Of the six cars I drove on the Gotham tour the one I would want in my driveway has to be the Gallardo LP-560 Spyder. It offers all of that supercar feel, speed, performance, and image, but with none of the drawbacks of the Murcielago. Although because it lacks some of that outrageous idiocy, it is very different than its bigger brother for better and worse in various ways, but as a car, that will be driven in the imperfect and chaotic world, it is far better.  

Everything the normal Gallardo does the LP-560 does better. Our guide said he thought it felt softer, but I thought it just felt more composed and better for it in the way it rode. The LP-560 is smoother than the normal Gallardo, but at the same time feels even a bit more responsive on really involved driving roads. It certainly still retained that hard, solid supercar feel, and the pace it takes corners is absolutely insane. If you enjoy a raw driver focused car you will love this. The Gallardo’s all wheel drive is something I consider a huge asset on real roads with bumps and dips that can unsettle a car. Its system sends something like 80% of the power to the rear wheels so it feels very much like a rear wheel drive car, so the fun is surely still there if you want to bring the tail end out a bit.

The LP-560 is brutally quick, I mean brutally. In 2^nd gear it pulled harder than any other car there and in actual tests it has shown to be substantially quicker then the Murcielago 0-100, the extra power is definitely put to good use. The sound of the V10 is pure savagery, just a loud, bellowing howl that surrounds your existence when you mash the throttle. Even if the road is just straight this car is still a blast. For use on the street I would have to say that the Spyder is worth having over the coupe just to experience that magnificent engine all around you as you charge along.

The driving position is very good in the Gallardo, something seriously wrong with its bigger brother. Everything is laid out well in the interior and the car is actually very comfortable despite being a mid-engined supercar. While I did say that it is leagues better in the real world than the Murcielago, it still has some supercar hurtles to get used to. The main one I noticed is that you realize you ar inside a big wedge shape so front visibility is great, but when merging onto a highway it is necessary to stretch your neck a bit to see. Then there is also the fact that it doesn’t like to cruise under 90mph on a big road, which I am fine with, but the police really aren’t, so if you are driving one of these u need to be on the lookout for the law. Otherwise the Gallardo is very nimble and easy to place in traffic and a real pleasure to drive around.

Back in Las Vegas I thought the LP560 was a bit soft compared to the Ferrari Scuderia on a racetrack and that the Gallardo would feel most at home on real roads, I was spot on in this assumption. The Gallardo LP-560 is fantastic on the street and at home on the track too, just not quite up there on a track with the really hardcore stuff. The street is the Gallardo’s domain and it is just perfect in the real world. It is such a great car and it’s no wonder it is the highest selling Lamborghini of all time, I know I would buy one in a second…. If I had a spare quarter million.

WoM Score: Lambo Gallardo LP560 Spyder

Primary Function: Performance: 2
Secondary Functions: Luxury(2), Practicality(2): 2
Visual Appeal: 2
Build Quality: 2
Value for Money: 1

Final Score: 9/10

-Nick