Lamborghini Reviews

Supercars. Who needs them? No-one really, and yet they are dream machines around the world.Right at the top today is the outrageous Lamborgini Aventador, which trumpets everything from a carbon fibre chassis to a 350km/h top speed, 2.9-second sprint to 100km/h, and a $745,600 price tag in Australia.Lamborghini only sold 32 cars in here in 2011, despite the global success of the V10-powered Gallardo that goes up against the Ferrari 458, yet there is already a two-year waiting list for the Aventador LP700-4.That could be the styling, or the performance, or just the fact that 2011 brought an all-new Lamborghini V12 flagship with - translating its name - 700 horsepower and all-wheel drive.The first time I drove a V12 Lamborghini, back in the 1980s, it was a disaster. The borrowed Countach was grumpy, awfully uncomfortable, hot and cramped, and then a radiator hose sprung a leak   . . .It was outrageous, and memorable, but not in a good way. So I am interested to see how the Aventador goes, especially as it attracts the attention of the Italian Police - "documents please" - just 30 minutes of legal-speed driving after leaving the Lamborghini factory.VALUEHow do you measure value on a car as costly as the Aventador? It's mostly about the satisfaction it delivers to someone who has a fleet of cars and most likely a giant boat and a couple of houses, together with the bragging rights ability to shut down the owner of a Ferrari 599 or Lexus LF-A. And that's not me.Still, if you consider the Aventador against the Lexus LF-A at $700,00 and the outgoing Ferrari 599, it makes a solid case thanks to the styling, performance and lots of luxury equipment. The Lexus feels pretty ordinary against the Aventador, despite its track-tuned development.The starter button alone in the Lamborghini - it sits in the centre console and has a flip-up red cover like the ones used for missile launches - could be enough to win some people. "The car is already a sellout. Our whole allocation for 2012 is gone," says Martin Roller of Lamborghini."Nationally, we'll probably do 50 cars this year. Last year was down, of course, because we were waiting for the Aventador. But we've got it now and it's a cracker."TECHNOLOGYThe technical presentation from the engineers at Lamborghini headquarters in Sant'Agata goes on for nearly three house, and that's before the visit to the production line and carbon fibre laboratory.The highlights are the full carbon fibre chassis, claimed as the first in the world and displayed with aluminium suspension assemblies bolted to the passenger cell, as well as the high-tech V12 engine, Haldex all-wheel drive and a bank of computers to keep everything talking and pointing in the right direction.There is less attention to the 17.1l/100km fuel economy and CO2 emissions of a naughty 398 grams/kilometre, even though Lamborghini says this is a significant 20 per cent improvement over the car's Murcielago predecessor.DESIGNThe shape of the Aventador, designed in-house after a competitive pitch against Lamborghini's owners at Audi, is just plain outrageous. Lots of car companies say their sports cars are inspired by fighter jets but it's true for Lamborgini, even if the back-end view looks a lot like a scarab beetle.The nose is chiselled in true super sportscar style, the wheels and tyres are huge, and the Aventador has the scissor-lift doors - easy for close-in parking - that have become a V12 Lamborghini signature.Inside, the digital dashboard mimics old-style analogue dials - but with far more information - and there are two comfy and supportive bucks with a giant centre console. But it's hard to find somewhere to put the push-button key that unlocks the car, and the luggage space is - at best - tight.SAFETYNo-one from ANCAP is going to crash an Aventador, but the results of the company's own testing - on display as part of an illustration on repair work - shows the massive strength of the carbon fibre passenger cell. There is also ESP with a variety of driving modes, since some owners will take to racetracks, giant brakes with ABS control, parking radar and a - much needed - reversing camera.DRIVINGTime with the Aventador is theatre. It's also cracking good fun, even sticking religiously to the Italian motorway speed limits behind an Audi pace car and over snow-drenched minor roads.From the first moment that V12 engine fires behind my head, the car has me. The first time I uncork all the power, and feel a kick in the back that makes a V8 Supercar pretty bit tame, I wonder how anyone could possibly use an Aventador on the road every day.But it's surprisingly docile when you leave the robotised manual gearbox in drive, with all the driving assist systems set for manual support. It will dribble easily in traffic, isn't completely impossible to park, and is comfy and cosseting.Get the car cracking through some turns and there is a little reluctance from the nose, but application of power gets things sorted for a neutral balance and it will really hustle along any road at almost any - sane - speed.The best thing about the Aventador is the reaction it gets from other people. Jaws drop, camera phones fire into action, and people just wave and cheer. Even the police eventually smile and send me on my way.In Australia, the Aventador will be just plain outrageous and exotic and desirable. It's not for everyone, and most people will dismiss it as a piece of silly irrelevance, but it's good that cars like the flagship Lamborghini still exist.VERDICTThe Aventador is a silly car and silly money, but so much fun. It's a true dream machine.STAR RATINGLamborghini AventadorPrice: from $754,600Warranty: 3 years/ unlimited kmResale: New modelService interval: 15,000km or 12 monthsSafety: four airbags, ABS, ESP, TC.Crash rating: not testedEnigne: 515W/690Nm 6.5-litre V12Body: 2-door, 2-seatDimensions: 4780mm (L); 2030m (W); 1136mm (H); 2700mm (WB)Weight: 1575kgTransmission: 7-speed robotised manual; all-wheel-driveEconomy: 17.2l/100km; 398g/ CO2

When the cars involved are all from Lamborghini, one of the world's most exotic brands, the whole deal sounds so much sweeter. And it is. But what if I tell you we never get much beyond the posted 130km/h limit, that a metre of snow has created traffic chaos in a string of tiny hilltop towns, and that the highlight of the day is a stand-off with thePolizia over documents for the cars and drivers? Oh, and lunch, of course. But that's all ahead as we roll into Sant' Agata, the home of Lamborghini since it was set up by a humble tractor maker in the 1960s, for a deep-dip day of driving in the latest hero cars for the Italian brand. It's a dream come true, a big tick on the bucket list, and a chance to discover why some people really choose a Lamborghini ahead of a Ferrari - or a perfectly reasonable new apartment.The Lamborghini brand has always been a bit more exotic and mysterious than mainstream Ferrari, which is just up the road and remains the benchmark for any buyer - or brand - looking to tap the supersports dream. These days it picks up the giant benefit of a place in the Volkswagen Group, thanks to its Audi ownership. That means German efficiency with Italian passion, and that's far better than doing things the other way around.Carsguide is in Italy with Lamborghini for the first - yes the very first - official press visit in a generation, covering everything from technical briefings and a walk down the production line to a sneak peek into the carbon fibre research laboratory and a long lingering look at the museum. What emerges is an exotic brand with a sense of style and humour, but a very sharp approach to its cars and customers.The Gallardo changed Lamborghini forever, giving the company the credibility and reliability to put the brand on shopping lists around the world. Now there is the new flagship, the $754,600 Aventador with the V12 engine and 350km/h top speed.But when it's flashing a warning about icy driving, and the day quickly degenerates into a slow-speed tour through some beautifully snowed-in countryside, even the Aventador loses its shine. And literally, too, with so much slush about.But then comes a tunnel and, with a volley of rapid-fire downshifts, the Aventador and the Gallardo Superleggera are howling like banshees and everything is right in the world. I'm smiling, the cars are happy, and it's a great day.AVENTADOR:Ferruccio Lamborghini chose a V12 engine when he set up in opposition to Enzo Ferrari in 1963 and his company has continued down the same road for close to 50 years.The latest V12 flagship is the Aventador, one of the most exotic looking cars on the road in 2012 and one that ticks almost every box for teen-aged dreamers and 50-something magnates. It really is that special.The Aventador is a two-seat supersports car with a 6.5-litre engine