Lamborghini Gallardo Buyer’s Guide
Since Volkswagen’s acquisition of Lamborghini in 1998, it’s easy to see how the German giant has influenced the Italian automaker. The hulking, outlandish exteriors have given way to sleek and modern designs. Lambo’s outrageousness now mainly focuses on the mechanicals. This began with the 12-cylinder Murciélago and continued with the Lamborghini Gallardo for sale; the first Lamborghini entirely developed under Audi’s reign.
The Gallardo was a breakthrough vehicle for Lamborghini as it gained a reputation for being a supercar well-suited for daily driver duty. Add in a modest price (modest for a Lambo anyway), and the car became a best seller for the brand (only recently surpassed by the Urus). This combination of competence and supply (more than 14,000 were built) makes the Gallardo an excellent choice for pre-owned exotic. Let’s look at both generations.
Lamborghini Gallardo — 1st Generation: 2004-2008
The Gallardo launched for the 2004 model year with V-10 mid-engine power and all-wheel drive. Boasting 500 horsepower and 376 lb-ft of torque, the car could hit 0-60 in 4.2 seconds and a 196 mph top speed without a turbo or supercharger in sight. The 2005 Gallardo pushed the 0-60 mark to a flat 4.0 seconds thanks to some transmission and engine upgrades.
The following year, Lamborghini introduced the Spyder variant for top-down fun and fame. The first-generation winds down with the Gallardo Superleggera that finally cracks the four-second time for 0-60 acceleration (3.8-seconds to be precise).
A first-gen Gallardo will run in the $80,000-$100,000 range with pristine, low-mileage examples (and Spyders) crossing the six-figure mark.
Lamborghini Gallardo — 2nd Generation: 2009-2014
The second generation of Gallardo is not a massive re-do but a subtle rework that’s more in keeping with Lamborghini’s process of steady improvement. In fact, you’ll need a keen eye to spot the differences (mainly in the taillights and grille).
If you’re considering a Gallardo from this generation, check out the LP560-4, which benefits from an upgraded V-10 with 552 horsepower and 398 lb-ft of torque. Lamborghini says that’s good for 3.7 seconds for the 0-60 dash and a 202 mph top speed.
If you’re looking for an even more exclusive Gallardo, go for the 2010 LP550-2 Valentino Balboni (VB). Only 250 copies were built to honor a long-serving Lambo test driver — it’s the only rear-wheel-drive Gallardo. Another hard-to-find favorite is the Gallardo LP570-4 Superleggera—horsepower gets tweaked to 562, and the 0-60 time drops to 3.4 seconds.
You can find a Gallardos from the second generation in the $125,000-$150,000 area. A limited-run special edition or a Gallardo Spyder will be on the high side of this range, if not above.
Top 5 Lamborghini Gallardo Special Editions
