The open-top sports car segment has seen a lot of pretenders recently, cars that attempt to hang with the big boys only to be reminded that it takes another level of power and fast to be able to belong in elite group of open top sports cars. While other brands have had a problem designating which car belongs in what group, Lamborghini has had no problem doing so.
The Sant’Agata Bolognese-based automaker has finally released their latest exotic, the Lamborghini Gallardo LP570-4 Spyder Performante. Based on the Gallardo LP560-4 Spyder, the Gallardo Spyder Performante is what happens when Lamborghini engineers go the extra mile in further reducing the weight of an already lightweight supercar. While some may shun at the attempt, thinking that chopping off more weight would be next to impossible, the folks at Lamborghini set out to prove the naysayers wrong, reducing the car’s weight by 143 lbs, leaving it with a dry weight of just 3,274 lbs, which, in case you’re keeping score, makes this the lightest Lamborghini to be released in the open-top sports car segment.
This is the Lamborghini Gallardo LP570-4 Spyder Performante.
UPDATE 07/11/2011: In the latest episode of Fifth Gear, the team wasted no time testing the latest Gallardo LP 570-4 Spyder Performante, a car that has been built as a response to models like the Ferrari 458 Italia and the McLaren MP4-12C. In this video, Tiff Needell drives the car around the south of France and lets us know what he thinks about the supercar, as well as how it fares against its competitors. Check out the video after the jump!
Details on the Lamborghini Gallardo LP 570-4 Spyder Performante after the jump.
-
2012 Lamborghini Gallardo LP 570-4 Spyder Performante
-
Year:2012
-
Make:
-
Model:
-
car segment:
-
body style:
Fifth Gear’s Review
Noted photographer, Jordan Shiraki, is sharing his amazing talent with us once again with some snapshots of the Performante taken during a two day stint with the super car as part of the vehicle’s first private photoshoot in the US. Check out the beautiful photographs in the gallery provided! Shiraki also shared a video of his encounter which you can check right here!
Exterior
Not to be mistaken for the Gallardo Superleggera despite the uncanny similarities between the two, the design of the Gallardo LP 570-4 Spyder Performante is a testament to Lamborghini’s dedication of building supercars that stand out from its peers. The Gallardo’s well known dynamic wedge shape is accentuated by sleek contours that make the car look stunning from every imaginable angle.
Though similar to the Gallardo Superleggera, the Spyder Performante does have it own unique features, including a remodeled front bumper that takes the shape of a three-dimensional, trapezoidal frame housing the large intakes and together with the sharply-defined V-shaped nose and the LED daytime running lights, the Spyder Performante’s front end is sharp as a tack.
Lamborghini’s Centro Stile also took the time to modify the supercar’s underbody, as well as adding new sill elements, a redesigned diffuser that seamlessly slots in four large tailpipes and a large, albeit optional, rear spoiler that provides better aerodynamic results.
As for the supercar’s body shell, Lamborghini opted to use aluminum and, with the help of cast node elements and extruded profile, made a stiff spaceframe structure where the other aluminum panels can be integrated without any problems. This allows for a body shell that’s both impact resistant and handling precise.
Then there’s the matter of carbon fiber, which is crucial in reducing the car’s overall weight – the Spyder Peformante is 143 lbs lighter than the Gallardo Spyder. Lamborghini engineers made use of carbon fiber, using it on a number of body parts, including the rear spoiler, side sills, diffuser, exterior mirror casings, and some parts of the supercar’s underbody paneling.
The Spyder Perforante also comes with a set of lightweight 19-inch wheels, similar to the ones found on the Gallardo Superleggera. Titanium was the material of choice for the wheel bearings and bolts while using a set of 235/35 Pirelli P Zero Corsa series tires on the front and 295/30 Pirelli P Zero Corsa series tires on the rear.
Interior
The interior of the Gallardo LP 570-4 Spyder Performante is loaded to the brim with some of the most extensive materials on the planet. The company, after all, puts a premium on high-end luxury, and the interior of this car is absolutely no different.
Similar to the exterior, Lamborghini built the interior with one thing in mind: reduce the weight of their vehicles while giving the interior a high-class touch. The use of carbon fiber has been a staple of the company and for this car, it’s got chalk full of it, including on the center tunnel cover, the door panels, the sports seats’ shells, and the surround of the e-gear automated manual transmission lever. The interior also sports a black finish made from Alcantara with a customizable option of choosing contrasting colors with the seats and the seat stitching. These colors match the available exterior paint schemes: Grigio Telesto, Nero Noctis, Bianco Monocerus, Arancio Borealis, and Giallo Midas.
Performance
The Gallardo Spyder Perforante’s power comes from a 5.2-liter V10 engine that produces 570 horsepower at 8,000 rpm and 398.3 lb/ft of torque at 6,500 rpm. The V10 engine also has a displacement of 5,204 cm with a specific output of 109.6 horsepower per liter.