that punches out 520 kiloWatts to feed through a high-tech all-wheel drive system. Did someone mention Audi, which owns Lamborghini?The first Aventadors have just reached Australia and already there is a two-year waiting list, even though the bottom line starts at $754,600 without worrying about on-road costs, insurance or a few personal tweaks in colour or trim.Value? It's not really something you can assess without access to James Packer's vault.But there is plenty of technology, starting with the world's first full carbon fibre monocoque. That's the centre of the car, where the people sit, and it is the foundation for the suspension and the rest of the mechanical package that hangs off at either end.The Aventador has a computer-controlled seven-speed robotised manual gearbox that's capable of F1-speedy shifts, but it's also programmed to shift quickly to the high gears to maximise fuel economy - rated at 19.1 litres/100km - and minimise emissions.No-one from ANCAP is intending to crash-test an Aventador, but the car has a super-rigid structure, airbags and the usual ESP and ABS systems to keep its two occupants safe. And anyone driving the car at 110km/h is so far from the danger zone that the real threat is boredom and a micro-sleep.You start the Aventador by lifting a small red flap - like the ones covering the triggers for rockets - after sliding deeply into the car through its signature scissor door. The sound is magic V12 music, although surprisingly muted.Tug a shift paddle and it's time to get moving, with the computer power easing the clutch and shifting gears as well as any of the latest double-clutch packages. The Lamborghini feels very wide, the ride is super-firm, and there are scary thoughts about what could happen if I put my foot on the floor.But there is no chance today, with an Audi Q7 running as the pace car and enforcing a quiet pace on slick and icy roads. A couple of times I get brave and belt it up beyond 8000 revs, enjoying the sort of thrust usually reserved for Formula One drivers.One time, with the speedometer hovering around 120km/h, I give the Aventador its head and the traction control light blinks furiously, the steering tugs and hunts, and I realise the big beast is not happy.Me? Perhaps. It's great to get time in the Aventador but now I cannot wait for the next time, and hopefully some Australian sunshine and a wide-open racetrack with no speed limits and no Q7s.GALLARDO SPYDER:It's easy to stay warm in a droptop Gallardo, even when the outside temperature is barely above freezing.The cabin is set deeply into the middle of the car, there are heated seats, and the shape of the wedgy body keeps the wind flowing smoothly over your head.Of course, there is also the warm glow you get from driving such a rare beast.The Gallardo Spyder is an effective convertible conversion on the V10-powered Lamborghini that pays the bills, and returns a profit to Audi, in the 21st century. The Gallardo has been teased and tweaked in a number of directions, and the Spyder is the one that works for a lot of people.The roof is electric, as you'd expect, but still a canvas job at a time of clamshell hardtops. It works, but it doesn't look as nice as some cars that cost far less than its $515,000.The mechanical package is built up from a 5.2-litre V10 with 343 kiloWatts and a 0-100km/h sprint time o just 4.0 seconds, thanks to all-wheel drive. There is a six-speed e.gear transmission and all-wheel drive, as well as a cabin in typical Lamborghini leather but with switchgear and displays that are more obviously borrowed from Audi than the lineup in the Aventador.The Spyder can easily run with the bulls, especially in a land of speed limits and Polizia, and it does it with a little more panache and excitement than a regular Gallardo.I can feel a little slackness in the chassis, though not a lot, but the Spyder is still a car that can surprise and delight. It's just not for me.GALLARDO SUPERLEGGERA:Now we're talking. This car is a lightweight - in the best possible way.The Lamborghini team created the new pacemaker in the Gallardo lineup with lashings of lightweight carbon fibre to trim the bottom line by 70 kilograms while holding onto 419 kiloWatts of power and all-wheel drive.That means 0-100km/h in a time warping 3.4 seconds, a 325 km/h top speed and a searing $542,500 price tag in Australia. That means it costs more than a Ferrari 458 Italia.But Lamborghini says the Superleggera is a car for people who enjoy cars and driving, and makes the point with kermit green bodywork on the test car at Sant' Agata. It also has ripper sports bucket seats, a suede-wrapped steering wheel, and carbon fibre everything from the door trims to a rear wing that produces real downforce.The Superleggera is the evil member of our little Lamborghini train, always teasing the driver with the promise of instant feedback, a howling soundtrack, and the ability to compress time and space.But it feels edgy and nervous, which is ideal for a racetrack but less encouraging on a cold day with changeable conditions including water, sludge and a little snow and ice.When you strap into this Gallardo you have to pay attention and be prepared for action.That's what makes it so enjoyable, even just squirting away from traffic lights or easing through a couple of right-angled bends.The Superleggera is the car that Lamborghini puts up against Ferrari and also the McLaren MP4-12C, and it makes a powerful statement. It's not for everyone, but for the people who want one it ticks all the boxes. 

I've never been to a bullfight and perhaps that's why something in the logic of Lamborghini's naming policy escapes me.The Aventador, its new supercar, follows previous Lambos by taking the name of a famous fighting bull.The original Aventador went “into battle in October 1993 at the Saragossa Arena, earning the Trofeo de la Pena La Madronera, for its outstanding courage''. Apparently.Courageous, no doubt, but of course, doomed. No amount of horned bravado is going to save it from the bloke in a Lady Gaga outfit with a long shiny blade. I'm pretty sure bulls are on the wrong side of the longest losing streak in history.Humans barracking for bulls have noticed these odds and protested. According to a survey last year, 60 per cent of Spaniards were opposed and as a result Barcelona held its last fight a little while ago after Catalonia implemented a ban.So the Aventador is named after a dead bovine from a spectacle increasingly out of tune with the times. You can't help wondering whether Lamborghini has its branding strategy quite right. Supercars already feel like a threatened species. Are we about to witness their heroic last stand?Thankfully, no. The Aventador doesn't feel like the last of the line; far from it. This is a supercar from the future that's just beamed in, Star Trek-style. It's been designed by Darth Vader and has the latest warp drive. It's boldly going where no supercar has gone before.VALUEThe Aventador has a price as stratospheric as its ability - and an increasing number of rivals, even at this level -- but Lamborghini is emphatically bullish about sales. It has 1500 orders already and no sign of flagging despite the economic storm on the horizon. There's already an 18-month waiting list.DESIGNWith its arrowhead styling the Aventador is a stealth fighter without the stealth; it could probably avoid radar detection but you'll never miss it on the road. The Aventador is the first series production car to employ this design language after it was used for two special editions: the Reventon, a version of the Murcielago, and the Sesto Elemento, a fully carbon fibre version of the Gallardo.Upward opening doors have been a signature of Lamborghini flagships since the Countach and they are reappear here. They swivel up and you limbo-dance in. Ahead are virtual dials from the deck of the Enterprise, a start button under a hinged red cover and lots more angular surfaces. Anyone familiar with top-shelf Audis will know the buttons are not bespoke, but there's nothing off-key.TECHNOLOGYLike almost everything else on the Aventador, the transmission is new and Lamborghini developed its own robotised seven-speed system rather than take existing technology from its Volkswagen parent. It came up with a system it calls Independent Shifting Rod, which is lighter and more compact than the double-clutch transmissions becoming ubiquitous on performance cars. It's also very quick, banging up or down through gears in 50 milliseconds in track mode. Even in strada, response feels instantaneous.The suspension, with double wishbones all round, employs the pushrod design favoured by racing cars. Positioned inboard, it's lighter and more compact than the Murcielago's while delivering better comfort and dynamics, Lamborghini says. Tyres are 19-inch at the front, 20 at