Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera

The Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera is a special version of the original Gallardo. It was released in at the Geneva Motor Show in 2007

Overview
The Superleggera is back, and it’s faster and lighter than ever before. Debuting at the Geneva Motor Show, the new variant builds upon the new LP570 Gallardo line, which was first introduced in 2008. The car is a successor to the previous Gallardo Superleggera, which was produced in 2007 for less than a year.

Making its debut at the Geneva Motor Show, the two-door coupe weighs 2,954 lbs. It’s the fastest Gallardo road car yet, sprinting to 62 mph in just 3.4 seconds on its way to a 202 mph top speed.

The supercar has tweaked engine management software to squeeze another 10 horsepower from the standard Gallardo’s direct-injection V10. The 570 horsepower motor also gets a new launch-control mode, with cranks the 90-degree, all-alloy V10 up to 5,000 rpm before bursting off the line and capable of hitting 124 mph in 10.2 seconds. Peak output comes at 8,000 rpm, while max torque of 398 lb-ft. arrives at 6,500 rpm.

The new Superleggera also runs the six-speed, robotized e-gear transmission as standard. Fuel consumption is down to 17.4 mpg.

Engineers switched the side glass, the rear glass and the engine cover to light-weight polycarbonate, while the rear hood is now carbon fiber. After recently cementing its carbon-fiber research alliance with the University of Washington’s Advanced Composite Structures Laboratory, the Superleggera also uses carbon fiberfor the rear diffuser, underbody paneling, exterior mirror housings, door sills and the rear spoiler.

Lamborghini says it saved 88 lbs. by using carbon instead of plastics or metals, and it made widespread use of it inside the cabin as well, including replacing the standard materials for the center console cover, the door panels and the seat shells, yet the car still has air conditioning and power windows as standard.

The automaker saved another 28.6 lbs. by using forged alumina, 19-inch alloy wheels and took the theme to extremes with titanium wheel nuts.

The body changes are slight and mainly focused on aerodynamics, including the rear wing (there’s a larger version as an option), the rear diffuser, with four exhaust pipes running through it, and the remodeled front bumper. The new shape pushes more air into the radiators and also gives more down force over the front axle.

A set of super-sticky Pirelli PZero Corsa tires — 235/35 up front and 295/30s at the back — were developed specifically for the Superleggera.

While the standard Superleggera will be stopped by enormous eight-piston calipers and 365mm discs up front (with four-pistons at the back), there will be a lightweight, carbon-ceramic option with six-piston front calipers as well.