First Impressions - Gallardo Spyder LP560

rossyl

Member
Messages
3,312
Hi All,

As many of you know from my deep involvement in the Finance themed threads on here, and the Shares To Watch thread (read: no involvement at all), I am famed for my excellent financial decisions. It is for that very reason I purchased a Lamborghini. In particular, I purchased it at the start of this year prior to any price-reductions from CoVID. Another scrap of knowledge to make your future pension fund empty, as I am in London, where the square millimetre area of a stamp is worth milluple of the stamp itself, the car lives on the road(!) although its under a rather nice Noah car cover (so it is prepped for the floods!) it is also covered head to toe in PPF.

That's the boring bits out of the way.

So what's it like? Does everyone hate it? It's a bright yellow car, with a V10 engine.

One of my initial drives was in the midst of "early" LockDown, where only essential journeys were permitted and everyone thought the world was ending. I was quite worried that driving a bright yellow Lamborghini might be considered callous given the difficulties some people were facing. It might therefore draw negative reactions, after all everyone seems constantly concerned about driving a yellow supercar. What if there's a "not in my village" protest, and the WI and Rotary Club end up waving their zimmer frames at me. On stopping at a petrol station (I now do that a lot) I actually experienced the opposite. I have thankfully had numerous great reactions; from a group of teens in a car taking photos and asking to take photos with the car, a chap driving in not because he wanted fuel but because he wanted to have a closer look, staff members wanting a chat and even an old lady clapping when I started it up!

Reactions have thus far been positive, which I mention not because I'm looking to feature on Instagram, but because there seems to be a consensus that everyone will hate you, you'll look like a t it, people will make hand gestures at you etc etc. That's not been my experience. Maybe people should worry less and enjoy more?

The LP560 Spyder in Giallo Midas is a ridiculous, childish, ostentatious, shouty looking thing, but that is the point of it...at sight it reduces people to children. I had a poster of a Countach on my wall growing up, not because it was sensible. If someone gets grumpy and shouty, just be grateful that you didn't experience the same sorry childhood that they did.

What's it like to drive? It is a convertible that will do 200mph. It's the most rapid car I've owned. It is extremely stiff, so you do feel the imperfections in our rather awful British roads, but I would not say there's any scuttle shake.

The LP560's exhaust in Sport Mode is plenty loud enough when stock. Particularly as the Spyder has this little window just behind your head that you can drop down at will. Even with the roof up you can drop the little window, it results in the cabin experiencing the full force of the V10 orchestra behind you. The e-Gear is marvelous, having previously had a 4200 Cambiocorsa, it is similarly single clutch, however it seems smoother and faster. My Vantage (V8) that I had immediately prior to the LP560 was manual, and I do miss it, particularly when parallel parking, but I was and remain not skillful enough to heel-and-toe, so the e-Gear blips on downshifts make it the choice for me. The downshifts evoke an immediate grin, and a chuckle and occasionally a complete laugh out loud moment.

Recently I drove out of London and entered some country lanes, weather not perfect, so roof up. I pushed the SPORT button, the exhaust shifted from an Italian loudly testing the finesse of their favourite Mosacto, to the fiery sounds of the place that the Pope promises to send you if you blaspheme in St Peter's Sq. Pressed another steel knurled button and lowered the little window behind my head, having the orchestra sat 30cm from ones head ensures you can enjoy everything little sound, from the loudest roar to the quietest overrun burble, I then dropped a gear - it was like a Lion who hadn't eaten for a decade was suddenly claiming it prey, but 30cm from my left ear. Shivers down the spine, an instant firmer grip of the steering wheel, and the slightest twinge of the buttocks as you remind yourself that this 552bhp raging bull's power far exceeds your abilities behind the wheel. Given it is 4WD the road holding is magnificent but, having driven an R8, unlike R8 it retains its Italian-roots being pretty lively and reminding you that despite all this grip it could suddenly spit you out. There's a reason why the LP560 won the CAR Magazine Performance Car of The Year, and finished second in Evo eCoty that year as well.