the rear and house huge carbon ceramic brakes. At the front they measure 400mm and are gripped by six pistons.They can rein in the Aventador from 100km/h in just 30m, which means they are incredibly effective. It feels like it, too, with short braking zones for some corners and you're playing with fire if you don't brake in a straight line. Like the Murcielago, the Aventador has electronically controlled air intakes that adjust automatically, as well a rear spoiler that rises as speed requires then changes its angle of attack.DRIVINGI've travelled to Sepang racetrack, Malaysia, to sample the car for the first time. There are a lot more motoring journalists here than cars, so it's two laps of the track and heavily shepherded ones at that. A Gallardo, Lamborghini's junior supercar, acts as pace car with a pro driver at the wheel.Seeing an Aventador alongside a Gallardo brings home how extreme it is. Only in this context could a Gallardo look as tall as a people-mover and as intimidating as Play School. The Aventador is Commodore-long but a scant 1.1m high. If it wasn't more than 2m wide you could step over it. There's only time to acquaint myself with bits relevant to piloting the car around 15 corners and 5.5km. It's get in and get going.The acceleration is more linear and less dramatic than expected but utterly relentless. The naturally aspirated 6.5-litre unit behind the cabin is Lambo's first new V12 in decades. The Murcielago, its predecessor, wrung more and more out of the previous engine until there was nothing left to give. This starts beyond that level with 515kW at 8250rpm, which is high revving in anybody's language and spectacular for a V12.It likes to rev, too, and is good for a top speed of 350km/h. On the track, I'm well into triple figures before I realise because it takes just 2.9 seconds to reach 100km/h. Floor it and you're flying into the next corner quicker than you expect. Not that I'm looking at the speedo. There isn't time.Mid-corner grip, with its huge rubber, all-wheel-drive and differentials everywhere, feels off the scale although I'm testing it only when I get something not quite right, such as the line into a corner. As speed rises and falls, surfaces and intakes on the car are responding.Corners are quick too, although with fairly pronounced weight transfer from one side of the car to the other in rapid direction changes. This may be because I made the mistake of obeying instructions and leaving the suspension settings in strada, when sport or track would have been more appropriate. A colleague with a rebellious streak chose sport and said the car's weight evaporated. Not that it's all that heavy anyhow.The Aventador sheds 90kg compared with the Murcielago and it's certainly light for its size. Lamborghini has made the entire passenger cell from carbon fibre -- one of few cars to do so, along with the new McLaren -- and despite its city-block footprint weighs just 1575kg dry. Carbon fibre is stronger and stiffer than equivalent aluminium or steel structures and as a result the Aventador is 1 1/2 times more rigid than the Murcielago.Two laps go in blur of impressions. There's something otherworldly about the Aventador. It transports the driver to a place where ordinary sensations of speed and performance no longer apply. As intimidating as anything you can buy, it takes supercars to the next level and my senses and reflexes haven't had time to adjust. It feels less feral than the Murcielago but has the technology and performance to back its menacing looks.If there's a surprise, it's the relative lack of drama in the way it goes about its business. From pitlane, watching cars race down the straight, it was the Gallardo pace car that made a more appealing sound. I was expecting a bit more fury from the Aventador. A bit more snorting histrionics, a bit more scraping of hooves. What it declares loudly though, is that the supercar has a lot of life in it yet.VERDICTFlagship Lamborghinis come along about once every 10 years, so it will be some time before it needs to find a name for the next one. By then, bullfighting could be history and Lamborghini will be left with a dilemma. But as long as there are still supercars to name, they can call them what they like.LAMBORGHINI AVENTADOR LP700-4Price: $754,600 plus on-road costsEngine: 6.5-litre V12Outputs: 515kW at 8250rpm and 690Nm at 5500rpmTransmission: Seven-speed robotised manual, all-wheel driveLAMBORGHINI'S 12 ANGRY CYLINDERS350GT (1964-66), 3.5-litre V12. 160 builtMiura (1966-72), 3.9-litre V12. 764 builtCountach (1974-90), 3.9-litre (later 5.2) V12. 2042 builtDiablo (1991-2001), 5.7-litre V12. 2884 builtMurcielago (2001-10), 6.2-litre V12. 4099 built

When it came time to replace its Murcielago supercar, Lamborghini knew it had its work cut out. As awesome as the big V12 monster was to drive, it could be a handful in the corners, its chromolly tube chassis was dated and its fuel consumption was gargantuan.In Lamborghini president Stephan Winkelmann’s words, the Italian maker needed to leap ahead two full generations if it wanted to position itself at the forefront of the supercar world. Australians will see the results of Lamborghini’s efforts at this week’s Australian International Motor Show when the Aventador LP700-4 is revealed for the first time locally, but Carsguide has already driven the stunning high-performance machine in Europe.The exotically-named Aventador highlights four key technologies, all aimed at delivering raw speed: a sophisticated new electronics system, a clever seven-speed sequential gearbox, a brand-new V12 engine, and an all-carbon chassis.The result is a car that’s fast in a way that’s difficult to comprehend. It nails 0-100km/h in just 2.9 seconds, runs to a top speed of 350km/h and, thanks in part to Australia’s punitive luxury car tax, will cost the better part of a million dollars to drive away.VALUEAny time you get asked to hand over $754,600 for a car as opposed to a mansion, it’s difficult to work out whether it represents value or not, even bearing in mind that taxes account for in excess of $210K of that asking price.But cars like the Aventador sell to a clientele that recognizes and values the exclusivity of such a machine, both in terms of the limited numbers sold, and in its status at the very top of the performance tree. And, to be perfectly honest, there’s nothing out there that’s quite like the Aventador.Ferrari quit the mid-engined supercar business after the TestaRossa and now sells its V12s as front-engined grand tourers (even if the 599 GTO is an awesome machine). Nor does anything else have this level of carbon-fibre technology as its core. The rare as hens-teeth Pagani Zonda and upcoming McLaren MP4-12C both make extensive use of carbon technology, but both cars are a generation behind what Lamborghini is offering.Despite the price, you don’t get limousine-like features inside the cabin, which is best described as comfortably functional. But where the Aventador excels is in developing enormous amounts of power and character, and delivering both brilliantly.TECHNOLOGYFirstly, the Aventador uses not one, but three different carbon-fibre technologies to create a chassis that is not only light, but so stiff that it passes the FIA’s current GT racing roof crush test without a roll cage.The basis of this strength is an in-house technology called ‘RTM Lambo’ that needs a lot less heat and preparation time than other carbon-fibre manufacturing techniques. That’s backed up with tubular, braided carbon that is used to add strength in the windscreen pillars and along the sills, while more traditional carbon is used for the roof and windscreen pillar surfaces.This magical material has resulted in a chassis that weighs just 175kg yet is so strong that it requires 33 tonnes of force on one corner to make it bend a single degree. It’s also been designed with ease of driving and building in mind, so both left- and right-hand drive buyers can sit straight, where the old car made them twist inwards a fraction.But Lamborghini hasn’t stopped at the Aventador’s body. The car also features a race-bred pushrod suspension, with the dampers and springs sitting inboard instead of out by the wheels; an electrical system capable of processing half a billion calculations a second; and a lighter, faster all-wheel drive system.There’s also a clever seven-speed automated-manual gearbox that reshuffles the traditional gear pairings so the computer can disengage one gear as it’s engaging the next one, all in just 0.05 seconds. That’s a touch slower than the fastest twin clutch gearboxes, but few will argue it’s tardy. It’s also brilliantly designed, weighing basically the same as the old ‘box, even with an extra gear.Sadly, the new system heralds the demise of Lamborghini’s classic open-gate manual gearshift.And