New Gallardo for 2008?

This would then beg the question of what would happen to the current Gallardo's resale value (2004-2007, only four years with this style?).

 

If they want to seperate the cars, maybe they shouldn't share the chassis and engine, among other things

 

Looks like just a facelift and tuning, not really a whole new design. Notably, it has the front vents in more of the original shapes that Dunkerwonke (sp?) drew the concept with.

4 years isn't too bad for a modern car company - look at the 355 (95-99), 550 (97-02), 360 (99-05), 993 (95-98), 996 (99-04), etc. Now, given the ~15 years of Countach and 10 years of Diablo, this is a quicker change... but probably more along the lines of the 5000qv to Anniversary or VT to 6.0VT evolution.

 

As much as they might want to keep a distance from the Audi models, they'll fail. Economics rule in large public companies. Word is the Murcielago will dump it's still ITALIAN V12 for a modified Audi V10 made into a 12.

 

Depends. The F430 gets replaced (and this time a true replacement, not a warmed-over-360 as the 430 is currently) in the '08 timeframe due to the airbag issue among other things.

Audi may decide to just do an "LP640" to the current G (buff up hp to 550, refresh the front/rear) to compete with the "F500" or whatever the 430's replacement winds up being called, until a whole-new G appears in 2010.

One thing is certain: The "mags" know nothing. Nor are there any photos. Ignore them.

 

This is a old prototype prior to Gallardo launching. This picture often pops up every few months, but the story remains the same, old pic.

 

thats b*****t-talk!!!!!!

ciao!
walter

 

Currently, the Gallardo's resale value is lukewarm. Audi/Lamborghini sold the 2004-2007 models, and (for them) those cars will be history. Onward and upward towards a revised model of the Gallardo!

 

I couldn't agree more.

Thats whats killing alot of car companys right now.

 

Thats pretty much what i was thinking. We wont be seing any replacement for the G anytime soon but perhaps a striped out model with RWD is a great possiblitly.

Mags don't know jack from sh..... unless it pops up on an offical Lamborghini site, i doubt that anything is going on at the moment.

 

Yup you are right, ive seen it before on a few occasions...

 

I forgot where it was posted, probably L-Power, but if story is true something big is happening with the Gallardo in the 2008/2009 model year. Supposedly Lambo swing up doors will be standard on the Gallardo, so no longer will it be a V12 exclusive.

 

Hurts don't it

 

heeey that Sabino car, i know the guy that does those car renderings. i haven't talked to him i na while. i should hit him up and seewhat he's been up to

 

Just what the Gallardo and/or follow on car needs - swing doors

 

damn those headlights are long

 

I am sure something will be new for 2008. There sure seem to be a lot of folks without skin in the game talking poor resale, non-italian engines, yada-yada. Is it just me, or was the all-Italian Lambo unreliable and an ergonomic mess? Styling aside, I really have not been impressed with the reliability or usability of the Countach or Diablo, for example (or Miura for that matter). The G will stomp them in any and every category except for some throwback that cries about the German influence, which is the best thing that ever happened to Lamborghini. And yes, I think the G will womp any Diablo in a stock for stock test.

I would never consider any Lambo (except maybe Miura for investment, but not to really drive) other than the G. Can't afford the Murcie and frankly the scissor doors are no better than traditional doors (I think they are harder to get in & out of, personally).

Many folks I personally know got rid of 360s for the G, and anyone objective admits that the G is better in every way. That certainly never happened before that I know of - Lamborghini has always had an inferiority complex next to Ferrari. Ferrari had to make a quantum leep to the 430 in order to try to maintain an edge over the G - that is the highest praise I can think of.

As for resale, G prices seem pretty stable to me. It is hard to find a 2004 G (now basically 3 years old) under 140K and it was 175K or so new - so what is that, 20% over 3 model years? Call it 30% or 10% per year average. Compare that to a 996TT over the same interval. And production numbers are way down for 2005 and 2006 - look for G's to hold value comparably to 360/430 - especially if you factor in the REAL price that we unwashed have to pay to step into a new Ferrari.

I bought my G to DRIVE. A LOT. I get in, turn the key and it goes. It handles, stops, and I can even see well enough to manage traffic. Fit and finish is excellent. It does not fall apart on the track. It does not break down or need ridiculous service intervals. I go to work. I go grocery shopping. I drive in the rain. The A/C works. In Texas. I use it like a car and get to have the exotic experience every day. Do that in an all-Italian Lambo.

Will it get better? I am sure it will with Audi at the helm. Audi also has a far better race pedigree than Lamborghini ever thought about, especially of late, so who would lament the Audi influence? If anything, I wish Audi would Lambo badge the R8 and R10!

So let the poseur-whiners complain about the Audi influence. I LOVE it and will take all the german engineering I can get in my Lamborghini.

Finally, I think the styling of the G is near perfect. Definitely exotic, novel, tidy, compact, functional, integrated, but not such a slave to drama that it is unusable. That's subjective of course, but I don't hear too many folks say the car looks bad.

 

As a Diablo owner I'll defend the old "throwback" cars and mentality. First it's simply not fair to compare reliability factors for different generation's of any automobile, sure technollogy has gotten better for them all, and Lambo reliability would have improved on it's own. Lamborghini needed Audi's money that's all. What else would there be, styling? performance? how bout more "EXOTIC" appeal, from the Germans? I hardly think so.

I love all the oddities of the old cars. Can't see out of them, lousy in traffic, not 100% comfortable, requires special care and service, even a different mentality and some preparation to drive, yeah, that's what makes it an EXOTIC. Incidently the older cars were built for the open road were they should be used and where it all comes together, not traffic. If I jumped in and out of my Diablo as you do your Gallardo, I'd feel like it was just transportaion and I'd end up hating it. Exotic is a relative term, but any car built to combat the daily grind of day to day traffic is bound to loose some of it's appeal and is certainly no place for 500+ horsepower anyway. I mean what's the point?

As far as which car is "better"? Performance is only one measure. The rest is just a matter of opinion. Brands still do matter to some and as Lamborghini morphs into something else, I'll go back to Ferrari if I ever trade for a newer car, an All Italian Mark. Pretty darn reliable too.

 

Since when was a Diablo considered a throw-back? Makes me feel VERY old and I'm only 22!

 

Excellent Post, Kverges! Your insight is spot on and I agree with you on every point. The way that I see it, you're getting the best of both worlds; let the Germans do what they do best and let the Italians do what they do best. And that's how you end up with a Gallardo.

 

Agree fully. The G is the first Lambo I've ever seriously considered buying, for the exact reasons you and Kverges mention. It's basically like a 911 with true emotion and passion...something the Germans on their own simply aren't able to provide for whatever reason.

Best of both worlds. Didn't some journo call it a "smart German executive in a sharp Italian suit"? Well put.