Whilst all of that is going on, you are absolutely enveloped in a plush leather cocoon. It is a completely different feeling to the driving position of the 4200, the Vantage, or the GranTursimo (I test drove a few before the Aston). The dash board meets the bottom of the windscreen, what feels like an acre away from the steering wheel. If I dropped anything on the dash and it rolled forward, it would remain there for eternity. The view out of the back is of the fins of the engine cover, with the little spoiler that lifts and tips, speed dependent. It's hard to describe, but when sat in the car you feel much lower than you actually are. The view is a mere band of scenery around you which is in great contrast to the black leather with yellow stitching that frames it. It's a rather special place.

Then there's the bit that only comes marginally second to driving it, when you get out (as gracefully as possible) and can feel the heat from that huge expanse of engine rising through the fins on the engine cover, and then take a step back and just look at it. It really is ridiculous but also completely right.

As you can tell, I feel like a kid who got every present that they ever wanted at Christmas, and remember, just as there were back then, there'll always be the grumpy kids.
 
Last edited:

Oneball

Member
Messages
11,071
Glad you’ve got good response so far. Do you have to do the Elise crawl out on your hands thing?

Pics needed.
 

lozcb

Member
Messages
12,293
Hi All,

As many of you know from my deep involvement in the Finance themed threads on here, and the Shares To Watch thread (read: no involvement at all), I am famed for my excellent financial decisions. It is for that very reason I purchased a Lamborghini. In particular, I purchased it at the start of this year prior to any price-reductions from CoVID. Another scrap of knowledge to make your future pension fund empty, as I am in London, where the square millimetre area of a stamp is worth milluple of the stamp itself, the car lives on the road under a rather nice Noah car cover (so it is prepped for the floods!) it is also covered head to toe in PPF.

That's the boring bits out of the way.

So what's it like? Does everyone hate it? It's a bright yellow car, with a V10 engine.

One of my initial drives was in the midst of "early" LockDown, where only essential journeys were permitted and everyone though the world was ending. I was quite worried that driving a bright yellow Lamborghini might be considered callous given the difficulties people were facing. It might therefore draw negative reactions, after all everyone is constantly concerned about driving a yellow supercar. What if there's a "not in my village" protest, with the WI and Rotary Club waving their zimmer frames at me. On stopping at a petrol station (I now do that a lot) I actually experienced the opposite. I have thankfully had numerous great reactions, from a group of teens in a car taking photos and asking to take photos with the car, a chap driving in not because he wanted fuel but because he wanted to have a closer look, staff members wanting a chat and even an old lady clapping when I started it up!

Reactions have thus far been thankfully positive, which I mention not because I'm looking to feature on Instagram, but because there seems to be a consensus that everyone will hate you, you look like a t it, people will make hand gestures at you etc etc. That's not been my experience. Maybe people should worry less and enjoy?

The LP560 Spyder in Giallo Midas is a ridiculous, childish, ostentatious, shouty looking thing, but that is the point of it...at-sight reduces people to children. I had a poster of a Countach on my wall growing up, not because it was sensible. If someone gets grumpy and shouty, just be grateful that you didn't experience the same sorry childhood that they did.

What's it like to drive? It is a convertible that will do 200mph. It's the most rapid car I've owned. It is extremely stiff, so you do feel the imperfections in our rather awful British roads, but I would not say there's any scuttle shake.

The LP560's exhaust in Sport is plenty loud enough in stock mode. Particularly as the Spyder has this little window just behind your head that you can drop down at will. Even with the roof up you can drop the little window, it results in the cabin experiencing the full force of the V10 orchestra behind you. The e-Gear is marvelous, having previously had a 4200 Cambiocorsa, it is similarly single clutch, however it seems smoother and faster. My Vantage (V8) that I had immediately prior to the LP560 was manual, and I do miss it, particularly when parallel parking, but I was and remain not skillful enough to heel-and-toe, so the blips on downshifts make it the choice for me. The downshifts evoke an immediate grin, and a chuckle and occasionally an complete laugh out loud moment.

