Lamborghini Officially Reveals Gallardo LP 570-4 Spyder Performante

Yesterday, thanks to an online leak, we got out first taste of the all-new Lamborghini Gallardo LP 570-4 Spyder Performante. Today, the Italian manufacturer officially unveiled the 570 hp soft-top supercar, confirming that considerable effort was put into reducing the weight by 65 kg (143 lbs) and, this way, improving the Spyder's performance.

Lamborghini achieved this by replacing numerous parts with carbon fiber components, both in the cabin and on the body. Those obsessed with numbers should know that 40% of the weight savings can be traced back to the exotic composite.

The body shell is a spaceframe structure, made from aluminum, another material that goes easy on the scales, while being extremely strong. Making this setup even better was a huge task, Lamborghini says, but, thanks to the aforementioned carbon fiber parts, in the end, engineers pulled it off.

They used the material for the panel covering the soft-top, engine and transmission, and also for parts of the bodykit, like the rear spoiler, diffuser and mirror casings. Furthermore, the center tunnel cover is also made from carbon fiber, as are the door panels and the sport seats' shell.

As previously reported, the end result is total weight of 1,485 kg (3,275 lbs), which is nothing short of impressive when you factor in that open-top cars need serious strengthening to maintain the optimal structural rigidity.

The engine is the same 5.2-liter V10 unit, used by the Superleggera (http://carscoop.blogspot.com/2010/03/geneva-show-lamborghini-gallardo-lp570.html), delivering an output of 570 hp at 8,000 rpm and 540 Nm (398 lb-ft) at 6,500 rpm. Power is sent to all four wheels through an automated e-gear six-speed transmission (with launch control), which means that you'll seldom run out of grip. A six-speed manual is offered as well, at no additional cost.

The standard brake disks measure 365 mm in the front and 356 mm in the back. Optionally, buyers can get a set of carbon-ceramic brakes, in which case, the front disks measure an impressive 380 millimeters.

With a 0-to-62 mph (100 km/h) time of 3.9 seconds, the Spyder Performante is half a second slower than its the Superleggera coupe. If you really want to, you can reach a top speed of 324 km/h (201 mph), but keep in mind that your hairdo might suffer some dire consequences.

Stability is really important when you go that fast, so Lamborghini engineers didn't mess around and used a running gear directly derived from motorsport, featuring a high-tech aluminum double wishbone setup.

The car runs on 19-inch super-lightweight rims with titanium bearings and bolts and shod in Pirelli P Zero Corsa tires. The Italian maker says that this way it saved another 13 kg or 29 lbs.

Just like the Superleggera, the Performante shed weight without ditching all the comfort: it still comes with air conditioning and electric windows as standard.

More information on pricing and availability should follow shortly.

By Csaba Daradics

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Lamborghini LP 570-4 Spyder Performante: "Official" Superleggera Spyder appears online

Lamborghini may have just dropped some info and specs on its latest special edition Gallardo, the LP 570-4 Spyder "Performante". I say "may have" because nearly 100% of the information in the press release posted by a forum member of Teamspeed is cut and pasted from the Superleggera's original info sheet (barring the weight / height / speed differences).

The Performante - if that is, indeed, its real name - benefits from a diet thanks to Lamborghini's now Lotus-like commitment to weight reduction, resulting in a Gallardo drop-top that's 143 lbs / 65 kg lighter than its predecessor.

The 3,275 lb / 1,485 kg Lambo, essentially a Superleggera Spyder, reaches its target weight with improved efficiency thanks to a lot of carbon fiber components throughout. The nose wears the Superleggera's more aggressive flat black razor design, while the rest of the aerodynamic accessories and improvements (diffuser, spoiler, etc.) are also likely cribbed from its coupe sibling.

Inside, driver and passenger are wrapped, rolled, and swathed in Alcantara and carbon fiber bits from head to toe. Lamborghini also wants you to know that A/C and power windows are standard (as they should be).

Thanks to its inherited 5.2-liter V10, the new Performante also gets a little extra juice running through its mechanical veins to the tune of 570 horsepower / 419 kW. With 398 lb-ft / 540 Nm of torque driving the four wheels, it'll reach 100 km/h / 62 mph in 3.9 seconds before crushing most competition with a top speed of 324 km/h / 201 mph.

The LP 570-4 Spyder Performante sizes up at 4.39 m long, 1.9 m wide, and 1.18 m tall. As soon as something more official makes its way out of Lamborghini's gates, we'll let you know.

