LA Show: Convertible Gallardo unveiled

LAMBORGHINI unveiled the convertible version of its Gallardo LP560-4 at the Los Angeles Auto Show last week, three months after the Coupe officially went on sale in Australia.

A Lamborghini spokesperson said the LP560-4 Convertible will go on sale in Australia during the second quarter next year, soon after it goes on sale in the vital North American market.

Although pricing will not be announced until the car is launched here, the $475,000 price of the Coupe indicates that the new Convertible may cost around $520,000.

Like the new Coupe, the Gallardo LP560-4 Spyder (is the German spelling because Lamborghini is part of the VW Group?) comes with significant drivetrain and chassis upgrades in addition to a mild exterior makeover.

Power comes from a new direct-injection 5.2-litre V10 engine courtesy of the VW Group parent company and is similar to that found in the Audi S6 and S8.

However, while the Gallardo shares its 540Nm peak torque output with the Audis, its 412kW of power (or 560 horsepower, and hence the new model name) at some 8000rpm easily eclipses the peak figures of both the S6 and S8, which produce ‘only’ 320kW and 331kW respectively.

With 30kW and 30Nm more than the outgoing Gallardo Spyder’s 382kW/510Nm 5.0-litre V10, and with the latest Gallardo being 20kg lighter than before, the soft-top is consequently considerably faster than before.

Driving all four wheels through a new, lighter transmission that is claimed to allow 40 percent faster shift times by (Corsa Mode), the new Gallardo Spyder has a claimed top speed of 201 miles per hour (323km/h) and accelerates from 0-100km/h in 4.0 seconds – 0.3s faster than the superseded model.

At the same time, Automobili Lamborghini says that the fuel consumption and CO2 emissions have been reduced by 18 percent.

As well as a new chassis and suspension set-up, the LP 560-4 Spyder wears the same subtly new front bumper and headlights with daytime running lights as the Coupe, plus a new rear fascia with LED tail-lights and revised rear air-diffuser, which contributes to a claimed 31 per cent better aerodynamic efficiency.

“The new LP 560-4 Spyder adds another dimension to the Gallardo’s lineage with extreme design language and class-leading performance,” said Automobili Lamborghini President and CEO Stephan Winkelmann at the LA show world premiere.

“The open version of the successful Gallardo LP 560-4 is the result of Lamborghini’s two-model strategy including the Gallardo and Murcielago.

“As the successor to the best-selling Lamborghini of all time, the new LP 560-4 Spyder combines the Coupe’s design, performance and handling characteristics with the open-air pleasure only a soft-top super-sportscar can deliver.

“As the brand’s largest global market, the United States – specifically Southern California – was strategically chosen as the perfect location to unveil this car. In 2007, Southern California contributed to approximately 30 percent of all Lamborghini sales in the United States, maintaining its position as the country’s most successful region.”

Lamborghini has built more than 8500 Gallardos since it was introduced in 2003 and in 2007 the US accounted for 39 per cent of sales.

Read more:

Leaner Gallardo lobs