Click above for a high-res gallery of the Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4.
Say what you will about the Germanification of Lamborghini; it's producing damn good cars. Audi's stake in the Raging Bull has helped move Lamborghini from a quirky, inscrutable supercar producer to a purveyor of some of the finest road-going rockets our generation has ever seen. But according to Audi pres Stephan Winkelmann, the magic number for cross pollination of the two brands is 20-percent. "In the future, we will always work together just on the hidden parts – parts that will not touch the DNA of Lamborghini," Winkelmann told Autocar.
That pronouncement by Winkelmann is an attempt to quell criticism that the Gallardo shares too many components with the Audi R8 and that the majority of parts sharing will include unseen components, like electrical, plumbing and other, smaller pieces. "We have a quality benchmark with Audi," Winkelmann said, "[Lamborghini] gets the best and fastest, and Audi gets us the cheapest."
[Source: Autocar]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
tankd0g @ May 2nd 2008 12:37PM
They're right, it's not really a Lambo unless it's broken down and/or on fire.
paul34 @ May 2nd 2008 1:10PM
The Audi electrical would probably guarantee that.
nagmashot @ May 2nd 2008 12:41PM
Less Audi DNA... how they wanna do it? The Gallardo chassie is completely build in Germany and is already painted delivered from Ingolstadt Germany to Italy.. the engines are build at Audis engine plant in Goery.
That little stick together work of ready build parts the guys in Italy do could be done everywere..
Mattias @ May 2nd 2008 1:12PM
Ingolstadt? AFAIK the bodies are made in the Neckarsulm plant.
nagmashot @ May 2nd 2008 1:36PM
thats not correct Mattias, the chassies are build in Heilbronn (ThyssenKrupp Drauz Nothelfer).. but painted in Neckarsulm Audi plant ... most english speaking don´t know what or were Neckarsulm is... the reason why I said from Audi Ingolstadt Germany to Italy
SPG @ May 2nd 2008 12:47PM
I dunno, somtimes pedestrian DNA can make an Italian great pretty cool.
Citroen in a Maserati, cool.
Maserati in a Citroen, cool.
On the flip side, Maserati in a Chrysler... Not so much.
Still the coolest thing on a K-Platform (Besides a Daytona Iroc).
I can't blame Lamborghini though, they are exclusive supercars and Audi's are not (save for a few).
Dan @ May 2nd 2008 12:51PM
"We have a quality benchmark with Audi," Winkelmann said, "[Lamborghini] gets the best and fastest, and Audi gets us the cheapest."
Is that a typo? If not, it's a confusing statement. Lambo gets the best and fastest.... but Audi gets US the cheapest? I.e... GIVES Lambo the cheapest? What is he saying? Or should the word "us" not be in that sentence?
rsfourever @ May 2nd 2008 2:36PM
I think he means that with audi, they have set a quality benchmark. and because of audi's purchasing power as a high-volume (relative to lambo) seller, they can get to quality at the cheapest price. hence: "audi get us the cheapest (price)"...
Matt @ May 2nd 2008 12:55PM
That's a pretty awkward quote from a PR spokesperson. I hope much of it was lost in translation. In the meantime Ill continue to enjoy the 'Gallardo' brakes on my RS4, which were coincidentally developed by Audi engineers.
Yar @ May 2nd 2008 12:56PM
Well they can always go back to making tractors, doubt there will be any Audi influence there.
Neil Solomon @ May 2nd 2008 1:11PM
"[Lamborghini] gets the best and fastest, and Audi gets us the cheapest."
what?
Razor1973 @ May 2nd 2008 2:38PM
I know. There was absolutely no conciseness to that article. They better get a new editor.
Lam @ May 2nd 2008 1:19PM
That title sounds a little dirty....
why not the LS2LS7? @ May 2nd 2008 1:24PM
hmm. Every time I say the R8 is a Gallardo and I can't see why people get excited about it, I get shot down.
Val @ May 2nd 2008 3:23PM
What's there not to get excited about? It's a freakin Lamborgini...
Matty @ May 2nd 2008 1:26PM
Lambo should watch what it says. Under Audi's watch, it took off and expanded in a huge way.
adrian @ May 2nd 2008 2:10PM
I Agree. I like Lamborghini, But if I had the funds to buy one of their cars, It would be a model built under Audi control.
Razor1973 @ May 2nd 2008 2:37PM
Is it me or that original article made little to no sense?
DCragtop @ May 2nd 2008 2:52PM
I want more lottery winnings in my DNA so that I can afford and own a Gallardo.
LoneWolf @ May 2nd 2008 3:15PM
Finally!
I hope that we now see some Lambos without AUDI Engines or vice versa.