Lamborghini’s chief rival, Ferrari, might be charting new waters

Lamborghini’s chief rival, Ferrari, might be charting new waters by unveiling a hybrid at theGeneva auto show, but the bucking-bull brand is sticking to tried and true formulas with its news. The Gallardo LP570-4 Superleggera follows exactly the recipe laid out by its predecessor: less weight, more power. But now that the basic Gallardo LP560-4 puts out 552 horses, the total for the Superleggera sneaks up to 562, courtesy of a more liberal engine-management programming. The power peak still occurs at a siren-song 8000 rpm, and torque remains 398 lb-ft at 6500 rpm.

Lambo says 0 to 60 mph will take only 3.4 seconds, with 124 (200 km/h) passing in just 10.2. Terminal velocity is 202 mph. However, a regular-strength Gallardo we tested recently needed only 3.2 seconds to hit the 60-mph mark. That car also took a mere 11.2 seconds to trip the quarter-mile timing lights at a speed of 130 mph, which suggests that the new Superleggera will land safely among the quickest production cars we’ve ever tested. Lamborghini’s e-gear automated manual transmission will be standard, although we expect that, like the previous car, the Superleggera will offer the gated six-speed manual as a no-cost option. With e-gear, fuel economy is said to be 14 mpg in the city, 20 on the highway. Good luck finding the restraint to achieve those figures.