2009 Lamborghini Gallardo Review

The 2009 Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4 gives auto writers from across the Web—and the editors of TheCarConnection.com—the chance to exercise some vocabulary to describe its fantastic, outrageous shape.

The “first model completely designed under the watchful and sensible eye of Audi,” Motor Authority reports, the newest version of the Gallardo is “more in to line with the Murcielago and recent Reventon concept. You can clearly see the family resemblance in the new model with giant air dams and new lights in the front.” It’s “more aggressive and more elegant than before,” Car and Driver says, with “a bit more of a chin,” “LED daytime running lights,” and “smoothed and filled” body surfaces that replace the “dozens of gills on the original Gallardo.” Motor Trend exclaims, “Behind the cosmetically reshaped nose, between the all new Y-styled, LED head and taillights, is a vehicle truly worthy of such an affected alphanumeric name.” It’s plainly “sexier than ever,” Popular Mechanics says succinctly.

Moving to the rear of the car, Edmunds observes that the Gallardo “displays a raging V10 engine under a hatch that's inset with glass.” The rear end’s been updated, Motor Authority reports, “with cooling vents, new rear lights and bumper plus a redesigned diffuser all contributing to its changed appearance.” They also note the Gallardo’s newfound resemblance to its corporate cousins: “In what may be a subconscious nod to its German cousin, the LP560-4’s rear looks a little like the Audi R8’s.”

The 2009 Gallardo’s cabin sports “a purposeful cabin that can be outfitted with leather, Alcantara or carbon-fiber accents,” Popular Mechanics says. “The familiar Audi-sourced nav system and A/C controls are easy to use, and the tach's 8500 rpm redline is one of the few clues to the outrageous side of this Lambo's personality.”

TheCarConnection.com spent a day at the racetrack in Las Vegas with the latest Lamborghini and got familiar with its sleek strakes, curves, and stunning proportions. The newest flavor of the Gallardo certainly looks more refined than the version that’s been plying streets and road courses the past few years, but it’s still supercar all the way, sporting a deep flying wedge updated with new details like those LED running lights. More than the latest generation of Ferraris, the latest Lambos look like outrageous performers—and the “entry-level” Gallardo LP560-4 is far more cutting edge than the bulbous Porsche 911 and the more reserved Aston Martin V8 Vantage.