2008 Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder

Flying Spyder

The Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder's convertible top gives you the chance to really feel the speed of this exotic sports car.

With its name taken from a line of 18th-century fighting bulls, the two-seat Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder is the soft-top version of the automaker’s “entry level” sports car. It is an extremely fast car, and it looks the part, even when it is standing still. The Gallardo Spyder is a good choice if you like to be stared at while you drive, as its loud looks draw attention even from those who aren’t car enthusiasts.

The Spyder comes wrapped in dramatic, athletic styling, though it offers doors that open conventionally, rather than scissoring up and out, like on the Murcielago.

The Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder has a 5.0-liter V10 engine that generates a bullish 520 horsepower. With a standard six-speed manual gearbox, this powerplant enables the car to reach 62 miles per hour (100 kilometers per hour) in just 4.3 seconds. Top speed is 195 mph with the roof up and 190 mph with it open.

A six-speed “E-gear” semi-automatic transmission is optional. It has no clutch pedal, but it can be taken through the gears manually via steering-wheel-mounted shift paddles, like a Formula One racer. It offers a choice of normal or sport operation. The latter affords quicker shifts for more aggressive driving. The car’s onboard electronic control system optimizes gearshifts according to driving conditions and the motorist’s personal driving style.

Built on a lightweight aluminum space frame with thermoplastic body panels, the Spyder features structural reinforcements made to help minimize vibrations and harshness. Like the Coupe, the Gallardo Spyder handles crisply thanks to a fully independent, electronically controlled suspension. Its stability control and all-wheel-drive systems are also calibrated explicitly for high performance.

The Spyder rides on large alloy wheels and high-performance tires. Its mid-mounted engine configuration provides a nearly ideal 42/58 front-to-rear weight distribution, which further contributes to the car’s well-balanced driving characteristics.

The Gallardo Spyder has a retractable power-operated cloth top that opens and closes at the push of a button in about 20 seconds.

While not particularly spacious, the cabin in the Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder is tastefully trimmed and features supportive, leather-upholstered sport seats, driver-focused gauges, front- and side-impact airbags, and ample amenities that include an audio system with two auxiliary inputs for MP3 players.

Optional equipment includes a navigation system and heated outside mirrors, though you’d expect such amenities to be included at the Gallardo Spyder’s hefty price. An available back-up camera and dashboard screen compensate for the lack of rearward visibility, while a power-lifting axle raises the car’s front end to help prevent scraping the bumper on steep driveways.

Is the Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder for You?

Buy the Gallardo Spyder if	You can afford a true Italian exotic sports car and live near open roads that let you put its power to use; you like to turn heads when you drive.
Keep Looking if	Your motoring needs are more practical; you don’t like to call attention to yourself.
Who Fits?	As with most cars of this nature, getting in and out can be a challenge for the less flexible, especially with the top up. But once inside, the driver and passenger will find a fairly comfortable and elegantly trimmed cabin.
Closest Competitors	Aston Martin DB9 Volante Ferrari F430 Spider Mercedes-Benz SL65 AMG Porsche 911 Turbo Cabriolet
Did You Know?	The Gallardo is mechanically related to the Audi R8 sport coupe, though that model costs $100,000 less and comes powered by a V8 engine instead of a V10.