G E A R E D - I N

When was the last time you were seduced by sharp, flowing angles accompanied by a brutishly ferocious attitude that can only be described as the devil incarnate?  Well, you surely are smitten by now.  Unveiled at the 79^th Geneva Motor Show, Automobili Lamborghini unveiled what could be aptly described as the devil’s ride: the new Gallardo.

Named after the famed 18^th century fighting bull breeder, Franciso Gallardo, the Gallardo (pronunciation: ga:yàrdo), is the latest technical tour-de-force from the Italian marque, Lamborghini.  Founded by Ferruccio Lamborghini, he gave the super car company the symbol of a fighting bull—as he was born under the zodiac sign of Taurus.  He was first known for making tractors, until he thought of challenging the dominance of another Italian car company, Ferrari.  After the immense success of the Miura in the 1960’s, it has become practice for the company to baptize their cars from breeds of the finest and most ferocious bulls. 

The latest offering from the House of the Bull is no different.  Designed to redefine its segment as the best high-performance sports car, the Gallardo’s driving behavior promises to fit its driver in every situation.  Relying on the company’s vast knowledge and experience, the Gallardo also points towards a new direction—where true sports car and practical everyday transport come together in perfect synthesis.  These two apparently conflicting objectives had engineers working making sure that the necessary comfort requirements are met without any compromise in the performance aspect expected of a true Lamborghini.

The vision, which would turn out to be the Gallardo, was initiated by the company way back in the 1990’s.  However, the financial crunch meant that the project had to be shelved—only to be resurrected by its new parent company, Audi.  The challenging and fascinating task of Lamborghini engineers was alive once again.  Incorporating the latest technology (as well as Audi’s infusion of more development resources) meant that the so-called ‘Baby Lambo’ had to wait a full three years to merge from concept to reality.

Based on the Canto concept penned by the Italian design studio Italdesign-Giugiaro, the Gallardo was developed further and then finalized by the company’s own Lamborghini Centro Stile, incorporating the parameters of its unique design philosophy with the company’s long line of super cars—and the result is nothing short of dramatic.

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