Lamborghini preparing Gallardo Superleggera
The battle between the Prancing Horse and the Raging Bull is the most epic in the automotive industry, with Maranello and Sant'Agata always searching for ways to one-up eachother. (Which one is Borat and which one is his neighbor with the iPod mini depends on your perspective.) So with Ferrari preparing to release the F430 Challenge Stradale, Lamborghini wasn't going to be left holding its fedora. That's why reports are surfacing that Lamborghini is working on a new, lightweight version of the Gallardo.
Reviving the classic Superleggera name from Italian automotive history, the Gallardo Superleggera will shed "frills" from the cabin (for example sound insulation, thick glass, carpeting, power features, stereo, air conditioning and leather) and replace body panels with carbon fiber, a targeted weight savings of 220 lbs, bringing the total curb weight to less than 3000 lbs. However, unlike pre-Audi lightweight special Lambos, the Gallardo is expected to retain its all-wheel-drive.
Reports also suggest a slight increase in power (likely from a revised exhaust), adding an extra 10 hp that should help the leaner Lambo drop a good half-second off its 0-60 sprint.
Could this be the surprise Lamborghini has in store for us at Geneva? We'll find out next week.
[Source: Quattroruote via Motor Authority]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
David 10:28AM (2/26/2007)
No offense but how is it that Ferrari and Lambo have the most epic rivalry in the automotive industry? Lambo may think so but do you really think Ferrari cares?
Ferrari's heritage and a significant portion of it's on road technology comes from decades of racing success. Similar things can of course be said about Porsche, and to a lesser degree Aston and Jaguar even. Lambo has raced and won where in it's history? Oh that's right, nowhere at all. The "rivalry" between Ferrari and Lambo is like the rivalry between the hammer and the nail. While they always play, the hammer always wins.
Reply
Rocket Punch 11:32AM (2/26/2007)
If I had that kinda money, I would probably get a 997 turbo.
Yet if I had enough for a 997 Turbo, I might as well get a CSR260 and SC Atom and a house and still have enough left over to actually go road racing.
Reply
Carletti 11:34AM (2/26/2007)
David, I can certainly see where you are coming from but in my estimation the rivalry that exists, and it does indeed exist, stems from the domesticated, if you will, Ferrari's competing against the Lamborghini label. I think that if you were to ask the average person on the road, for example, "would you care for a Murcielago or for a 612" then, in my judgment, a Murcielago would get the nod. So, in that respect, Lamborghini is a serious challenger to unseat Ferrari within the category of prestige (by way of perception). Because, in today's climate, having a strong history in racing does not guarantee worldwide reverence (although it obviously helps). What we're seeing today is that Lamborghini (with it's bar none design, earth shattering noises, existing exclusivity, and gradual favoritism by celebrities) is in some important respects garnering more attention than is Ferrari. And I would suspect that Ferrari cannot stand that.
Reply
Chapel 4:13PM (2/26/2007)
Photos and PDFs on http://www.lamborghiniboston.com
Reply