What makes a Gallardo Superleggera, a Gallardo Superleggera? Is it the ultra-sleek body paneling? The commitment to craft, in the absence of the butterfly doors commonly found on its roster mates like the Murcielago, Countach and Diablo in order to shave the excess weight of the bulky hinges? The $246,000 price tag? Or, perhaps, all of the above, plus a 0-60 mph time of 3.5 seconds, and the esteem that accompanies cruising the strip in an Italian supercar? The Gallardo Superleggera is the performance variant of Lamborghini’s entry level hyper coupe. Sketched in expectation of the new Ferrari Scuderia, the stampeding-bull-badged manufacturer has made notable advances for the upcoming production model, but will that be enough when it is rated on both luxury and practicality? Fifty points in each suit will crown the 2008 Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera a faultless beast.
The luxury ride
For as long as we can remember, the Automobili Lamborghini corporation, nestled in the northern Italian countryside of Bologna, has always represented the highest echelon of hyper cars, breeding track-worthy performance vehicles with outrageously appealing aesthetic design. Substantiated by last year’s sales figures and another annual sales record, there has been a growth of 30.4% in cars manufactured and a 37% increase in units moved in North America, led by the critically acclaimed, entry-level Gallardo. Making its market debut in 2003, the Gallardo, which derives its name from a pedigree of prize fighting bulls, has seen variants in the Spyder, SE and Nera. But Lambo hopes to have its most prominent success of the bunch with the '08 Superleggera. With the quickest acceleration time in its class, trouncing native competitor Ferrari’s Scuderia in its sights, Lamborghini has indeed done their homework.The engineers at Lamborghini know that weight is the sworn rival of speed and shaved as many pounds off as possible when compared to the standard Gallardo coupe -- after all it is the Superleggera, which was first used on the 350GT and loosely translates to “super light” in Italian. It utilizes the same aluminum space frame construction, except several body panels, the front hood, rear engine cover, side skirts, rear air diffuser housed below the twin exhaust outlets, underbody tray, and even the door-mirror housing were substituted for carbon-fiber clones. All of this effort manifests itself in a hair under the 3,000-pound curb weight, a 150-pound slimming from the base model. The rear wing can be repositioned and is subtly reshaped as the engine cover boasts a fresh plastic porthole.
And while these numbers may seem impressive to you, if you actually calculate the difference between a standard Gallardo and the Superleggera, there is a 0.02 power-to-weight ratio difference between the two, in favor of the lighter model. So, can you really justify spending over $100,000 more for a car with very few differences to its predecessor? If you can, you'll want to keep reading to find out the minute differences between this Superleggera model and the standard Gallardo.
Currently governed by the chiefs at Audi and praised for earlier triumphs in the famed Murcielago, Diablo and base-trim Gallardo, Lambo’s engineers understand the validation of a supercar through speed better than anyone. The Superleggera is motioned by an all-aluminum, naturally aspirated, 5.0-liter, 40-valve (four valves per cylinder), DOHC, mid-longitudinal, V10 propeller. The mill is the most updated version of the reworked 10-cylinder block, and now achieves a maximum 530 horsepower @ 8,000 rpm and 391 lb-ft of torque. This power is made possible through improved volumetric efficiency, reduced intake load losses, exhaust back pressures, and a well-configured electronic control. The standard six-speed stick or robotized “e-gear” sequential transmission (offered at no additional cost) do the cog swapping as the Superleggera races from 0-60 in a minimal 3.8 ticks, with a top speed of 196 mph.
Above cruising speeds, this AWD cannonball still maintains its Velcro-like grip on the blacktop. Venture beyond 6,200 rpm and the car seems to catch its second wind as the pilot reaches the redline shortly thereafter. Two light taps of the left paddle shifter and you’ll be returned to optimum motoring speed with an extended pull in fourth gear. The handling seems to have a noticeable drag when the car is lulled in neutral and lower revs, and the Lambo gradually loses its rigidity considerably when the speedometer reads triple digits, but steering remains responsive to input without becoming jittery. The multi-spoke, Scorpius forged alloy wheels, draped in 19-inch Pirelli P-Zero Corsa tires, give the reduced bounce suspension an assist as do the ventilated, Brembo disc brakes, when you finally meet a red light.
