Lighter, harder, faster – the Superleggera stuns Geneva
If you think it looks good in these pictures, wait until you see it in the metal – from every angle, the Gallardo Superleggera looks phenomenal. Finished in gun metal Telesto grey and carbonfibre, Lamborghini’s lightweight wonder drew crowds 10 deep at its dramatic Geneva unveiling. Shorn of 100kg, the 1330kg Superleggera – Italian for ‘lightweight’ and pronounced ‘supahlejerah’ – has pulled the rug from under Ferrari, which will only unveil its F430 Challenge Stradale early next year.
Light fantastic
Apart from the lashings of carbonfibre – the engine cover, rear wing, sill extensions and even the door mirrors are made of it – the Superleggera gets lighter ceramic brakes as standard, huge 19-inch multispoke alloys as well as a reworked e-gear paddle-shift transmission, an aerodynamic rear wing and a cabin stripped of goodies. Air-con is standard, as are four-point harnesses, but there’s no radio. Not that you’ll need one when there’s one of the world’s most charismatic engines just inches behind your ears. A few tweaks to the 5.0-litre V10’s inlet and exhaust systems have bumped up power by 10bhp to 530bhp, resulting in a tyre-shredding power to weight ratio of 392bhp-per-tonne. The 197mph top speed remains unchanged but the 0-60mph time drops from 4.0 to 3.8 seconds.
Paying more, getting less
Interest in the car has gone through the roof – Lamborghini UK’s order books are full to burst, with the majority of buyers new to the marque rather than existing Gallardo owners. There’s no roadster version planned. Prices for the UK have yet to be confirmed, but you’ll need at least £145,000 burning a hole in your pocket to get hold of one. And even then you’ll have to wait – the current order time for the Superleggera is an agonising 12 months. But don’t worry – we’ll be behind the wheel within the next few weeks to let you know how it drives. More-for-less marketing ploy, or genuine supercar contender? You tell us what you think of Lamborghini’s latest racer. Click ‘Add comment’ below, and fire away…