then, of course, there’s the engine. At 6.5-litres it’s about the same size as the Murcielago’s V12, but the Aventador’s engine is all new and shares not a single screw with the old car. It produces 515kW at 8250rpm and 690Nm at 5500rpm, but the numbers just don’t do it justice…DESIGNIf the Aventador’s look seems a little familiar, it’s probably because Lamborghini admits that’s a what it wanted. The company stretched the bounds of what it could manufacture in low volumes with its Reventon art car, and the Aventador is a little more conservative than that, but still clearly from the same design family. Inside, the story isn’t as convincing as the bodywork.There’s a very high centre console, complete with a flip-up cover for the start button, but many of the standard materials don’t feel like they belong in a car costing this much. Customisation options means you can change them for much classier materials, but that’s an extra cost…SAFETYTestament to the inherent strength of carbon-fibre tubs such as that at the heart of the Aventador is seen from time to time when F1 drivers emerge unscathed from enormous crashes. Lamborghini insists the same strength is part of the Aventador’s DNA, pointing to the first rear crash test, which the car survived so well that engineers effectively replaced some panels and turned the same car around to do the side impact test as well.We’ll probably have to take their word for it, too, because at these prices Australian safety authorities are unlikely to be slamming one into a wall any time soon. Regardless of its crash performance, the Aventador comes with the sort of active safety arsenal – enormous, sticky Pirelli tyres, 400mm carbon-ceramic front brakes and enough grip to hurt the necks of the unwise – that it’s hard to imagine how you’d crash one in the first place. Except through massive over-enthusiasm.DRIVEThat V12 fires up instantly to give you a constant baseline of stomach-rumbling tension, even at idle. Yet, there are no histrionics from it and it will happily burst off the line from cold or just cruise in heavy traffic without tickling the temperature gauge.The beautifully trimmed and snugly supportive sports seats are perfectly aligned in the straight ahead (trust me, it’s unusual in this style of car), though right-hand drive cars do suffer a bit of intrusion into the footwell from the front wheelarch. Blip the throttle and the revs explode skywards, so that anybody somehow oblivious to the stunning exterior shape is instantly aware of the beast’s presence.With a fury of sound and revs and very little wheelspin thanks to its launch control system, the Aventador takes advantage of huge power and light weight (it’s only 1575kg) to explode off the line. You feel like you’ve been pinned to the seat by the hand of a giant. The steering, even in a straight line, comes alive with the action and, before you can comprehend it, the Aventador is demanding second gear.Pull the little alloy paddle back behind the steering wheel and there’s a precise mechanical craaack, accompanied by a faint jolt before you continue, jet-like, towards the horizon.Of course, going fast in a straight line isn’t a particularly difficult. Going around corners at speed is much more challenging, and Lamborghini has it overwhelmingly right. This car is alive in corners and shrinks around you the harder you drive it.It has three driving modes that each change its character subtly. The basic Strada mode is quieter, with a slower shift speed and predictable understeer-at-the-limit handling; Sport gives you faster shifts, more exhaust noise and handling that tends to oversteer at the limit; while Corsa unleashes the Aventador to go at its absolute fastest.Curiously, it also rides stupendously well and handles in a completely different way to the Murcielago. The old car used to frighten people into submission. The Aventador is no less of an event, but feels infinitely more trustworthy, constantly inviting the driver to push harder. Running through fast corners is like being in the ball on the end of the string. There’s nothing it doesn’t do brilliantly.VERDICTIt’s a truly astonishing car, the Aventador LP700-4. It’s clearly the best supercar money can buy today and, with more tweaks to come (magnetic-ride suspension, lighter body panels and direct fuel injection to name just three), it should stay that way for a long time. Lamborghini could have rested on its laurels, safe in the knowledge that nobody else builds this sort of car anymore.It didn’t. It’s a game changer for Lamborghini, pushing the company forward as an industry leader in electronics, in carbon-fibre and gearbox innovation while reinforcing its superfast, supersexy reputation. And it’s brilliant.Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4Price: $754,600 plus on roadsWarranty: 3 years unlimitedResale: N/AService Interval: 15,000kmEngine: 6.5-litre, naturally aspirated V12, all alloy, 48-valvesPower: 515kW at 8250rpm, 690Nm at 5500rpmBody: two-door coupe, carbon-fibre chassisWeight: 1575kgTransmission: seven-speed Independent Shifting Rods (ISR) sequential gearboxThirst: 17.2 L/100km + 398g/km CO2

Life with a Lamborghini is like having something alien and alive under your skin. Every move it makes is felt in your body. Its exhaust and engine noises shout and bark and roar in your ears like getting nagged on a bad day by the mother-in-law of your nightmares.Through a layer of Alcantara, there are subtle vibrations from the steering wheel and seat that tingles the fingertips and your butt. A variation on a Thai massage. Vision is blurry because the vehicle picks up speed and changes direction at a pace that initially shocks the brain. Think absinthe in a pint glass.Then there's the squashing. First the car's acceleration will crush you in the seat and then the corners will press against your hips and head, pulling your arms to be free of the steering wheel and your legs off the pedals. World Wrestling Entertainment in your bedroom.VALUEYou've got to be kidding.TECHNOLOGYTechnology costs. This is about $550,000 to buy and register so you get lots of carbon fibre(body and cabin), aluminium (chassis and body), Alcantara and leather (cabin) and forged alloy (wheels). The V10 engine now has direct-petrol injection for an instant hit. Fuel consumption is decreased, now 13.5 litres/100km average down from 17 l/100km.The 5.2-litre V10 pushes 419kW at a glorious 8000rpm and torque of 540Nm at 6500rpm. The extra 7kW over the LP560-4 is achieved primarily by remapping the engine management system.The six-speed automated manual e-gear transmission is now improved. Which is like saying being run over by a truck is much better today than 20 years ago thanks to advancements in tyre design. The original e-gear fitted to the Murcielago was a harsh and jerky affair that made you look bad in front of your mates. The new one is much smoother. The LP570-4's e-gear is operated only by the steering wheel paddles - but of more interest is the choice of full automatic, Sport and Corsa.Basically, the auto is for getting to the shops, Sport is for making it to work on time and Corsa is there to put a big grin on your face on the way home.The all-wheel drive uses a central viscous coupling and a 45 per cent rear LSD. Normally, power is channelled at the ratio of 30:70 front to rear and hit the ground via Pirelli P Zero Corsa tyres - 235/35ZR19 at the front and 295/30ZR19 at the rear - mounted on forged alloy wheels with titanium bolts.The wheels save a total of 13kg over the LP560-4. Every gram helps.The chassis is aluminium spaceframe with an aluminium and carbon fibre skin. In comparison with the LP560-4, only a liberal use of carbon fibre in the cabin shows the Superleggera has been designed to shave weight in order to get there faster.Carbon fibre is also used for the engine cover, bumper panels, spoilers and wing mirror housings. The rear spoiler, which is the easiest way of identifying the Superleggera, is actually a $15,000 option. All of the four cars already sold in Perth have this carbon-fibre wing.Carbon fibre is important in creating this coupe's character. The material is responsible for 40kg of the 70kg weight saving. The seats are covered in lightweight Alcantara instead of leather, however the car retains airconditioning and electric windows. The rear window and side glass are made of polycarbonate, as is the window over the engine bay.DRIVINGThe LP570-4 is making animal noises as it brakes and pitches and accelerates around the Wanneroo V8 Supercar circuit. Fresh from Italy and unlicensed for the road, the Gallardo LP570-4 Superleggera enjoys stretching its legs after such a long plane flight and revels in the warm air and empty track.At 1340kg, the Superleggera - simply, lightweight - is 70kg lighter than the LP560-4 coupe on which it is based