Used 2014 Lamborghini Gallardo

Lamborghini’s Gallardo mid-engine exotic supercar of 2014 is the company’s most productive and successful car to date. With well over 130,000 produced, the Gallardo has proven popular, chiefly due to its sinister good looks and impressive showing on the track. Though not as civilized as an Audi R8 or Jaguar XKR on civilian streets, the Gallardo is tolerable as a daily driver. The Gallardo Coupe and Spyder are offered with various horsepower ratings and drivetrains. The base LP550-2 is equipped with a 542-horsepower V10 and is rear-wheel drive (RWD). The LP560-4 and LP570-4 bump output to 552 and 562 respectively, and feature all-wheel drive (AWD).

Quicker-than-lightning throttle response plus an engine and exhaust note that are music to an enthusiast’s ear are the hallmarks of the 2014 Gallardo by Lamborghini. As a daily driver, the Gallardo isn’t the most pleasant exotic, exhibiting a rather lumpy idle, a stiff ride and a turning radius more akin to a full-size pickup than a nimble performance machine. And then there is the cockpit so tight even a supermodel might feel cramped. But all these gripes can be forgiven once the Gallardo is released on an open track. The rigid space frame and dialed-in chassis dynamics deliver an organic stability and reflexive response that justify this car’s $200K price tag. We should note that while the AWD models improve overall grip, they also seem to suffer from a bit more understeer and somewhat numb feedback compared with their rear-drive counterpart.

The interior of a 2014 Lamborghini Gallardo is nearly as striking as the exterior. But remember, this exotic Italian marque is part of the Audi corporate stable, so you know the cockpit will be sumptuous, accommodating and beautifully made. Leather is everywhere. On higher-level Gallardos it’s Alcantara suede. Carbon-fiber trim is also available. The standard bucket seats offer good support, but the unyielding carbon-fiber chairs in the Superleggera are built for racing and jockey-sized occupants. Be sure to pack light because there is little trunk space (less than four cubic feet) and no back seat.

The low-slung Lamborghini Gallardo Coupe of 2014 has sharply angled body work and prominent air intakes front, sides and back. The LP560 model features a unique face with dividers creating strongly triangular intakes. Doors hinge conventionally on the Gallardo (not the famous but less practical scissors arrangement its Aventador stablemate still uses), and entrance and egress are easier than the belt-high roofline suggests. The short-nosed cab-forward design contributes to the Gallardo’s overall wedge shape. Spyder models have a power-operated insulated cloth top that can be raised or lowered in 20 seconds.

MATTE-FINISH EXTERIOR PAINT
For a mere $26,000 Lamborghini offers matte-black paint to emphasize the sharp creases and long lines of its 2014 Gallardo supercar. Owners who don’t like black can opt for brown or white.

FRONT LIFTING SYSTEM
To keep the Gallardo’s extremely low nose from getting bloodied by speed bumps and driveway entrances, a simple push of a button raises the car’s front end an inch and a half, allowing safe passage.

Most of the expected premium-car trappings are here, such as dual-zone A/C, a power tilt/telescope steering wheel, a power adjustable driver’s seat, power heated side mirrors that tilt in and keyless remote entry. Likewise for safety hardware like ABS, traction control, stability control, dual front airbags, dual side airbags and pop-up rollbars for the convertibles. But a power passenger seat, heated seats and even front cup holders cost extra. Cruise control isn’t available at all, probably because you’re expected to be attentive and involved with your Gallardo at all times.

Every paint color but gloss black is listed as an extra-cost option on the Gallardo, the $26K matte-finish paints being the most extreme examples. Other popular options include a navigation system, rearview camera and rear park-assist system (highly recommended), ceramic disc brakes and an alarm system. The E-gear automated "manual" transmission – essentially an automatic – is a $10,000 option on the LP550 Coupe and Spyder models, and the only offering on the LP560s and LP570s. The 2014 Gallardo sports coupe is available with lots of accessory and trim packages for you to customize to your personal taste.

The 2014 Lamborghini Gallardo’s V10 engine creates a soundtrack worthy of the car’s breathtaking appearance. Acceleration is as effortless as it is addictive, any Gallardo model capable of cracking 60 mph from rest in less than four seconds and topping out just shy of 200 mph. The slick-shifting 6-speed manual transmission is still standard on the rear-drive LP550-2 models. The paddle-operated 6-speed E-gear automatic has driver-selectable modes, "A" for lazy shifts and laid-back cruising, "Sport" for quicker shifts and "Corsa" for a day at the track with tire-chirping, wide-open-throttle upshifts.

Gallardo LP550-2 (RWD)
5.2-liter V10
542 horsepower @ 8,000 rpm
398 lb-ft of torque @ 6,800 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 12/20 mpg (manual), 13/20 mpg (automatic)

Gallardo LP560-4 (AWD)
5.2-liter V10
552 horsepower @ 8,000 rpm
398 lb-ft of torque @ 6,800 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 13/20 mpg (automatic)

Gallardo LP570-4 (AWD)
5.2-liter V10
562 horsepower @ 8,000 rpm
398 lb-ft of torque @ 6,800 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 13/20 mpg (automatic)