Autoblog

Reports circulating the automotive webdom suggest that the new version of the Gallardo which Lamborghini will be unveiling next week in Geneva will be called the LP560-4. Whereas previous reports indicated a LP550 nameplate, the LP560-4 designation draws on the new car's reported metric power rating of 560 PS – equivalent to 552hp – with the 4 designating the four-wheel-drive system. This latter addition is not present on previous Lamborghini model nomenclature, including the Murcielago, whose second iteration was similarly named LP640, without the additional 4 despite the traction at all wheels. (We wonder if Lamborghini decided to forgo the 550 numerology because arch-rival Ferrari used it on a contemporary model.) Meanwhile, AutoWeek reports that the new Gallardo's engine is more closely related to that of the Audi RS6: a more durable 5.2-liter V10 with FSI direct-injection, replacing the outgoing Gallardo's 5-liter unit.

The revised nomenclature comes from quotes attributed to Lambo chief Stephan Winkelmann, and accompanies the conceptual rendering you see above, although neither appears on the company's press site. Whatever the banner under which the new Gallardo will drive, it not only itself helps Lamborghini directly live up to its promise of a new model at each major auto show, but opens to the door to new future variants, which are likely to include a new Spyder and possibly a new Superleggera. We'll continue to keep our eyes and ears open.

[Source: tuningsnews.net via World Car Fans]

Click image for a gallery of the LP550 spy shots

Last week, Inside Line reported that Lamborghini would use the Geneva Motor Show to unveil a facelifted, juiced-up Gallardo that would take a new name: LP550. Now, Brenda Priddy's spies have caught the updated Lambo covered head-to-toe in black tape. That's OK, though, because the car's updated details remain visible, and you can now get an idea of what's in store for Geneva. In front, the two primary intakes retain their shape, but the front air dam itself is now much deeper and more pronounced, with a pair of new struts hanging down and framing what appears to be a third, central intake below the front bumper. New vents also adorn the leading edges of the front wheel wells. Out back, a new rear fascia incorporates reshaped (thinner) grillework for engine heat dissipation, as well as rehaped openings for the exhausts, which now use double-barreled tips. As Inside Line originally reported, the car's V10 grows to displace 5.2 liters and dishes out 550 horsepower. According to Priddy's shooter, it's also very quiet at idle. Don't worry, though -- the photographer also reports that it makes all the right noises under power. We'll be there when the big reveal happens in Geneva. In the meantime, you can compare the spy pics to shots of the current Gallardo to see the differences.

UPDATE: An Italian mag has published shots of the real thing -- scans are in the spy shot gallery. The revised front and rear ends are there for you to see sans tape. The rear grillework is now a single piece that stretches the width of the car. Overall, it looks good.


[Source: Brenda Priddy & Co.]

The current Gallardo (above) will get a new look in Geneva

Inside Line reports that Lamborghini will unveil an updated Gallardo at Geneva, and that, like its big, bad MFer of a brother, the Murcielago LP640, the "baby" Lambo will get an addition to its proper name. The Gallardo LP550, as it's expected to be called, will now deliver 550 horsepower and 390 lb-ft of torque from its 5.2L ten-cylinder (up from 5.0L). Fully restyled front and rear fascias will reportedly adorn Sant'Agata's latest monument to hauling ass, too. Under that new skin sits a stiffer architecture, a lighter all-wheel-drive system, and updated versions of the car's manual and sequential gearboxes. Naturally, all this will come at a price, so look for the Gallardo's $180,000 sticker to rise accordingly. We don't foresee Lambo shoppers letting that stop them from pulling out the 'ol checkbook, and we'll be on hand in Geneva to see the newest bull enter the ring. Thanks for the tip, Mike!

[Source: Inside Line]