and is the lightest road-going model in Lamborghini's range. Light is quick is economical is (more) environmentally friendly.It has a 0-100km/h time of 3.4 seconds and clearly - and unashamedly - is designed to match the Ferrari 455 in acceleration. More startling, however, is its 0-200km/h blast of 10.2 seconds and its top of 325km/h.All this technical data goes out the polycarbonate window, replaced with the need to concentrate so hard to ensure it tracks neat and smooth around the circuit. Thanks to the e-gear automated manual, it's not particularly hard to drive. But it is particularly hard to perfect the corners while getting used to its width and the razor-sharp response of the engine.Start the circuit in the transmission's "automatic" mode, build confidence and switch on the run to Sport, and then, a lap later, press the centre console's Corsa button. Which is like riding a feral beast and then stabbing in the neck. Pull on the right-hand steering wheel paddle and the car jumps sharply, the next cog rammed in and the engine howl drops an octave or two.Up two more for the straight, down one, then two for the right-hander. The ratios plunge instantly and the tail gives a little squirm, the steering wheel turns slightly and the back settles for the corner. It seems to know what to do and even pretends to become friendly.If it didn't cost half a million dollars and didn't have the fuse-lit explosion of 419kW hanging over the driver's head, it could be a fun car. Which is why - unlike many of its peers - you can flick the Gallardo's engine mapping switch back to automatic mode and, literally, go shopping.Lamborghini last year has a similar track day when the limited-edition two-wheel drive Valentino Balboni model, plus a LP560-4, came to Perth.I was more enthusiastic about the Balboni, with the 40kg weight saving of the front drive mechanicals creating a coupe that boasted lighter and more responsive steering and far less understeer than the all-wheel drive model.Despite sharing drivetrains, the Superleggera's weight loss has removed that hint of understeer and made it feel as nimble, confident and as easy to drive as the Balboni. Plus, of course, it has all-wheel drive for particularly slippery conditions.OTHER MODELSAlso shown on the track day - but not driven - is the LP550-2, the car that evolved from the limited edition Valentino Balboni car that celebrated its former works driver with a lightweight, rear-drive chassis. It is identical to the 250 Balboni cars save for the lack of the trademark centre-body stripe and identification badges.The LP550-2 weighs 1380kg, runs 0-100km/h in 3.9 seconds to top 320km/h, has 405kW and 540Nm and averages 13.3 l/100km. It's also about $140,000 cheaper. Lamborghini sells four Gallardo models in Australia - LP560-4 coupe and Spyder; new LP370-4 Superleggera; and the LP550-2.The Murcielago has stopped production and its replacement, the sub-3 second 0-100km/h Jota, is expected early next year.PRICINGThe Superleggera is $541,500 (add $27,204 for e-gear) and the LP550-2 is $399,990.VERDICTLousy visibility in traffic and a price tag Olympic/Commonwealth gold medallist Steve Hooker couldn't pole vault over fail to dent the allure of its tremendous performance.LAMBORGHINI GALLARDO LP570-4 SUPERLEGGERAOrigin: ItalyPrice: from $541,500Engine: 5.2-litre, V10Power: 419kW @ 8000rpmTorque: 540Nm @ 6500rpm0-100km/h: 3.4 secondsTop speed: 325km/hFuel: Premium unleadedFuel tank: 90 litresEconomy (official): 13.5 litres/100kmGreenhouse: 319g/km (Corolla: 175g/km)Transmission: 6-speed e-gear automated manual, sequential, paddle shifters; constant 4WDBrakes: 4-wheel vented discs, 8/4-pot front/rear calipersSuspension: Front/rear _ double wishbones, coilsWheels: 19-inch alloyTyres: Front  235/35ZR19; Rear  295/30ZR19; no spareLength: 4386mmWidth: 1900mmHeight: 1165mmWheelbase: 2560mmWeight: 1340kg

In Italian, superleggra means super lightweight. In the case of the Lamborghini Gallardo, it means a lot more. The latest LP570-4 coupe is lighter than before, and it also has an extra seven kiloWatts in the engine room, but the superleggera is really about sharpening one of the sharpest supercars in the world today.Lamborghini is also using the Gallardo Superleggera as a demonstration of its commitment to stripping excess bulk out of its cars, both now and in the future.“Lamborghini used to be known for having very lightweight vehicles with powerful propulsion systems. I think we lost that over the course of the years and we have to get back to that," says Lamborghini’s design boss, Manfred Fitzgerald.PRICING AND MARKETThe Superleggera still comes with a hefty pricetag, as an 18 per cent price hike in Europe points to a bottom line in the $560,000 region in Australia. Although Lamborghini won't admit it, the timing of the Gallardo Superleggera's launch is ideal for it to compete with the recent release of Ferrari's all-new 458 Italia.The Superleggera is 40kg lighter than the Ferrari, despite the Gallardo’s age, so it seems Lamborghini's work really is worthy of credit. Besides, as a racetrack weapon, the new Superleggera is the best Gallardo yet.Lamborghini is so dedicated to weight-loss work it entered a partnership with the University of Washington, a global pioneer in the research and development of carbonfibre technology including work with Boeing on its new 787 Dreamliner. Fitzgerald insists the partnership will allow Lamborghini to revolutionise the use of carbonfibre in its cars."We've learned over the past couple of years how to better understand the material of carbonfibre, which will be playing a key role in lightweight construction and manufacturing," he says. "Up until today, it was always the same method of having asthetic parts done in carbonfibre, but it will become more and more crucial to have this material also going into structural parts. For us it is a key factor of giving the customers – the drivers – added value. That comes from giving them enhanced driving dynamics, and this you can only do by reducing the weight of the vehicle."Of the 70kg stripped out of the LP570-4 Superleggera, 40kg is thanks to the extensive use of carbonfibre inside the cockpit, in the engine cover, door sills, exterior mirrors and the re-designed diffuser. The F1-style rear diffuser, in combination with a covered underbody, also helps the Superleggera generate around 50 percent more downforce for high-speed cornering.DRIVINGAcceleration is fearsome, repeatedly reaching 100km/h in just 3.4 seconds, thanks to a special launch control program, and bounding to 200km/h in only 10.2sec, before hitting its top speed of 325km/h. It's the kind of performance that will earn you more police attention than Lewis Hamilton's Benz burnout.At the heart of the Superleggera is an all-alloy, direct-injected 5.2-litre V10 engine that develops 419kW at a stratospheric 8000 revs, and produces a hefty torque figure of 540Nm at 6500. As those stats suggest, the engine’s best work is done at high revs, lacking the bottom-to-midrange grunt that many modern forced-induction engines deliver. But that only validates your urge to mash the throttle, just to hear the beast rage as it approaches the upper reaches of its rev range.The Lamborghini’s sensational acoustics – a deep, rich undertone overlaid by a high-pitched animalistic wail – is a consequence of the engine’s dual-plane crankshaft, where opposing pistons share a common bearing in this crankshaft design. The suspension has been stiffened significantly with a 20 percent increase in damper firmness and new suspension bushes that are 90 percent stiffer.The harsh difference in the Superleggera's suspension is immediately obvious, even before reaching the end of pitlane at the Spanish Monteblanco circuit where the car was launched to the world’s media. It doesn't offer Grand Touring ability of the LP560-4 Coupe, but that’s because the Superleggera was crafted for racetrack prowess... and it delivers.The lighter, stiffer Superleggera is a much more focussed track car than the LP560-4. Even though the suspension is rock-hard, it’s well-damped for the racetrack and - with the additional downforce - creates a sense of stability through super-fast sections of the track, where you’re quickly grabbing each gear through the six-speed sequential manual’s column-mounted paddle shifters. The stiffer bushings also ensure that there’s no slack in the suspension, and accordingly, the Superleggera responds swiftly to steering inputs. Turn-in is sharper, with hardly any discernible body roll.But for all its confident racetrack ability, there's still plenty of mongrel left in this car. Lift off the throttle mid-corner or fail to get the car's weight settled squarely before you punish the powerful ceramic brakes, and the weight of the mid-mounted engine will cause the rear of the car to dance around, requiring subtle steering corrections.The ESP Sport program is well-calibrated, and allows the all-wheel drive system's 30/70 front-to-rear torque split to slide the tail when you’re powering out of tight corners. But its emphasis on reducing weight as a means of enhancing the driving experience has a second benefit: improved fuel efficiency, which is becoming increasingly important, even for supercar manufacturers.The Superleggera returns a combined EU fuel economy figure of just 13.5L/100km, which is commendable for a car with its performance potential and proves that innovation like Lamborghini’s will ensure that the supercar has a future. Just don't count on them getting any cheaper.Lamborghini Gallardo SuperleggeraPrice: estimated $560,000On sale: second half 2010Engine: 5.2-litre V10Output: 419kW/540NmTransmission: six-speed robotised manual, all-wheel-driveEconomy: 13.5L/100kmEmissions: 319g/km CO2RIVALSFerrari F458, estimated $450,000Porsche 911 Turbo, $386,200Maserati GTS, $318,500