The newest Gallardo model is relatively all business, as it has been depleted of any storage compartments and the audio system is now optional. The sport-fitted cockpit cradles the operator in fixed, one piece, bolstered, carbon-fiber sport seats that exhibit prodigious lateral firmness in deep-pocket cornering. Carbon fiber blankets the center tunnel and door panels and all that was formerly cowhide has been converted to Alcantra. Matching color stitching was incorporated to give a uniformed effect, just as the seats, dashboard and the airy headlining over each occupants brow flows with the color and design of the vehicle. The HUD wields a novel set of gauges, and the only drawback is the at-times small, illegible, balloon-letter like text.
With so many reasons to purchase your very own Gallardo Superleggera, the selling point on which to place an asterisk next to may very well be the vainest of them all: the crowd reaction -- as extras and major differences from the Gallardo are slim to none. It’s no secret that just the mention of the Lamborghini namesake comes complete with an excitement all its own, and piloting this Italian muscle car, even at crawling speeds, is an adventure.
The verdict
The Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera focuses on making advancements on an already superb machine and while the result really puts the clamp on Ferrari, we also can't quite grasp how Lambo can justify hiking the price on the Superleggera when there's actually less on and in the car than previous Gallardo editions. This is not a car built for luxury or long cruises. And while it is an absolute pleasure to drive, the 2008 Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera falls a bit short.Luxury score: 25/50
The practical ride
While thumbing through the price guide brochures for an Italian wonder car, you might find yourself wrestling with the MSRP of the 2008 Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera and the notion of plunking down that many clams for such a vehicle. On the one hand, the number output is strikingly comparable to the Ferrari Scuderia F430, which it is primarily aimed to compete with, and arguably has a cleaner aesthetic for slightly more dough. On the other hand, the premium is $45k more than the base Gallardo and has been cited as offering less, such as the signature “scissor doors” that account for a good percentage of its popularity. Whether you are torn between the two arguments or not, keep in mind that the Superleggera does boast the quickest acceleration in its class and is the lightest in the bracket as well.Upon signing for your new acquisition, and possibly on your romps through one of Italy’s many vineyards, you might pick up on a few things other than the uncontrollable gawking of passersby. This prize bull has an EPA fuel expenditure rating of roughly 12 mpg through metro areas and 18 on open roads -- average for a 10-cylinder and not much worse than some V8s. The Gallardo Superleggera handled a 100-mile road trip through various dry Arizona terrains and carved through pre-rush hour I10 traffic later that afternoon to cement its commuting versatility. The parallel-parking challenged will delight in the addition of a rear camera to the upcoming year’s model, saving you the trouble of early onset high blood pressure caused when backing into that rather tight parking spot. The cabin is a bit snug with minimal left leg and headroom and trunk space is non-existent, which is often obsolete in supercars anyway.
The verdict
Performance is the one thing supercars have never struggled with, however, relaying the design and performance into practicality is another story. And again, while the 2008 Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera is a dream on four wheels, the car as a whole doesn't justify the financial investment in the long run. Essentially you are paying $100,000 more for the name, "super light." And your wallet surely will be "super light" when you drive away in your less-equipped, yet faster, Gallardo.Practicality score: 20/50
and the total is…
The Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera received failing marks in this little vehicular exam. But, don't dismiss this article just yet. If you truly think about what the new Gallardo is you will understand why this car received such a low grade. For so much more... you're getting so much less. True, the power and speed time have risen, but is it really worth the extra cash? Just as Porsche raises its prices for higher GT models that are less equipped without the consumer outrage, Lamborghini has released the Superleggera in the hopes that branding and the name alone can carry this model to the top of its game.45/100
Resources:http://en.wikipedia.org/
http://www.lamborghini.com/
http://www.caranddriver.com/
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