As with any Lamborghini Gallardo model, the long-stroke engine comes with dry sump lubrication and a cylinder angle of 90 degrees, a critical element that lowers the car’s center of gravity, thereby improving on its handling dynamics.
The Gallardo Spyder Perforante also has a dual-plane crankshaft with the connecting rods of the opposing pistons sharing only one bearing, allowing the car to alternate ignition intervals of 54 and 90 degrees and producing that unmistakable roar of a V10 engine.
With this much power inside of it, coupled with the goal of losing overall weight, the Gallardo Spyder Performante is capable of a 0-62 mph time of 3.9 seconds and a top speed of 201 mph.
Pricing
Pricing has yet to be revealed by Lamborghini, but if you’re looking for a ball park figure, the closest the Gallardo Spyder Performante will come to in terms of price tag is it’s alter-ego, the Gallardo Superleggera, which goes for around $240,000. This is actually pretty close to the rumored pricetag of about €182,900 ($246,567 at the current rates). So without knowing for sure, you can safely assume that it will cost somewhere around that figure. Quite a fortune, yes?
That’s what it’s going to take to buy one, which, by the way, should be sometime next year.
Competition
True to its Italian rivalry, the Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder Performante has a distinct Prancing Horse rival in the Ferrari 458 Italia. While the Lamborghini has the edge in engine power - the 458 Italia comes with a 4.5-liter V8 engine - the Prancing Horse has a faster 0-62 mph time of just 3.4 seconds, five-tenths of a second quicker than the Lambo. The two cars, though, share some identical similarities as both have 570 horsepower in them and boast a top speed of 201 horsepower.
The only thing that’s worth pause with the 458 Italia is its infamous reliability issues and the fact that a base mode costs about $275,000, slightly higher than what the expected price tag of the Gallardo Spyder Perforante has.
45 comments:
Well, this Spyder version of Lamborghini Gallardo is indeed a must see car. Based on its performance, I think it can actually compete with other supercars there.
The looks are really impressive; I love it for being an open-top sports car plus the color suits the qualities that Gallardo’s expressing. It was truly a satisfying sports car, and the engine performance is awesome.
Well, this Spyder version of Lamborghini Gallardo is indeed a must see car. Based on its performance, I think it can actually compete with other supercars there.
This one really can be a super car that’s why I truly wonder if why didn’t use a more powerful engine like V12 instead of v8 only. Moreover, I must say that Gallardo is so attractive on its appearance.
I would still prefer to have a Ferrari vehicle because on the fact that they are more powerful and faster than with this Lamborghini. However, when it comes into exterior appearance, this one will surely stand out.
I really love the sharpness and the sleek exterior of this Gallardo convertible vehicle! I also noticed that the two racing stripes on its front hood only add more aggressive looks on it.
The angst of this Gallardo is absolutely looks so cool with it! Its two exhaust on its fronts only adds more aggressive looks of this vehicle, and I’m glad that it still had an impressive engine.
I just noticed that it had a same platform with Ferrari Spyder the only difference is its aggressive front design, which is more attractive than with Ferrari. 
Anyway, the engine of this one is quite impressive for it.
I’m so impressed with its 570 kicking ponies! Well, that is really great with a convertible vehicle! Anyway, I still love the angst that this one had, and even its interior, although it doesn’t have an impressive add ons.
Well, for some reason, I don’t like the aggressiveness of this Gallardo convertible vehicle. However, I’m impressed on its powerful engine, which give me the idea that it is so fun to drive with.
Prior to its competition, I can say that this Gallardo is still the best for me, and I love the 570 kicking ponies of this one. I also noticed that it is looking so massive on its wheels.
Well, this one is absolutely oozing with angst and aggressiveness on its exterior detailing, but I think it is much better if they let it on a four seater convertible car. 
Anyway, I’m glad that they reduce a 143 lobes on it.
The interior looks boring for me though it’s still the touch of a sporty one. It looks so powerful on that, and I must say that I’m impressed with the sharpness and sleek exterior appearance of it.
Gallardo seems the favorite of everyone, well I think I could not blame for it really had the look that is so impressive and aggressive. And plus that it also had a powerful engine.
The front gives so much angst on this sports car, well the detailing of it impressed me a lot. Seeing cars like this can really take your breath away! Too sad that it is only too pricey.
Well, now I what’s the difference of the two, thanks for this article, it enlightened my mind. Anyway, I can say that I would prefer to have this one, it seems a complete package for me for a sports convertible car.
Thanks for the video. I like the performance of this car and the style of exterior is great and also the interior part of the car is great. I love the style of the car. I’m so amazed.
The video is like a driving tutorial but the cars are so fast and so beautiful. But Some of cars of Lamborghini are having common qualities aside from their color.
One of my friend says that Lamborghini Gallardo is his favorite sports car, well now I can see and tell why he is so fond with this Gallardo. Even me, I would love to drool it around and I will gonna make sure that I would have a sports car like this. Hahaha
The sharp and the sleek exterior of Gallardo is really suited for a sports car.The reducing of Ultraweight for this car is I such a good idea, well car racers will surely love to drool over it around.