This is the Italian manufacturer’s best-selling car in full-thrust mode at its international launch on the volcanic Spanish island of Tenerife off the coast of Morocco last week.The locals don't get to see a lot of super sportscars on the tiny tourist island, so the appearance of the Gallardo Spyder, named like all Lambos after a famous Spanish fighting bull, elicits cries of Dale cana which means step on it.We oblige and the Spyder rockets to 100km/h in just four seconds, down an imperceptible 0.34 seconds on the previous model.The convertible will arrive in Australia in July costing $502,000, which is $47,000 more than the coupe.For that you get a powered soft top in black, blue, grey or beige that goes up or down in about 20 seconds, allowing the driver and passenger to more fully appreciate the unique wail of the 5.2-litre V10 engine it shares with the coupe.The new driveline, featuring Iniezione Diretta Stratificata direct fuel injection, reduces fuel consumption with CO2 emissions down 18 per cent, but still an unhealthy 330g/km.Power is up 29 kilowatts to 412kW or 560 horsepower, hence the models name, while weight is down 20kg.Automobili Lamborghini: research and development director Maurizio Reggiani says this improves the all-important power-to-weight ratio."The key ingredients of this car are four-wheel-drive traction, a low power-to-weight ratio and its easy to drive with energy efficiency," he says.Brand director Manfred Fitzgerald says it is an "extreme car" with an "extreme set-up" and is not a daily driver.Company president and CEO Stephan Winkelmann disagrees."This is a daily driver even though our customers dont buy it for an everyday car," he says.They are both right to some degree.DrivingAround the narrow town streets, the Spyder feels too wide yet ambles along nicely in full automatic transmission mode.On downshifts it blips the throttle giving the impression of a talented driver behind the wheel and exciting the excitable locals with its throaty F1 growl.The suspensions extreme set-up requires judicious approaches to traffic calming so we set the optional front axle suspension lift system to the highest setting.This only works up to 70km/h, as we soon find out on the steep and twisty hillclimb to the 3000m crater of El Teide, the volcano which dominates the island of Tenerife.With the top down, I begin to get an ice-cream headache from the cold and dizzying heights as we hurtle upwards on the billiard-table smooth road surface.Suddenly the road resurfacing funding runs out and it becomes bumpy. The extremely low front spoiler immediately bottoms out with a sickening scrape, leaving a nasty gash, and we back right off.This may be an easy-to-drive supercar, but its extreme set-up takes it out of the realms of a daily driver.Like the coupe, the convertible features 4WD with a 30-70 per cent torque split front to rear at constant speed, a mechanical differential on the rear axle which provides up to 45 per cent limited slip, and an electronic differential lock at the front.All this serves to increase lateral force and provide maximum thrust, Reggiani says.The hairpin turns on the volcano hillclimb are a perfect testing ground for his claims of lateral force.The Spyder complies by sticking to the road with neutral manners and almost none of the usual flex and scuttle shake associated with convertibles.The low-assistance steering provides an almost go-kart feel of direct connection to the front wheels.True to Lamborghini’s claims, the open cockpit presents little buffeting, even up to 160km/h with the rear glass windscreen and side windows up.For safety, it features two spring-loaded rollover bars behind the seats which deploy in 250 milliseconds in a roll-over while the seat belt tensioners spring into action.We avoid testing this function and finally reach the volcanos crater where tourist groups have milled to photograph the stunning moonscape scenery. As we arrive, the lenses are re-focused on the origami-style Spyder instead and the tourists ask us to photograph them standing beside the car.It is a real head-turner in any colour, but the new and expensive optional matte black, white and brown are the standouts.On the downhill run the steel Brembo brakes get a solid workout and although there is no hint of fade, the pedal feels a bit soft with a lack of initial bite which is unusual for a supercar.An obvious drawback for the rear-engined Spyder is the limited 110 litres of front cargo capacity; just enough for one medium-sized suitcase or a couple of back packs.The hip-high car is also difficult to access and step out of.I found the cockpit rather cramped for leg space and with the seat all the way back the leather created an annoying squeak against the rear bulkhead.The sport seats are nicely contoured without being tight, although they are too narrow at the shoulders and are very hard on bony backsides.Fitzgerald says Spyder customers are 95 per cent male, but more women are attracted to the convertible.It is also the most important product in their two-car stable.Murcielago accounts for 25 per cent of sales, while Gallardo accounts for the other 75 per cent with 60 per cent of that being the Spyder.He says 95 per cent preferred the e.gear auto sequential transmission which features a standard program, a sport mode with shorter shift times and a racetrack-oriented corsa program.Electronic stability is active in all drive programs, engaging later in the sport and corsa modes and reducing the impact of the traction control. The corsa mode also permits greater drift, however close rock walls on the narrow roads put a stop to any intentions of drifting.At speeds of more than the sign-posted 120km/h highway, an automatically-deploying rear spoiler increases the down force on the rear wheels.We flow with the traffic which seems to disregard the posted speed signs and allow the spoiler to work its magic.The Spyder comes standard with driver, passenger and side air-bags; dual-zone climate control with sun regulator; stereo system with USB interface; sports seats with electrically adjustable back rests; leather upholstery and bi-xenon headlamps with LED daytime running lights.Options include a navigation system, a hands-free Bluetooth mobile phone connection, anti-theft device, a rear view camera, the front axle lift system, ceramic brakes.PRICE: $502,000ENGINE: 5.2-litre, 4-valve V10POWER: 412kW @ 8000rpmTORQUE: 540Nm @ 6500rpmTRANSMISSION: 6 speed manual, or 6-speed sequential e.gear automaticECONOMY: 14 litres/100km (combined)CO2 EMMISSIONS: 330g/km

