Driving the original Lamborghini Gallardo – car pictures of the week

As the era of the V8-engined, 10,000rpm Temerario begins, we pay tribute to the V10 era of Lamborghini supercars by revisiting the original Gallardo in the latest issue of evo. The covers were first pulled off the Gallardo 21 years ago, but with its naturally-aspirated engine and unashamedly analogue driving experience, it sets high standards for the newcomer to meet. 

To read the full feature, pick up a copy of evo issue 326 in-store or online via the evo shop.

The Gallardo is a car that transformed Lamborghini’s fortunes and gave Ferrari a lot to think about in the early 2000s. It was the first Lamborghini for a generation that was attainable and designed to be usable, as well as spectacular to look at and drive. The mid-mounted 5-litre V10 was bespoke to the car and comfortably outgunned Ferrari’s 360 Modena, and the whole thing was clothed in a fabulous Luc Donckerwolke-styled body that still looks crisp today. 

An open gate manual gearbox is the final piece of the puzzle, as equipped to our test car. As our man Dickie Meaden found out, the combination of this and a lightly-modified V10 is scintillating. 

‘The Gallardo’s in-house developed 5.0-litre V10 has always been a blockbuster, but reacquaintance serves to remind just how impressive and characterful this original ‘pre-LP’ spec motor is,’ he said.

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‘There’s a bit more fire in its belly somehow, with a grittier quality compared to the creamier Audi-developed 5.2-litre found in later models. This car’s decat and switch to Superleggera back box certainly add to the explosive soundtrack, but there’s something inherently more interesting about the 5.0-litre’s 7-8-5-2-1-10-9-4-6-3 firing order compared with the 5.2’s 1-6-5-10-2-7-3-8-4-9. Such is the weirdness of our obsession with internal combustion.’

To find out exactly what the new Temerario needs to live up to, pick up a copy of evo 326 to read the full test.