Automobili Lamborghini SpA officially unveiled the new V10 in the line up, a Gallardo LP550-2 Spyder version, a rear wheel drive open top super car made in Sant’Agata get ready for some real fun driving this amazing new model.
Keep in mind this is the first open top Gallardo with rear wheel drive officially available, we’ve already seen the LP550-2 coupé model as the limited edition Valentino Balboni model, but those sold out rather quickly, but customers kept asking for a rear wheel drive only Gallardo, so under their pressure Automobili Lamborghini SpA made a normal production version Gallardo LP550-2 available as a true entry level model.
The special order Gallardo LP550-2 was in fact an LP560-4 model with several standard items removed from the list, and with a slightly de-tuned V10 engine, although the difference between 550 and 560 bhp can be difficult to notice for most Gallardo owners, but still several of these ‘basic’ models found customers all over the world.
Now the LP550-2 Spyder version is a real production version and not a special order model like it’s closed counterpart, this additional edition has been built to offer a more pure driving machine, this special model should appeal to a more involved driver, a person that can handle 550 horse power on the rear wheels only, although the ESP will try to keep things within limits if the driver gets a bit too courageous with the throttle.
There is a 45% locking differential mounted on the LP550-2, add the e-Gear transmission and a special programmed ESP stability control system and you get a great handling car. And there’s more, the standard setting of the car puts an emphasis on stability, but put the car in CORSA mode and you can start drifting like the Fast and the Furious in Tokyo the dynamics of a Gallardo LP550-2 are simply mind boggling with an impressively low body roll and outstanding straight driving stability at high speeds.
And high speeds are no problem in this open top Raging Bull, the Lamborghini Gallardo LP550-2 Spyder is capable of breaking the 100 Km/h barrier in a mere 4.2 seconds and a top speed of no less than 319 Km/h makes sure you can outrun just about anything you might encounter on the open road both closed or open that’s right, top speed can be reached with the top down if you hair dresser will agree with you might be a different thing.
At this moment over 11.000 Gallardo have left the gates at Sant’Agata and with this LP550-2 Spyder variant this most popular Lamborghini ever now offers a very mature line up. You can start with the LP560-4 in either Coupé or Spyder form, or special order the 550-2 Coupé, but why not go for the race derived LP570-4 Superleggera edition and it’s open top counterpart, the LP570-4 Spyder Performante and if you really want to be blown away completely you just have to go for the top of the line Gallardo LP570-4 Super Trofeo Stradale, a race car adapted for street use, the closest street legal car you can get to the world’s fastest single-brand racing series the Blancpain Super Trofeo championship.
So will this new Gallardo model be a success my guess would be yes, people who know what they are doing behind the steering wheel could really push their limits with this rear wheel drive only model while enjoying the sun in their faces what more could you ask for ?
UPDATE: after close inspection of the photos released by Automobili Lamborghini SpA on their new Gallardo LP550-2 Spyder version I did notice some small detail changes on the car. Take a close look at the side sills underneath the doors note the matte black section starting at the front and going full height toward the rear that was also used on the Spyder Performante by the way, but here the Superleggera lower side sills were also mounted, these aren’t used for the LP550-S Spyder.
Another change can be seen on the air intakes in the front bumper, the inner face of these intakes, just ahead of the grille are also finished in matte black, that’s a new feature too. I wonder if this is an option or something that is used on all MY 2012 Gallardo LP560-4 and LP550-2 models.
Anyway, personally I think these are some nice little touches to make sure people that know about them can recognize the new car in a split second, without even seeing the model designation on the side, and I must admit I really like this blue over the tan combination, a bit less intimidating than orange or yellow perhaps, but a refreshing detour from the usual white shades used.
