as it is to look at – pulverising the 0-60mph dash in 4.3 seconds and powering on to a prison sentence-inducing 193mph.
The Gallardo has all the qualities of a cult car – the looks, the desirability, and the performance. And now, with the name being consigned to history as the LP560/4 takes over, the baby Lambo moves into legendary status. If you don’t believe us, check out the video – I guarantee you’ll be convinced.
Lamborghini Gallardo
Price: £142,502
Engine: 5.0-litre, V10
Power: 520bhp, 509Nm
0-60mph: 4.3s
Max: 193mph
Now finance one with Bridford:
Option one: £37,250 deposit, 24 x £825 per month, final payment
Option two: £15,000 deposit, 48 x £1,745 per month, final payment
