After 10-year run, production of Lamborghini Gallardo ends

After 10 years of production and over 14,000 units sold, the final Lamborghini Gallardo has rolled out of the company's factory, destined for a private collector.
The last-ever Gallardo is a LP 570-4 Spyder Performante in Rosso Mars red, with a model number of 14022. The model is the most successful and popular Lamborghini in the company’s sometimes-checkered history.
But that almost wasn't the case. The first car to be built from the ground up following Audi's takeover, the car was regarded by many purists as too ‘German', too well-built, and lacking in passion and excitement.


The company listened to these early criticisms, and by 2005, the car's performance and handling characteristics had been overhauled. That year also saw the hardtop version of the Gallardo joined by a Spyder open-top version, which managed to recapture the Lamborghini madness of models past.
The result was a car that looked incredible parked in the driveway, that put a smile on the driver's face at any speed and that, despite lacking some of the technological gimmicks of some of its peers, could beat the refined Ferrari F430 around pretty much any track, thanks to its 520bhp V-10 engine and permanent four-wheel drive.
Before the Gallardo, Lamborghini was lucky if it could make and sell 200 cars a year and stay in business. Once the Gallardo found its audience, Lamborghini was able to increase production ten-fold. The company now produces and sells 2,000 cars a year.
Before the Gallardo, the company's most successful vehicle had been the Espada, the four-seat tourer built between 1986 and 1978, with about 1,200 units made.
The company has only managed to sell 30,000 cars in its history, meaning that nearly half of all Lamborghinis are Gallardos.
But times change and despite a couple of facelifts and specification tweaks, the Gallardo is starting to look its age, especially under the hood. And while it can still lap the Ferrari F430, the Ferrari replacement -- and therefore the Gallardo's most direct competitor -- the Ferrari 458 Italia, has taken supercar performance to a whole new level.
And that's a good thing: it means that the Gallardo's replacement, which could be unveiled as soon as the Geneva motor show in March, already has a benchmark to beat.


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Lamborghini to serve south via dealership in B'lore

Lamborghini to serve south via dealership in B'lore

Italian luxury and super sports car maker, Lamborghini, is planning to set up its first dealership in South India in Bangalore in the next six months. The Indian arm of the company is also looking at reaching the sales target 20 units this year amidst the adverse industry conditions, according to a top official from the company.

The company, which has its dealership in Delhi and Mumbai, has sold around 30 units in South India, of the 90 units it has sold across the country so far. It is expecting the South Indian market to have a larger share in its overall sales in future, with a new dealership coming up in Bangalore.

“We have started the process to set up the dealership in Bangalore in the next six months. This would cater to Tamil Nadu and Kerala markets too,” said Pavan Shetty, head (operations), Lamborghini India. He added unlike other parts of the country, South India had multiple bigger cities with sales potential.

The super sports car maker, which sold 17 units last year and 14 units during the year before that in India, is targeting 20 units this year. However, Shetty agreed the super sports car market was going through a tough phase and the total sales in the industry came down from 100 units in 2011 to 90 units in 2012. This is expected to further come down this year and the associated numbers are not known at present.

The company, which began selling in India from 2006, has set up its own operations in India in 2011. It is strengthening operations through a logistics team and in terms of products and services to cater to the market, which has a low base and opportunity for growth, he said.

While the company annually revises its prices to face the duty increase and other external cost increase for the imported car, it is exploring possibilities for a price revision next year owing to the currency fluctuation. It went for a price revision in March this year when the duty on imported cars was increased.

It has eight variants between two models - Aventador and Gallardo – in the country with a price range of Rs 2.83 - 3.64 crore for Gallardo and Rs 4.8 -5.46 crore for Aventador.


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Look what Lamborghini is bringing to India

Lamborghini, known for its super luxury sports cars is bringing something to India that it started manufacturing before its famous sports cars.

Lamborghini-known to be associated with the rich and famous is now targeting affluent farmers, golf courses, cricket grounds, vine yards & luxury resorts as it unveils its tractors in India. The launch is scheduled for December 12 at the largest agricultural exhibition 'KISAN' to be held in Pune.

Lamborghini tractors have a history older than its cars. It was launched way back in the mid 1950s and in 1973 got acquired by the SDF Group. The group has been manufacturing Lamborghini tractors at its facility in Ranipet, Tamil Nadu, but has so far only exported them.

SDF Group had gained ownership of the Lamborghini brand of tractors after acquiring Trattori Lamborghini, founded by Ferruccio Lamborghini -- creator of the Lamborghini cars.

 "We are thrilled to launch this beautiful Lamborghini tractor in India. Highly popular abroad, Lamborghini has won the hearts of many across the globe and I am confident the same story will be repeated here," Bhanu Sharma, managing director and CEO, SDF India said.

The prices are yet to be disclosed by the company.

The sports car business of Lamborghini is under Automobili Lamborghini SpA, which is owned by the Volkswagen Group.

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