Lamborghini ends production of the Gallardo, coy about replacement

Italian carmaker Lamborghini has ended production of its top-selling Gallardo sports car, closing down a 10-year career, while keeping its upcoming replacement under wraps.

Since it was presented at the 2003 Geneva Motor Show, just over 14 000 Gallardos have been sold worldwide, making up almost half of Lamborghini’s total output of 30 000 cars since the company’s foundation in 1963.

In keeping with Lamborghini’s tradition, the mid-engined, all-wheel-drive two-seater was named after an 18th-century breed of fighting bull. The company said they were “known for (their) exceptional courage and undaunted nature.”

The sportiest Gallardo model, the LP 570-4 Squadra Corse, was capable of accelerating from 0 to 100 kilometres per hour in 3,4 seconds and reaching a top speed of 320 kilometers per hour. The last to roll off the production line was a red LP 570-4 Spyder Performante, destined for a private collector.

A successor model, rumoured to be called the Cabrera (a Spanish bull breed), is due to be unveiled at the 2014 Geneva Motor Show. Little is known about the new car.

Lamborghini, part of the Volkswagen Group since 1998, has only released a teaser website, called Hexagon Project, where fans can listen to the roaring sound of the new car’s engine.

Lamborghini first wanted to get out the news about its plaything for multimillionaires, the Veneno supercar. It will make only nine of the top-end roadsters, priced at 3,3 million euros ($4,5 million) apiece.