Lamborghini launches new Ferrari fighter

Lamborghini has added more power and stripped 70kg (154lb) from its Gallardo supercar to combat Ferrari's all-new 458 Italia.

Making its debut at the Geneva Motor Show, the LP570-4 Superleggera is the fastest Gallardo road car yet, sprinting to 100km/h (62mph) in just 3.4 seconds on its way to a 325km/h (202mph) top speed.

The 1340kg (2954lb) supercar has tweaked engine-management software to squeeze another 10 horsepower from the standard Gallardo's 560hp, direct-injection, V10.

The 419kW (570hp) powerhouse also gets a new launch-control mode, with cranks the 90-degree, all-alloy V10 up to 5000rpm before bursting off the line and capable of hitting 200km/h (124mph) in 10.2 seconds.

Even with all of this performance, the Superleggera's light weight helps it to a 20.5 percent fuel consumption and CO2 emission improvement over its 2007 predecessor.

While, at 1410kg (3108lb), the LP560-4 Gallardo is no Lard Lad, Lamborghini's engineers attacked it to reach President, Stephan Winkelmann's 2.35kg/hp target.

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

Lamborghini insists it saved 40kg (88lb) 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 centre console cover, the door panels and the seat shells, yet the car still has air conditioning and power windows as standard.

It saved another 13kg by using forged aluminium, 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.

The engine's hardware is little changed, meaning it still runs a dry-sump lubrication system, it still has a 12.5:1 compression ratio and the dual-plane crank still has opposing pairs of conrods sharing the same bearing.

Software tweaks mean it now punches out 419kW of power at 8000rpm, while the torque peaks at 540Nm at 6500rpm and the 7kW (10hp) lift means it now punches out 80.5kW (109.6hp) per litre.

The combination of new software and reduced weight have lopped 3.5 litres/100km from the old Superleggera's combined fuel consumption, and the new car is down to 13.5 litres/100km (16mpg). It also runs the six-speed, robotized e-gear transmission as standard.

Underneath, it runs the standard aluminium wishbones all-round, though Lamborghini insists the suspension is firmer than the stock Gallardo's.

It promises more grip, too, with super-sticky Pirelli PZero Corsa 235/35 tyres up front and 295/30s at the back, both 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.

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