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2005 Lamborghini Gallardo left

Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A., commonly referred to as Lamborghini , is an Italian automaker based in the small township of Sant'Agata Bolognese. The company was founded in 1963 by manufacturing magnate Ferruccio Lamborghini. It has changed ownership numerous times since, most recently becoming a subsidiary of German car manufacturer AUDI AG (itself a subsidiary of the Volkswagen Group) in 1998. Lamborghini has achieved widespread recognition for its sleek, exotic designs, and its cars have become symbols of performance and wealth.

Ferruccio Lamborghini entered the automobile manufacturing business with the aim of producing a high-quality grand tourer that could outperform and outclass offerings from local rival Ferrari S.p.A. Lamborghini met with success in 1966 with the release of the mid-engined Miura sports coupé, and in 1968 with the Espada GT, the latter of which sold over 1,200 units during ten years of production. After almost a decade of rapid growth, and the release of classic models like the Countach in 1974, hard times befell the company in the late 1970s, as sales plunged in the wake of the 1973 oil crisis. Bankruptcy crippled the automaker, and after passing through the hands of a number of Swiss entrepreneurs, Lamborghini came under the corporate umbrella of industry giant Chrysler. The American company failed to make the Italian manufacturer profitable, and in 1994, the company was sold to Indonesian interests.

The Lamborghini Gallardo (Italian pronunciation: [ɡaˈʎarðo]) is a sports car built by Lamborghini. The Gallardo is Lamborghini's most-produced model to date, with over 5000 built in its first three years of production.[Each car costs about $180,000 to $210,000. The car is named after a famous breed of fighting bull. The Spanish word gallardo translates into "gallant," and from Italian into "striking".

The Gallardo offers two choices of transmissions, a conventional (H-Box) six-speed manual transmission, and an advanced six-speed electro-hydraulically controlled semi-automatic robotized manual, which Lamborghini abbreviates to "E-gear". The "E-gear" allows the driver to make shifts much faster than a manual transmission would. The driver shifts up and down via paddles behind the steering wheel, and does not and cannot manually actuate the clutch.

For the MY2006 (launched in late 2005) Lamborghini introduced many changes to the car to counter some criticisms garnered by the press and owners. These were derived from the limited edition Gallardo SE. The exhaust system was changed to a more sporty one (including a flap to make it quieter around town), the suspension was revised and a new steering rack was fitted, the engine power was increased by 20 bhp to a maximum of 512 brake horsepower (382 kW), the biggest change was an overall lowering of the gearing especially in 1st to 5th. The result was a much improved car, it handled and turned in better, sounded better under full throttle and the extra power and lower gearing turned an already fast car into a seriously quick one.

Lamborghini Concept S (2005)

It is a concept vehicle based on contemporary Gallardo, but without roof. The car was designed by Luc Donckerwolke, Head of Lamborghini Design.

The car was unveiled in 2005 Geneva Motor Show.

SE (2005)

2006 Verde Ithaca Gallardo SE on Angeles Crest Hwy in Los Angeles.

Gallardo SE (Special Edition) is a limited (250 unit) version introduced in late 2005. The SE is distinguished from the regular Gallardo externally by having a black-roofed two-tone color scheme as well as specially-designed "Callisto" rims shod with Pirelli tires. Note that the Gallardo SE could only be ordered in a very small selection of exterior colors: two grey shades as well as white (Balloon white), yellow (Giallo Midas), Orange (Arancio Borealis) and green (Verde Ithaca)

The Gallardo SE comes with a two-tone interior. All piping and stitching on the ultra-quality leather are executed in the same color as the bodywork of the car. The mid sections of the seats are finished in color-coded upholstery and even the black floormats have a color coded borders.

A rear-view camera is also standard issue on the Gallardo SE, as is a multimedia system and a navigation system. The sport suspension and an exclusive cover also came with the car but there are still several other options available, like the E-gear, which featured a 'thrust' mode to offer even more impressive acceleration by improving the gearchange through the different gears.

This "thrust" mode automatically revs the car to 5,000 rpm, drops the clutch engaging all four wheels in a controlled burnout, and ensures the car performs maximum acceleration. This "launch" only requires the driver to engage the "thrust" mode and step on the gas pedal, similar to the launch technology in pre-2008 Formula 1 race cars.

 

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Uploaded on April 10, 2010
Taken on April 10, 2010