In Monterey
for the lead-up to the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance and with
hundreds, literally hundreds, of high-priced Italian exotics in town,
you really need something special to stand out. And that’s just what I’m
doing, cruising slowly through tourist-packed Cannery Row before
heading out to burn premium octane at a far more rapid pace on
California’s pacific coast highway in the newest Lamborghini, the
LP570-4 Superleggera – painted bright yellow no less.
FAST FACTS |
| 1. In the LP570-4 Superleggera a 5.2L V10 engine makes 562-hp at 8000 and 398 ft-lbs of torque at 6500.
2. Weighing 154-lbs less than the standard production Gallardo, it tips the scales at just 3,015 lbs. 3. Acceleration is listed at 3.4 seconds to 62-mph and a top speed of 202-mph. 4. The Super-G will set you back $242,695 – a $34,700 premium over the LP560-4. |
There’s absolutely no denying this is an Italian exotic of the
highest lineage. Sitting an almost immeasurably low distance from the
ground, it’s wide, angular and looks about as terrifying as A real bull
that’s lost a few rounds to a matador.
Accentuating the characteristics of this Lambo are dark painted lower
trim items like the Reventon-inspired front bumper and rear diffuser –
with matching blacked-out quad exhaust pipes. Exposed high-gloss carbon
fiber is used for the side mirrors and for the thin side skirts, while a
large black spoiler out back takes inspiration from the Gallardo Super
Trofeo racing series cars.
A final note on the exterior of the car is the absolutely stunning
set of lightweight forged aluminum 19-inch wheels that save a total of
28.6 lbs compared to the rollers on the LP560-4.
PERFORMANCE THROUGH LIGHT WEIGHT
A follow-up to the first-gen Super-G, this model adapts a Lotus-like
formula of high-performance through light weight, using an almost
excessive amount of carbon fiber.
Sure there are the aforementioned exterior accents, but pop the
engine cover and there’s even more, with this specific model featuring
an entirely carbon engine compartment dress up kit – a pricey option. As
for the engine lid, it’s made of Plexiglas and is so light you barely
even notice you’re lifting it.
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In the cockpit it’s a carbon fiber and Alcantara oasis, with the
lightweight carbon weave used for far more than detailing. The
Gallardo’s standard door panels have been replaced with full carbon
fiber units, while the seats are one-piece carbon shells wrapped in a
little cushioning and coated in grippy Alcantara. And in an effort to
keep weight to an absolute minimum, the seats are manually adjustable.
That’s right, you have to shell out $242,695 (a $34,700 increase from
the 560-4) for the Super-G and then you’ll have to slide your own but
back and forth.
All these components combined and you’ve got a curb weight of just
3,015 lbs. – an absolutely astonishing engineering achievement when you
consider the size of the hard-core Gallardo, its AWD drivetrain and the
massive mid-mounted V10 engine.
HALF ITALIAN EXOTIC, HALF RACECAR
Slide into the cavernous cockpit, push the ignition button the
Superleggera’s 5.2-liter V10 howls to life at a volume that’s equally as
conspicuous as its design. Pulling out of the Cannery Row hotel where
Lambo has set up base I’m thankful for the air ride suspension on the
front axle that allows the pricey bodywork to be raised two-inches to
avoid any scrapes. A mathematically precise angle is still required to
get out onto the street, but I manage to avoid scaring the metallic
yellow piece of Italian artwork. Initially offered on Murciélago models,
this convenience feature has tricked down to the Gallardos and we just
can’t figure out why more high-end sports cars don’t offer it.
When in its default position (achieved manually by pressing the
button again or automatically by exceeding a pre-set speed), the
Superleggera sits just off the ground. By comparison, a Corvette feels
like a crossover.
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The suspension is seriously stiff and with the carbon panels,
minimalist carbon fiber racing-style seats and Alcantara-coated steering
wheel it feels appropriate. There’s a sensation from behind the wheel
that you’re piloting a raw and powerful racecar on the street. And with
what this thing’s capable of, who’s going to argue with you?
By comparison, the stripped-down F430 Scuderia isn’t nearly so harsh.
Current Lambo owners looking for the next great thing from Sant'Agata
Bolognese, aren’t likely to care however, with the Super-G an
exaggeration of all things Lambo.
MORE NIMBLE PACKAGE DELIVERS IMPROVED PERFORMANCE, DRIVING FEEL
At first this Italian exotic feels its size. The steering is heavy
and when cold and at low speed the pricey $20,000 carbon ceramic brakes
almost feel like they aren’t even there, operating with a mechanical
feel reminiscent of Lambos past.
Turn up the revs a few notches, however, and this Italian exotic
tangos like a pro. At speed the brakes grab quickly and with impressive
force, while the car becomes lighter and more tossable.
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Lay into the throttle and all 562-hp (a 10-hp bump over the standard
LP560 model) rockets you forward in a way that no V8 can. Even at
partial throttle it’s more than excessive.
Lambo officially rates the car at 3.4 seconds to 62 mph, but stats
like that are irrelevant. The Gallardo shines at higher speeds and revs
freely well beyond where you might expect a V10 to. Full power comes on
at 8000 rpm, with 500 rpm more available before redline. At first it's
easy to shift early out of habit, thinking there can’t possible be more
to each gear. But there is, as you wind the V10 out, your greedy
appetite for speed rewarded with blistering acceleration and a sound
that can only be described as awesome.
At full song and pedal firmly planted the E-Gear transmission shows
its true strength, delivering lighting fast gear changes that prove even
more rewarding on the down shift and under hard breaking. On modern
exotics there’s really no substitute for the paddle shifters, and
despite what purists might think, they deliver their own sort of
uniquely enjoyable driving feel. Our only issue with the setup on the
Super-G is that the paddle shifters themselves are made of plastic. We
can’t imagine why they’re not carbon fiber when almost everything else
on the car is.
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If you do plan to just cruise around and show off then you’ll soon
realize why other automakers are switching to dual-clutch setups, with
the single clutch having the odd sensation of being a manual without the
pedal. You can still feel the car slide into gear, but there’s an
uneasy feeling that you’re not in control.
Even on this hard-core Gallardo, Lamborghini has retained the
three-stage E-Gear transmission with a fully automatic mode. In addition
there’s a Sport mode (your ideal default for fun), while a Corsa mode
is also available extending the threshold of the stability control
system while further optimizing the shift times. When activated, Corsa
mode also allows you to access the car’s launch control program in order
to hit that low three-second 0-60 mph time.
THE VERDICT
But after our time with the Superleggera we’re left wanting…. Wanting for a racetrack and an empty schedule.
Yes, the reduced weight of this Italian beast makes it a more nimble
machine, but let’s make no mistake, short bursts of straight-line speed
are what you’ll get out of this wild ride on a regular basis – if you’re
lucky. To truly appreciate the Superleggera, buyers should pony-up for a
membership at one of the many motorsports country clubs popping up
across the nation, because even after a day at the track, you’ll only
just start to be getting an idea of what this machine is capable of.
Thankfully, there’s more than one way to enjoy the Superleggera.
While not a daily driver by most folks’ standards, it’s got all the
carbon fiber sex appeal to ensure driving it on the street, or even just
staring at it in your driveway, is a uniquely enthralling experience.
And for those times, so what if you’re not blasting down a
straightaway at 120-mph or clipping a series of apexes in this thrilling
Italian beast; you’ll still be having an absolute blast.
As a sign post pointing the way to Lamborghini’s future, the Superleggera is a direction we’re eager to take.
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