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Lamborghini are
set to 'pump up' the popular mid-size Gallardo as they seek
to counter Ferrari's new rival, the F430.
The next new
Gallardo 'family' member to arrive will be a 'Roadster'. It
follows hard on the heels of the bigger chop-top Murcielago
which has recently started being delivered to customers after receiving strong
market interest.
The
Bologna-based sportscar maker expect the Murcielago Roadster
to account for a significant proportion of the 6.2-litre V12
engined models sales, and the same is expected to be true of
the smaller open roofless Gallardo.
Prototypes began
testing around the Sant d'Agata factory during the autumn
and an official announcement regarding production is
expected early next year.
While the
Murcielago Roadster will eat into Coupe sales of what is now
a rapidly maturing model, Lamborghini are keen to see the
500bhp 5.0-litre V10 Gallardo Roadster stake out fresh
ground and attract new customers as they strive to achieve
ambitious targets set for them by parent company Audi.
To this end a
new 'extreme' Gallardo will be created in 2006 with which they seek
to counter the strong threat now posed by Ferrari's mid-size
360 Modena replacement, the new 315km/h F430, which hits
100km/h from standstill in four seconds flat.
With its, light and compact, new generation 4.3-litre V8
engine, that pumps out 490bhp, coupled to an F1-derived
gearbox and advanced aluminium chassis, the new Ferrari F430
has shaken up this sportcar segment.
In response to
this new rival, Lamborghini will up the stakes by increasing
the V10-engined Gallardo's capacity from 5000cc to 5500cc,
while power will jump to nearly 600bhp, thanks also to
a new output-boosting
modified crankshaft.
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