By Phil Alex

Via: Teamspeed

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VIDEO: Lamborghini 560-4 Polizia Stradale Hitting it out at Monza

Youtube's Marchettino has some neat footage featuring one of two Gallardo 560-4s donated by Lamborghini to the Italian police (the other was totaled last year - see here). The cars were originally acquired in 2008 as replacements for the first two Gallardo police cars (donated in 2004), and their purpose is to rapidly transport organs and patrol high-risk sections of Italy's certain highways.

It's not every day that we get to see police rolling around in Lamborghinis, so when stuff like this pops up it's always a treat. Check out the vid below to see the 5-0 Lambo howling along in the rain at Monza with a handful of other exotics.

By Phil Alex

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VIDEO: Twin-Turbo Lamborghini Gallardo goes Airborne at Texas Mile

The Texas Mile had its inaugural event back in October 2003 and since then it has become very popular among performance enthusiasts. There you can drive on a one and a half mile highway section as fast as you can and not be in trouble in the eyes of the law. Oh, and you can set some records. Just what the owner of this twin-turbo Lamborghini Gallardo intended, but things went horribly wrong for him as you can see in the video after the break.

Richard Holt's rocket-on-wheels was built by Underground Racing with the twin-turbocharged V10 rated somewhere between 1,500-1,900 hp (1,119-1,417 kW). More than enough to attempt setting a new standing mile world record.

Eyewitness reports say that the car hit the 1 mile marker with no trouble, immediately deploying its parachute. At that moment it suddenly veered off to the right and, after hitting the grass and a small obstacle, took to the skies going well over 100 mph or 160 km/h.

The reason? Strong crosswinds, it seems. Fortunately, Mr. Holt was able to walk away from this one, the only real victim being the car.

By Csaba Daradics

Source: Autoblog.com & Autoblog.nl

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Lamborghini Indomable Study Merges Gallardo and F-22 Fighter Into One

At the Scuola Politecnica di Design in Milan, design students Daniel Chinchilla Ochoa and Alberto Fernandez Albilares prepared this Lamborghini design study, called the Indomable.

Under the supervision of Filipo Perini, head of Lamborghini Centro Stile and designer Alessandro Salvagnin, Ochoa and Albilares were tasked with creating a design study based on the existing Lamborghini Gallardo's wheelbase.

The Indomable is the result. Said to be inspired by the latest generation fighter planes such as the F-22 Raptor, it incorporates features like a Y-shaped glass engine bay cover and a taillight assembly that also acts as the rear wing.

Ochoa has had an interesting career. Having worked on everything from aftermarket aerokits for Volkswagens and Fords to designing busses for his homeland of Mexico, he then worked an internship at Lamborghini Centro Stile for 6 months after finishing his Masters at Scoula Politecnica di Design.

By Tristan Hankins

Designers: Daniel Chinchilla Ochoa & Alberto Fernandez Albilares

Source: Carbodydesign

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Lamborghini Launches Gallardo LP570-4 Blancpain Limited Edition

Lamborghini has teamed up with Swiss luxury watchmaker Blancpain to create a limited edition version of its Gallardo supercar that pays homage to the Lamborghini Blancpain Super Trofeo racing cars. As you may have guessed, Blancpain is the title sponsor of the one-make racing series.

Finished in a black paintwork, the road-legal Gallardo LP 570-4 Blancpain Edition adopts the racing model's Countach-sized rear-wing and unique engine cover which is said to offer improved ventilation.

The car also gets Skorpius alloy wheels with yellow-painted brake calipers and discs made from carbon-ceramic composite, while several external components, such as the diffuser and mirror casings are made from carbon-fiber.

The racing atmosphere continues in the interior which is finished in black Alcantara with yellow accents and visible carbon-fiber.

As with the Super Trofeo race car, propulsion for the all-wheel drive model comes from the 5.2-liter V10 with 570-horsepower found in the series production Gallardo Superleggera.

Lamborghini says the Blancpain Edition tips the scales (dry) at 1340 kilograms (2954 lb) making it "the lightest road-going model in Lamborghini's range." Not to nitpick, but that's not entirely true as the Gallardo LP 570-4 Superleggera has the same exact weight. So to be precise, it shares the title with the Superleggera.

Power-to-weight ratio of the vehicle stands at 2.35 kilograms (5.18 lb) per hp with the Blancpain completing the standard zero to 100 km/h (0-62 mph) sprint in 3.4 seconds and reaches the 200 km/h (124 mph) mark only 6.8 seconds later (10.2''). Top speed exceeds 320 km/h (199 mph).

There is no word on pricing or availability of the Gallardo LP 570-4 Blancpain Edition as of this time.