Where other high performance cars tend to make many aggro, a Lambo turns them meek and mild, yielding out of their lane or giving way at cross roads as the sleek Italian supercar burbles by. If only they really knew what it is like to drive a car like the Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder, they would totally lose it.We have and we nearly did.It's everything you might imagine and more.The experience is almost mystical for the mechanically inclined, certainly a sensory overload and possibly the best ego massager money can buy apart from a private jet or multi- million dollar yacht which not many people can see you in anyway.They sure do in the Lambo Spyder _ the convertible version of Lamborghini's V10 Gallardo supercar.Essentially the same as the mid-engine tin-top the Spyder has an electrically folding soft top and no engine window through which to view the “crown jewels.” You can't have everything.It costs a pretty penny (around $460,000rrp) for the stunning mica orange car we drove that was kitted out with extra goodies like robotised sequential paddle gear shift called e-gear and other luxuries.Competitors are from that other Italian supercar company whose name starts with F and to a lesser extent, Porsche though they are a cut below the two Italians in prestige if not performance.The name Lamborghini rolls off your tongue like a delicious feast and that's what the Gallardo Spyder is like _ delicious. It is sensational to drive at any speed.An aggressive looking beast, the Spyder is all angles and air vents, low slung with a big rump and short front that is totally in keeping with its performance potential and the incredible sound blasting out those twin big-bore exhaust pipes.If you have been to an F1 race and heard what a highly developed V10 on-song sounds like then you will appreciate the Gallardo's auditory assault. Funny enough, it only bellows, nay blasts when the throttle is pushed hard otherwise it could be your average unassuming sports car with a handsome baritone ringing from the engine. But moving to Metallica mode doesn't take long.Built around an aluminium space frame a-la Audi (owner of Lamborghini), and various polycarbonate and aluminium panels, the two seater Gallardo Spyder tips the scales at a respectable 1570kg which means its going to have plenty of get up with 382kW and 510Nm spinning from the highly developed 5.0-litre V10 engine. It will put away a 0-100kmh sprint in 4.3 seconds and according to company literature, will run right through 300kmh given access to a handy airfield.Better yet is the Gallardo Spyder's handling and ride _ aided by all-wheel-drive and sophisticated electronics that help keep everything in check regardless of speed (well, within reason).The suspension is based around aluminium components and is double wishbone front and rear. Lambo has added a really handy lift mode to the front suspension for negotiating speed humps and dish gutters. Works a treat.It rolls on gumball 19-inch Pirellis of large proportion fitted to some of the best looking composite alloy wheels we have ever seen.Handling is controlled, quick to response, neutral at high speed, well damped and surprisingly supple, even in `sport' mode. Power is delivered with a greater bias towards the rear axle and a partial limited slip rear diff.The optional e-gear system takes a bit of getting used to and isn't as rapid changing as some other systems but does the job well and is fun to use, even selecting reverse with a push button.It has a large turning circle which is sometimes annoying and likes a drink of high octane premium but with 80 litres in the tank, touring range is pretty good. The pedal box is tight so it's left foot braking.There is plenty of luxury kit inside the cabin including electrically adjustable and heated seats, premium audio, climate control aircon and power assisted ancillaries. The seats are upholstered in a soft leather with contrast piping and all controls are easy to use and stylishly laid out.Its a surprisingly comfortable car to drive relatively roomy in the cockpit and offering reasonably good visibility but minimal boot space. Access is easy, egress a little more difficult due to wide rocker panels under the doors.The Gallardo is a work of art for the mechanically attuned to behold. The massive disc brakes, superb build quality, lustrous paint, clockwork engine that has a serious sting in the tail and possibly the best exhaust note of any road car we have driven. How does it get past ADRs? Who cares, we drove around all the time roofless even in inclement weather just to savour the sound. Plenty of people had their phones out filming and recording the awesome sound track.We just worried about it all the time, a problem when you have responsibility for something as valuable and revered as the Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder. 

The mission statement for the newest member of the Lamborghini family is simple.The Gallardo LP560-4 is tasked with making the Italian exotic maker the most desirable super sports brand in the world, a big job, because Lamborghini has always struggled to be as credible or as fashionable as near-neighbour Ferrari.Lamborghini's LP560-4 – the name stands for for Longitudinal Position, 560-horsepower, four-wheel-drive – is a heavily revised remake of the original `Little Bull' that has been around since 2003 and has become the most successful Lambo model in history with 7100 sold.The plan is to give the substance to support its neck-snapping extreme designs and to lift sales 5 per cent on the 2046 result of last year.“We want to become the most desirable super sports car brand in the world – the most profitable and, for our employees, the best place to work,” Lamborghini boss Stephan Winkelmann says.“A Lamborghini is not something you need to have, it is something you want to have.”The new Gallardo has gone ahead in all the right places and is lighter, faster, kinder on the environment and more pedestrian-friendly.There are significant gains for a coupe, which will cost $455,000 in Australia, where 15-20 cars from next year's production batch of 1000 will be sold.The V10 engine has been redesigned by Lamborghini and it has increased capacity – up from 5.0-litres to 5.2-litres – and a higher compression ratio for a rise in power from 382kW to 422kW and a flatter torque curve that improves driveability across all engine speeds.Against the clock the new baby Lambo arrows to 100km/h in 3.7sec (.4sec quicker than the previous model), has a maximum velocity of 325km/h (up 10km/h) and has shed 20kg to sit at a 1410kg kerb weight.Countering all of this testosterone-driven performance is the huge 18 per cent reduction in emissions, with C02 at 327g/km, a figure for the E-gear transmission fitted to 90 per cent of cars.A lot of work has been done on optimising the updated engine with the Audi-issue all-wheel-drive layout, where a mechanical differential at the rear allows 45 per cent limited slip with a front electronic diff lock.The suspension front and rear has been redesigned. It has fresh springs, dampers and anti-roll bars. And an added tie-rod at the rear is said to help provide the fastest set-up.Body changes include a reshaped front-end, larger side air intake scoops, and a crisp, clean rear with new striking tail lights above a black-mesh air outlet with four tailpipes harnessed in a tough-looking rear diffuser.The newest Lamborghini is a flawed genius.There are few other ways to describe this exotic, two-seat, mid-engined monster with its deeper-breathing V10 engine.The press preview drive in Las Vegas revealed cars that got hot too easily and with a nervous feel in the rear end – not good for a car of this price and position.The new Gallardo is an exercise in controlled evolution, since the original “Baby Bull” helped fire the unprecedented Lamborghini sales spurt since joining the bigger, badder Murcielago.It was unleashed at the Las Vegas Speedway, first on the Nascar oval, then the twisting infield course, before a run on desert roads leading to monstrous Lake Mead.At the track you would think the LP560-4 would stick like a slotcar, but there at times it was a little hesitant in the rear.This was repeated on the highway when cornering at a gentle 80km/h.Lamborghini says its new rear suspension is the best way to get the car to turn, but the compromise is this little rear-end moment.If you lift off the throttle or brake or shift gears the rear-end feels like it wants to walk around.There is never any suggestion it wants to swap ends but it is a flaw that has been dictated by the stopwatch rather than ironing out a stability glitch that should not be there.On the overheating front, it took only five laps behind a Lamborghini test driver for some of the Gallardos to drop maximum revs from 8000 to 6000.The company says the cars ran too close to those in front and were not getting enough air circulating through the enlarged side scoops.Still, the cars were set for serious track time. They had sports suspension, carbon-ceramic brakes and 19-inch Pirelli P-Zero rubber, with a double compound and 10 per cent less rolling resistance up to 80km/h.The good news about Gallardo II is that steering is communicative, brake pedal feel is superbly modulated and the E-gear transmission is well hooked up to the engine.But judging by a right-hand drive display car, the cabin is compromised. The US driving was in left-hand drive cars, but the display unit showed a squared-off wheel arch that intrudes into available foot space. Pedals are offset to the left but the steering wheel remains in the right place.So you will constantly brush your right foot against the wheel arch intrusion when applying the throttle.Inside, the partnership with Audi is showing tangible signs of taking Lamborghini to new levels of quality. A blend of Audi and Bentley touches show in the gear and instruments.The Lamborghini is a slick weapon, but it will not out-run a Porsche 911 GT3 on any point-to-point run. It is also debatable if it is worth $200,000 more than the Audi R8 two-seater.  

