The Lamborghini Gallardo is probably the single greatest business move Lamborghini has ever made. Before you all start arguing that the new Aventador is the ultimate Lamborghini, you must understand that we are not referring to the technology or performance aspects of the Gallardo making it the ultimate Lambo but rather its significance for the Lamborghini brand from a business standpoint.
If you have followed our short but sweet 2004 Lamborghini Gallardo coupe build back in 2009, you would know that we truly loved that car and found it to be an amazing exotic despite its lack of refinement, uncomfortable seats, and rattles in the dashboard. Despite its smaller flaws the car simply was a lot of car for the money and its impact on the car tuning scene was nothing short of epic even in its stock form. The best part about the car was that we were able to sell it for $8,000 more than we bought it for a year later and never actually had a single mechanical failure throughout our ownership. None the less, the time came to let go of our baby for a new project…
Two years later, we had a chance to get back into a Gallardo but this time it is a 2010 LP560 Spyder and well lets just say the car has highly evolved since its debut in 2004 Gallardo.
At first glance the LP560 isn’t much different than a Gallardo, sharing its same size and similar panels like doors, hood and roof line but you will notice the differences in the details like the front and rear bumpers, exquisite futuristic LED lights in the front and rear and the of course, the massive engine upgrade.
Our 2010 Lp560 wears an e-gear transmission and come with the sports package which includes the spider mesh upgraded wheels and sport exhaust. Despite not being a fan of the e-gear transmissions in early Gallardos, the LP560 does a great job shifting with its fully updated e-gear transmission and allowing close to no lag when shifting, as well as retains the most incredible rev match sound when downshifting. When driving, three basic differences become apparent immediately outside of the spectacular motor itself.
1. The seats are actually comfortable and carry a good amount of lumbar support. This is highly improved as we would previously have major back pain after an hour of driving.
2. The nav/stereo is easy to use and can actually be heard very nicely. The LP560 stock sound system is amazing, crystal clear and as good as our old Gallardo’s custom $3000 Alpine sound system. The NAV is also fantastic, easy to use, and clear to see even in bright sunny days with the top down.
3. You now have the option to go to sport mode or Corsa mode with just the push of a button… and that means neck breaking acceleration and razor sharp shifting with very little traction control and that equals true Lamborghini fun.
The engine is by far the best part of the new LP560, it is fast, very fast actually, and handles like its on rails at all speeds and the Corsa / Sport modes are heaven for any speed nut. The sound is quite spirited and not just loud and makes you want to keep your foot planted on the throttle. The responsiveness of the engine after 4,000 RPM is razor sharp with any slight hit to the throttle but yet remains docile in normal city driving.
The LP560 overall is a much more solid car with less rattles, modern styling, technology and drive ability but ultimately is a wild beast that is docile until you should unleash it. There are however a few flaws that we don’t think is acceptable in a $250,000 car. The first is the poor positioning of the e-gear paddles, small, hard to see, and positioned too far apart. The second is the seats still rub against the back in a weird manner when set back a bit, causing weird creaking noises and finally despite being a lot more comfortable than the Gallardo, it still remains harsh on your back after an hour or two.
All in all, the LP560 simply is the most drivable and usable Lamborghini we have driven to date. Our Murcielago despite having major road appeal was sluggish, hard to drive and with multiple issues. This car is not as impressive looking as the Murcielago to car enthusiasts but it does hold a Lamborghini badge which means the general public continues to drool regardless of its doors going up or not.