Recently I drove out of London and entered some country lanes, weather not perfect, so roof up. I pushed the SPORT button, the exhaust shifted from an Italian loudly testing the finesse of their favourite Mosacto, to the fiery sounds of the place that the Pope promises to send you if you blaspheme in St Peter's Sq. Pressed another steel knurled button and lowered the little window behind my head, having the orchestra sat 30cm from ones head ensure you can enjoy everything little sound, from the loudest roar to the quietest overrun burble, I then dropped a gear - it was like a Lion who hadn't eaten for a decade was suddenly claiming it prey, but 30cm from my left ear. Shivers down the spine, an instant firmer grip of the steering wheel, and the slightest twinge of the buttocks as you remind yourself that this 552bhp raging bull's power far exceeds your abilities behind the wheel. Given it is 4WD the road holding is magnificent but, having driven an R8, unlike R8 it retains its Italian-roots being pretty lively and reminding you that despite all this grip it could suddenly spit you out. There's a reason why the LP560 won the CAR Magazine Performance Car of The Year, and finished second in Evo eCoty that year as well.

Whilst all of that is going on, you are absolutely enveloped in a plush leather coccoon. It is a completely different feeling to the driving position of the 4200, the Vantage, or the GranTursimo (I test drove a few before the Aston). The dash board meets the bottom of the windscreen, what feels like an acre away from the steering wheel. If I dropped anything on the dash and it rolled forward, it would remain there for eternity. The view out of the back is of the fins of the engine cover, with the little spoiler that lifts and tips, speed dependent. It's hard to describe, but when sat in the car you feel much lower than you actually are. The view is a mere band of scenery around you which is in great contrast to the black leather with yellow stitching that frames it. It's a rather special place.

Then there's the bit that only comes marginally second to driving it, when you get out (as gracefully as possible) and can feel the heat from that huge expanse of engine rising through the fins on the engine cover, and then take a step back and just look at it. It really is ridiculous but also completely right.

As you can tell, I feel like a kid who got every present that they ever wanted at Christmas, and remember, just as there were back then, there'll always be the grumpy kids.


Sounds awesome mate, you must salivate everytime your removing the cover to take her out :dance:
 

Sam McGoo

Member
Messages
1,745
Congratulations on your dream purchase!
I was another one with a countach on my wall as a kid (it helped that the busty ladies from Cannonball run were stood next to it) so know where your coming from.

An enjoyable read, thanks.

Pics, pics and more pics please.
 

JonW

Member
Messages
3,259
Fabulous post - very emotive and reminds us all how cars can actually make you just feel good about life!

I suspect all of us feel like that a little bit, and some lucky ones get it to feel it a bit more - well done, and I echo the plea for pics…
 

Ewan

Member
Messages
6,756
Love it!
And I echo the sentiments. I don't recall receiving any negativity (at least not to my face!) when I had my yellow Lambo.
 

Dan!

Member
Messages
3,029
Congratulations on a completely sensible purchase. The regrets I have of owning one are far outweighed by the joys

Things to look out for and look forward to:
  • Rear tyres wear down to the canvass on the inside and maintain a pristine tread on the outer edge
  • You discover the above when you lend your car to your mate and he reports that it's a bit lively in the wet
  • The gearbox might munch a bearing; it's cheaper to buy a new gearbox than mend it
  • It feels fast now, give it a couple of months and you'll be convinced that it's down on power
  • When you're driving a normal car you'll wonder why no one is looking at you when you stop at traffic lights
  • Looking out of the side window (When you have the roof up) to see if the lights have changed when you're in pole position becomes completely acceptable
  • You'll end up on first name terms with your local petrol station
  • And the local tyre fitter
  • You'll be grateful that you do have/remorseful that you do not have, the electronic nose lift
  • You'll scrape the nose often, and then curse yourself for not using the electronic lift
  • When it comes to selling it you'll wonder why no one wants to buy a bright yellow convertible Lambo
  • After being for sale for 6 months you'll take almost any offer for it
  • When it goes, you'll think about how much it cost you to own... the payments are the cheap bit
  • You'll miss it when it goes, regardless of what you swap to unless it's another Lambo
 

Felonious Crud

Administrator
Staff member
Messages
21,012
Gorgeous! How is it for headroom? I've read that the Hurracan Spyder is crarp unless you're 5'6" max height.
 

2b1ask1

Special case
Messages
20,220
Wow, great post Ross, love the car, much envy and safe in the knowledge I’m way too fat to get away with having one!