LAMBORGHINI GALLARDO SPYDER

Camera phones spring from pockets and purses as PEDESTRIANS gawk, or try their damndest not to. You see, the pearl-white Gallardo Spyder you’re
dropping the top on is about to make you an instant celebrity. Now, stop smiling, play it cool and give ’em what they want. Extend your left fingers and click the E-gear paddle shifter. The throttle automatically blips the 5.0l V10 as it downshifts, making it scream like a tortured beast. You should now have everyone’s attention.

At idle you can hear the monster motor purr behind you, but as you push the needle to the red, that tame vibration disappears and a mechanical growl begins. Then as the Lambo launches, a howl usually only heard coming from a Formula-One racer explodes from the dual exhaust and pierces your ears. Yeah, the car may be beautiful, and while you enjoy catching the wedged warrior’s reflection in shop windows, it’s the exhaust note and gasp-inducing acceleration that will have you running tolls all night to repeatedly listen to it echo and scare at 8100rpm in the confines of a tunnel.

The over-engineered fabric top drops in 18 seconds and hides neatly under the engine cover—and if it ain’t raining, leave it there. This whip was built to roll with the titties out. Unlike most drop-tops, the Spyder’s frame was redesigned to keep the rigidity roofless. So, as you blast the bends, be surprised. The Quattro-derived AWD system amazingly sticks to the road with every gear-change bang. Top or not, this is a road-legal racer. It’s actually faster and more nimble than it’s covered brother thanks to quicker steering, a closer-ratio tranny and 20 more horses (500+20=520…yikes).

After the initial thrill wears thin, you take notice of the well appointed interior which includes navigation, dual climate zones, plenty of leather and a Bose stereo you may never need to turn on. Then as you notice the suede-wrapped steering wheel and how well it fits your hands, it occurs to you that the light has changed. But no one behind you is honking…just gazing into the pearl white. Smile for the camera phones.
Brian Scotto

Rating 6
Damage $165,000
Power 520hp, 376 lb.-ft.
0-60 4.3 seconds
Top Speed 196mph
Gas Cash LOL!
Miles Driven 174

Interior The doorsill trim is wrapped in leather…do you even need to hear about the seats? But aside from the cow wrappings, everything else is from the Audi parts bin (yeah, the Bull is caught up in the Four-Rings). Not saying that’s bad—Germans make things work, the Italians make ’em sexy.

Exterior Ferraris curve like a thick chick, but a Lambo takes its styling cues from the Millenium Falcon. The Gallardo Spyder is just as spaceship-ish as Bulls before it. The front carries the classic slant and the rear is boxy. The driver and passenger sit cab-forward and the doors open conventionally, but are still Lambo doors.

Floss Factor Rev it and you can pull digits from a dude’s girl right in front of him as he stares and she gets…you guessed it!

Flaw Factor Some of the interior’s fit and finish doesn’t feel so $165K. And expect to pay at least $30K over sticker. Yup, that’s the kicker.

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