Supercars - Lamborghini - Gallardo
Lamborghini Gallardo Review
Ferruccio Lamborghini - born under the
zodiac sign of Taurus - when he founded the
famous super car company, that since then
bears his name, gave it to the symbol of the
fighting bull. Later, in the "60s decade,
when the Miura was introduced, he named the
car after the famous bull's race, and this
practice became a tradition for the House of
the Bull. Honoring this tradition, the
Management of Automobili Lamborghini have
decided to baptize their latest model with
the name of a fighting bull's breed: The
Gallardo.
The Concept
Designed to redefine its segment as the best
high performance sports car and driving
behavior that fits its driver in every
situation. The Gallardo is the synthesis of
a true sports car that can be used on an
every day basis. While matching these two
apparently conflicting objectives, the
guideline for Lamborghini engineers has been
to fulfil necessary comfort requirements
without and compromise in the performances
expected of a true Lamborghini car. The
choices for engine, transmission, space
frame and body, suspensions, brakes and
electronics are then all in line with such
an objective. The result is a compact
(length 4.3m) 2-seater high performance car
(maximum speed over 300 km/h), that can be
driven with pleasure both on race tracks and
on long distance journeys on country and
city roads. The layout has been conceived to
reach high performance targets, on the basis
of the sports-oriented concept for which
Lamborghini is well known. The basic
characteristics of such a layout are:
- Mid-rear mounted engine, with the gearbox
behind the engine
- Permanent four-wheel drive system
- Independent double wishbone suspension
system
- Aluminum space frame - Low center of
gravity
- Even weight distribution
- Two front mounted water radiators and one
side mounted oil cooler
Particular attention was paid to achieve the
correct weight distribution, true to
Lamborghini's engineering tradition. In
fact, the chosen weight distribution is the
optimal for a sports car, with advantages
for traction, braking, and handling. The
lowering of the center of gravity has also
been a fundamental guideline, which also
lead to the engineering decisions for engine
and transmission layout.
The Design
The Gallardo design vision was initiated in
the year 2000. The challenging and
simultaneously fascinating task of out
engineers was to cultivate the attributes
from Lamborghini and combine them in an
extremely individual packaging. Its design,
based on an Italdesign-Giugiaro style
proposal was developed by the Lamborghini
Centro Stile to imcorporate the parameters
of our extreme design philosophy. The
Gallardo dimensions combined with the
competitive performance targets ensure the
car an athletic compactness. The long
wheelbase complemented by short overhangs
dynamise its appearance. It was clad in the
typical and unique mono volume
proportioning, our heritage initiated by the
Countach and integrates the Lamborghini
design attributes of purism, athleticism,
and sharpness. The cab-forward cockpit
integrated in the body by a strongly slanted
front screen and tensed pillars, the complex
surfacing intersected by crisp graphics and
its cooling flow oriented detailing evokes
as in the Lamborghini tradition in its
proportions and formal language a strong
aeronautical influence. Starring blad-like
front spoiler graphics, the front face is
orchestrated around the dominant cooling
inlets. The scissor door cinematic as been
reserved as traditional to the 12-cylinder
lineage. The foldable side mirrors slanted
forward dynamising the side view are mounted
on an evolutive shoulder incorporating air
inlets. The flush integration of the door
handles emphasize the lateral air intakes
and like all details improves the
aerodynamic efficiency. The rear lights
prolonging the lines of the upper air
intakes develop an aerodynamic lip present
also in the rotating spoiler, combining once
again fuction and emotion. The wheels, a
strong differencing factor in the
Lamborghini history develop the traditional
round holes design theme interacting them
with spokes.
The Engine
The Lamborghini V10 cylinder DOHC four valve
V90 5-liter, 500 hp, 510 NM, is the concept
solution for the high performance Gallardo.
Instead of the more classical choice of a
V72, an angle of 90 degrees was preferred in
order to limit the height of the engine with
advantages in the car layout (lower engine
bonnet and better rear view) and in the
lowering of the center of gravity. Even
firing intervals are guaranteed by the
adoption of the adaption of crankpins
incorporating an 18-degree offset. A dry
sump lubrication system not only achieves
the correct lubrication even in extreme
dynamic conditions, but also permits the
center of gravity to be lowered further. The
torque output is optimised in the full rpm
range. In order to achieve such an
objective, the charge efficiency was
increased at various speeds by a precise
utiliation of gas dynamic effects that take
place in the intake and exhaust system.
These effects are managed by the adoption of
a variable geometry intake manifold and of a
continuously variable valve timing system,
both for intake and exhaust. While the
variable geometry guarantees the correct
base gas dynamic characteristics both at low
rpm and high rpm, the variable valve timing
system guarantees the most suitable valve
opening and closing moments for each rpm.
The maximum torque fo 510 NM is reached at
4500 rpm, with 80 percent of this maximum
already achieved at only 1500 rpm. The
maximum power is obtained at a much higher
speed, 7800 rpm. The throttle is controlled
via a Drive-By-Wire system, with two
electronic throttle bodies. The contruction
technology is obviously all aluminum.
