This isn’t just me whingeing [Ed.: That’s “whining” for our non-Brit English speakers] about another Italian stallion that’s inherently qualified for Wrecked Exotics’ Lamborghini section. The “normal” Gallardo is a fairly benign beast. This one . . . maybe not so much. What say you? Meanwhile, here’s a “methinks they doth protest too much” spot-the-euphemisms excerpt from the $219,800 whip’s official press release:
Light-footed yet extremely safe
With this latest version of the Gallardo, Lamborghini is honouring its long-standing test driver in a very special way. The LP 550-2 Valentino Balboni was conceived in line with his own thinking, and it meets many customers’ requests for a model with a unique character, which offers a very special kind of active driving fun. The Balboni model is the only current Lamborghini that delivers its power to the road via its rear wheels alone.
Rear wheel drive has a special appeal to those sports car drivers who enjoy a particular driving style. Thanks to the eminently powerful V10 driveline, controlled oversteer is no problem – naturally always to the extent defined by the driver – because refined road manners and perfectly tuned assistance systems mean that the Gallardo LP 550-2 Valentino Balboni is an exceptionally safe sports car to drive.
I’m fully expecting Jeremy Clarkson to wind up in a ditch with the introduction of this car (or at least if they do a Spyder version). Maybe a field of buttercups?
Weren’t all Lambos RWD at one point?
I don’t know if it’s a death car, but I’d like to drive one, and I’ll deal with the consequences :)
Piech has to stop this nonsense of naming cars after their test drivers.
meh
the ferrari f430 is rwd
what’s the big deal
4wd is for girls
Thanks to the eminently powerful V10 driveline, controlled oversteer is no problem
So the sole mission of the car is to go everywhere sideways? Dear God, I love Lambo. Guess you won’t hear JC complaining anymore about having too much German common sense.
A death car?
I´m willing to find out :)
Named for Rudolph Valentino, star of the Silver screen, and Steve “Bye-bye” Balboni, former first baseman for the KC Royals.
Perhaps a tribute to the old Countach days when Lambos were inhospitable, mad, and attracted to hazards like rare-earth magnets to cast-iron.
If a Romanian Granny and a Yellow Lab can drive a Gallardo, then Clarkson’s review of the new rwd Balboa will probably be the same as his Porsche GT2 review:
[cue the death metal]
“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”
I would chose this one over the AWD version. If I wanted AWD I’d go for the R8. Not that a $220,000 car can be described as a “choice” for me.
Twotone
No more than the Viper… oh wait.
Chances are it’ll be entirely safe. The average Lambo “driver” will shy away from the car as it’s manual-only, so chances are most who get one will keep the shiny side up.
It’s still a plain cheese pizza compared to the likes of a Viper ACR or Porsche GT2.
I like it! The whole, “you’re going to die in this car!!!!” is ridiculous IMO. Makes good TV and magazine hype. How do I know? Because ‘you know who’ called the Viper an ‘axe murderer’. When I test drove one 9 years ago, I was terrified. After 10 minutes in the car, I was like “what’s the big deal?”. Full traction in first gear is NO PROBLEM. Just don’t dump the clutch from high revs. 2nd thru 6th full throttle, full traction. Those that tell you they are smoking the 335/345 rear rubber at 60 MPG are LIARS!!! Assuming the car is OEM. At that time, the car didn’t even have ABS. But any speed over 60MPH, and they would not lock up NO MATTER how hard you slammed them… And under 60 you just had to understand threshold braking. I could teach anyone in 30 minutes. As far as cornering, as long as you’re not doing something EXTREMELY stupid and understand A LITTLE about high torque cars and exiting corners, you’ll be fine. It’s called “Your right foot – 101”. I’ve been driving mine for 8 years without an incident, KNOCK ON WOOD. And I suspect since the LP-550-2 has much less torque (398 ft. lbs.), this will be even less an issue.
The only exception to what I’ve stated above would be a high-boost RWD car. I could see where exiting corners would be very tricky and take more time/training to master. Really would need some time with the car to understand when the boost hits, and how violent. Which is why I’ve always preferred naturally aspirated cars for performance driving. Especially if it’s 2WD. 4WD probably not an issue.
BTW – How can anyone ‘not’ like these stats with 2 ton supercars becoming the ‘norm.
———————
The 5.2-liter V10 has been tweaked to put out 550 hp and coupled with a the Gallardo’s reduced curb weight (3,042 pounds), the LP 550-2 can sprint to 60 mph in 3.9 seconds and top out at 199 mph. ** Over 250 lbs. lighter than the AWD.
A car is only as safe as its driver. For sure, it’s likely a death wish for an untalented asshat trying to impress someone, but for a skilled driver it will be absolutely entertaining. Truthfully, anyone buying what basically amounts to a street missile should be screened so that they don’t wind up in the wrong hands.
if ferrari and lamborghini and porsche etc. screened out all the posers and talentless they’d be down 95% sales
if ferrari and lamborghini and porsche etc. screened out all the posers and talentless they’d be down 95% sales
Maybe you’re right…. My HP evolution has come about very slowly with many cars over the past twenty years. First car 88HP (Hyundai 4-speed manual), then 110HP, 140HP, 170HP, 200HP, 250HP, 320HP, 450HP++ (Viper). Didn’t plan it that way, just seemed to save more money over time which allowed nicer/faster toys. Once I got to the Viper, it didn’t seem ‘out of control’. But I can see where someone ‘jumping’ right into one of these cars could get themselves into trouble, real quick. (i.e. – Nick Hogan and countless others). But I don’t think that should stop these manufacturers from producing incredible fast driver’s cars.
And it’s supposedly unsafe… why??? Are you REALLY trying to insinuate that because it’s RWD its unsafe? Or is it because it’s a High Performance RWD? Or because it’s a Lambo? Or because it will go fast? Or??? Apparently, I’m not getting the winey point.
it’s just hyperbole
no doubt this car is cheaper to make than the normal LP560
it no doubt has stability control
it is on par with the Ferrari F430 and Porsche GT2 and other high powered RWD cars
they want to maximise the ‘mystique’ of the RWD platform as being ‘dangerous’
i applaud that of course… if i won the lottery i would buy one of these over any other Lambo
So some rich a-hole has the opportunity to drop $220k on a car and then kill himself by wrapping it around a telephone pole? Yay for Darwin!
I think it’s a great idea. As somebody mentioned before, Lambos used to only be RWD. The weight on that thing is excellent as well. As long as it has some kind of stability control on it (defeatable, natch), it shouldn’t be a problem. People will find a way to wreck even AWD vehicles.
I’m glad they’re finally going back to RWD, at least as an option. This is the one I would buy if I were to want a Gallardo.
Funny thing is, it costs more than the more powerful LP560-4: http://www.automoblog.net/2009/06/30/lamborghini-gallardo-lp550-2/
I guess it’s from all those extra safety bits added, and the fact that it’s the first RWD Lambo in 10 years.