The Lamborghini Gallardo would be the quietest car in the world, if it wasn't for a massive V10 engine roaring a few centimetres behind your head.An oscillating paired set of five can-sized pistons run at blistering speed at the engine heart.Sure, you can talk about the leather, discuss intricacies of the sophisticated chassis electronics, or quantify the engineering in the massive Brembo brakes that are hand slotted and drilled to thwart any fade or slip caused by a summer's rain while one was descending the Dolomites.You may also talk of visibility from the driver's seat, the sweep of the odd-length pair of wipers when it rains, the fact that the cabin's headliner is suede, and the very Audi-like look of the sound system. Perhaps a moment to chat of seat comfort and that $400,000-plus-plus price tag.But it all comes back to the engine: almost 370kW of raw power sitting waiting at the back of your head.On the open road, one brief stab of the accelerator pedal will open Pandora's box. This is a car that erupts instantaneously, without any lag to afford the novice a chance to suck breathe and think.Play games with the Lambo and it has good cause to bite back hard. In the wrong hands, it's the teacher. In the right hands it's a peer. Just don't ever think it's the pupil. Yet, the Gallardo has a soft side.Treat it like a lady and it'll respond with accurate steering, strong low-end torque and manners that, while a long way from a Kia Rio, are compliant enough to manage a city snarl.Simply, this is one of the best cars I've ever driven in the city.Without a clutch, the $25,000 E-gear option gives relief for the left leg though invites new demons. In sympathy with the electronically operated clutch systems that sit atop a standard manual gearbox, the E-gear is at first awfully vague, grows to be clunky, and is at best a rapid-fire delivery system that can scare the undies off a driver who doesn't expect such speedy upchanges.It'll bang through the ratios as fast as you can pull up the right-side lever, plummet through the cogs at a touch of the left-side lever with a cute throttle blip on the way through.Soon it becomes a dance. Tab up on the right. Do it again, and again. Corner. Flick the left-side lever once for second gear, apply weight to the accelerator, squeak your hands over the leather steering wheel as you twist left for the corner, then right, more pressure on the throttle, click up with the right gear lever, squeeze the accelerator pedal again, sweep the wheel to the right.I know. This is not the waltz.But learn this car and it can become a well-orchestrated movement in metal.Given the Gallardo is from Italy, with German parents, and it's easy to see why it responds so well to open roads and tight city streets.Despite the awesome power and torque, the car is difficult to get off the mark.The engine will need a healthy boot to more than 2000rpm to get off the line, then all hell breaks lose. Don't pussy-foot with this baby — it can bite.Once under way it is surprisingly docile and can be putted around the city with ease.There's virtually no rear vision — Lamborghini apparently reckons you're at the front of the pack with no need to check out those trying to keep pace — yet front and side visibility are reasonable.It can be initially challenging to place on the road, or especially to park.Selecting reverse gear is by pressing a lonely button on the right-side of the dashboard.You get acquainted with a small diameter leather-rimmed steering wheel, chamfered at its lower edge so it doesn't scrape across your thighs.Get used to the idiosyncrasies of the E-gear box and the small stuff — parking in the city, dribbling into the service station, idling into McDonald's and then faced with handing your money up an extra 300mm to the cashier — becomes easier.I'll quickly inform you that it's not as hard to get into as it initially seems — bum first is the best approach — and visibility to the front is fine.General switchgear and instrumentation is standard Audi — that's who owns Lamborghini — so that means left-side indicators and left-side volume control for the audio.In standard form, the V10 is quite muted. While the Germans might be self-conscious about creating too much attention, the exhaust note is the antithesis of Italian thinking, where noise reflects bravado, macho, power.In standard form it's a rather disappointing soulless aural performance. Kitted with Lamborghini's sports exhaust — around the $6000 mark — it takes on all the aural hype to go with the speed.Drive it quick, but not too quick, and the gears can be clicked over with very little noise or thump. Hit the loud pedal and start quickly clicking up the ratios, and the Gallardo jerks into the next gear, flinging the head, letting it reveal its power.The Gallardo was built specifically to take on Ferrari.It worked, but Ferrari didn't sit idle. Ferrari was already well down the track of building the replacement for the 360.When the Gallardo — with a 5-litre V10 engine, all-wheel drive, and a 0-100km/h time of 4.2 seconds — appeared, it could better the expected performance of Ferrari's 360 replacement.So Ferrari simply dumped its new model and started from scratch. Now the latest Ferrari 430 is faster than the Gallardo with acceleration to 100km/h of a flat 4 seconds.And it does it with a V8, not a V10, and without all-wheel drive.But don't let this diminish how good the Gallardo is.That four-wheel-drive system gives a tenacious bite on the bitumen, ideal for fast motoring on winding roads and gives absolutely mind-boggling grip when the road turns wet.That's something the 430 can't match.Visually, the Gallardo shows the resemblance to an animal's hind leg as the sheet aluminium is curved over the rear wheels.Deep mesh, vertical intakes on the flanks ahead of the rear wheels introduces cool air to the engine bay, with hot air exiting through slats over the chunky rear tail-lights.It is a very strong, masculine design, though perhaps a bit clinical in its execution.Hewn, rather than carved.Most of the rear is taken up by a meshed valance, with relief offered by two fat exhaust pipes.Interestingly, Lamborghini uses black crinkle finish for the exposed engine's intake tubes.Ferrari uses the same finish, only in red.Is colour that important?