After posting yesterday's manual shift Murciélago Roadster, we thought a Gallardo Spyder manual might be a good follow-up. Now, compared to the Murciélago, the Gallardo represents a paradigm shift for Lamborghini. Out is the Paolo Stanzani V12 in favor of an Audi-derived V10. Gone too are the vestiges of Chrysler ownership, in favor of Audi switchgear - not necessarily a demerit, but more romantic solutions certainly existed. At least the styling, another effort from Luc Donckerwolke, the Murciélago designer, musters some continuity with past Lamborghinis.
We won't say that we are particularly drawn to the Gallardo. A Lamborghini, to us, is fast sports tourer, whereas the Gallardo appeals more to the mid-engine Ferrari and the Porsche 911 Turbo crowd. That said, we do have the Gallardo to thank for the continued solvency of the Lamborghini brand, which has turned out some world-beaters lately. The Huracán Performante is not what comes to mind when we picture a Lamborghini, but we are nonetheless in awe at its performance - from a naturally-aspirated powertrain, no less!
Year: 2007
Model: Lamborghini Murciélago Roadster
Engine: 5.0L V10
Transmission: 6-speed manual
Mileage: 11,461 mi
Price: $119,951
Location: West Palm Beach, FL
CLICK FOR DETAILS: 2007 LAMBORGHINI GALLARDO SPYDER MANUAL
***ONLY 11,461 MILES FROM NEW!*** 6-SPEED GATED MANUAL SHIFTER!*** CONVERTIBLE! NAVIGATION SYSTEM! FRONT AXLE LIFT SYSTEM! BRANDING PACKAGE! INTERIOR LEATHER PACKAGE! POWER HEATED SEATS! PERFORATED LEATHER STEERING WHEEL! STOP BY LAMBORGHINI PALM BEACH TODAY!
Do Gallardo engines experience carbon buildup issues like their contemporary Audi V8s do? We wouldn't expect that issue on a low-mileage example such as this, but we do recommend reading up on the common Gallardo issues if interested in purchasing. We would imagine that with the more reasonable prices as of late, the DIY community for these machines would be pretty developed. We like the sort of press release yellow on this one, and think that the contrasting interior, though tastefully-done, hasn't aged quite as well as the exterior.
At nearly a third of the price of yesterday's Murciélago Roadster, does this Gallardo Spyder make a case for itself? If it were our money, we'd either save up for the big boy Murciélago, or head a bit downmarket to something like a Maserati GranCabrio. But, for those in the market for a manual Gallardo Spyder, this example presents rather well.
-Graham