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NEWS
Lamborghini Gallardo replacement
Replacement for Lamborghini's ageing Gallardo supercar could make its debut as early as September's Frankfurt Motor ShowSources at Lamborghini have indicated the company is keen to show the concept version of the Gallardo’s replacement during Lamborghini’s 50th year, which has already seen the Egoista single-seat concept car (pictured) and the production version of the Aventador Roadster.
The concept car will be very close to the production version of the new car, code named LP724, and is due to be on sale in Europe from the middle of 2014 and in Australia by the third quarter. Internal sources refuse to be pinned down on a name for the LP724, but “Cabrera” is a name we’ve often heard in connection to it.
Lamborghini lost a major battle with parent company Audi in its hopes to make the LP724 follow the Aventador down the full carbon-fibre route. Instead, it will share its architecture with the next Audi R8 and will be largely aluminium, with carbon-fibre in key structural areas. It might have lost out to the commercial realities of Audi’s sales division, but it did win a battle with Porsche, which wanted control of all of the Volkswagen Group’s sports and supercars, including Lamborghini’s.
It will be a slightly larger car than the current Gallardo, with its overall length stretching by around half an inch to 4.5 metres while its overall height and width dimensions will be broadly similar to the current car. Its wheelbase will grow slightly from the current 2600mm, largely to deliver more comfort to taller drivers and to create more in-cabin storage opportunities.
While the two cars will share their spaceframe aluminium architecture, the LP724 will still sit on a shorter wheelbase than the next R8, which will be stretched slightly to deliver additional comfort, leaving the Lamborghini as the edgy corner crusher.
Audi sources have confirmed that the new structure will weigh 198kg in the R8, which is a 24kg cut over the current car. With its 30mm shorter wheelbase, it’s easy to imagine the LP724’s architecture will weigh even less, so expect it to be somewhere around 195kg to help Lamborghini reach a target kerb weight of less than 1500kg.
Lamborghini has also successfully resisted a push to deliver a two-engine range and will instead use a revised and upgraded version of the existing 5.2-litre, direct-injection V10. Said to have added power and lower fuel consumption, it will adhere to next year’s EU6 fuel emissions standards while producing around 600 horsepower and nearly 700Nm of torque.
It is planned to be offered in both rear- and all-wheel drive versions, though the rear driver is not scheduled to be on sale until at least 18 months into the LP724’s production life. Unlike its key rival, the Ferrari F458 Italia, it will also be offered with a six-speed manual even though more than 90 percent of buyers are expected to prefer the seven-speed, dual-clutch transmission from the current R8.
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Written byMichael Taylor
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