End Of Production For The Lamborghini Gallardo

Sant'Agata Bolognese, 25.11.2013 — In the historic factory buildings of Sant'Agata Bolognese, the last Lamborghini Gallardo has left the production line.

The final model is a Gallardo LP 570-4 Spyder Performante in RossoMars (red) and it is destined for a private collector. With a total of 14,022units the Gallardo is not only by far the most-built Lamborghini, it ranksamong the most successful super sports cars — and has long since establisheditself as an icon of Italian design and the art of automotive engineering.

With its appearance ten years ago in the year of the company's 40thanniversary, the Gallardo marked a fundamental watershed in the history ofAutomobili Lamborghini. In Lamborghini's first four decades, an average ofjust 250 Lamborghinis were built per year. In the decade of the Gallardo,production grew to a whole new dimension with volumes of around 2,000cars per year on average — while, in global terms, retaining the highlyexclusive nature of vehicles bearing the badge of the bull. In keeping with theLamborghini tradition, the name of the Gallardo too was derived from theworld of bullfighting. Bred in the 18th century, the Gallardo bloodline wasknown for its exceptional courage and undaunted nature.

The great career of the Lamborghini Gallardo began in 2003 at the GenevaMotor Show. Its unique, extreme design, created by the Centro StileLamborghini, phenomenal dynamics and outstanding quality formed the basisfor its enormous and enduring success over a whole decade. The Gallardo'stechnical concept was compelling from day one: systematic lightweightdesign through an aluminum space frame; the combined power and highrevvingcharacteristics of the ten-cylinder naturally aspirated engine; theLamborghini e-gear, a completely new robotized sequential gear shiftingsystem; and, finally, the amazing handling and safety provided by permanentall-wheel drive.

This notwithstanding, an enhancement in the driving experience was alreadyin the pipeline – the open-air driving thrill of the Gallardo Spyder, which joinedthe lineup in 2005. The Gallardo Superleggera came along in 2007. With itsreduced weight, thanks to a large number of carbon fiber components, itsoutput increased to 530 hp and with its purist design, pushed the performancebenchmark yet another notch higher.

The second generation of the Gallardo arrived in 2008. With a redesignedfront and rear, a new engine with gasoline direct injection and 560 hp, plusfurther-enhanced equipment, the Gallardo LP 560-4 proved that even anexcellent product can be improved. The second-generation Spyder was alsodelivered to its first customers in 2008. The new version of the Gallardo LP570-4 Superleggera followed in 2010 with an increase in output to 570 hp, thistime also as the open-top Gallardo LP 570-4 Spyder Performante. Occupyinganother niche in the broad spectrum of Gallardo versions were the LP 550-2Valentino Balboni limited edition and the LP 550-2 Spyder: with their rearwheeldrive, they appealed to a particularly purist group of sports car fans.

The pinnacle of sporting performance among the total of 32 Gallardo variantswas marked by the Super Trofeo Stradale and, finally, the Gallardo SquadraCorse. They draw a direct line from the competition version in the world'sfasted single-brand race series, the Lamborghini Blancpain Super Trofeo, tothe road. The LP 570-4 Squadra Corse, in particular, demonstrated in severalcomparison tests just how outstanding the Gallardo still is. In specialistmagazines from Quattroruote in Italy, through Car in the United Kingdom toSport Auto in Germany, the Gallardo continued to prove right up to the end ofits career that it was still the clear frontrunner in terms of performance,handling and driving pleasure, setting a best-in-class lap time in Hockenheim(Germany) and record lap times in Balocco and Vairano (Italy).

The Gallardo LP 570-4 Squadra Corse boasts a dry weight of 1340 kilograms,70 less than the already lean Gallardo LP 560-4. With a stunning power-toweightratio of 2.35 kilograms per hp it delivers breathtaking performance:from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.4 seconds, from 0 to 200 km/h in just 10.4 seconds.

Top speed is 320 km/h. The carbon ceramic brake system guaranteesunmatched stopping power.

The Lamborghini Gallardo was sold in more than 45 countries across theglobe. In true Italian style, the Gallardo offered an exceptionally high range ofchoices for individualization. Via the ”Ad Personam” program, each and everycustomer was able to have his Lamborghini V10 super sports car perfectlytailored to suit his own preferences. A whole decade of production alsobrought with it a wide array of special editions, often exclusive to specificmarkets, like the Singapore, Malaysia, China and India Editions. Oneparticularly exclusive version of the super sports car gained globalprominence through its very special service record: several units were built ofthe Gallardo Polizia Stradale with blue lights, special paintwork and dedicatedequipment. Two are currently in service with the Italian State Police.

The Gallardo continues to prove its motorsport competence, racing in theLamborghini Blancpain Super Trofeo. Alongside European race tracks, thisfascinating one make series has now also conquered the circuits of Asia andNorth America with its own series in those regions. The Gallardo GT3 has alsocelebrated numerous successes at sports car races around the globe.

In the year of Automobili Lamborghini's 50th anniversary, the Gallardo successstory has now come to an end with car number 14,022. Almost half of all30,000 Lamborghinis built since the company was first founded in 1963, areGallardos.

Source: Lamborghini