This lot will be auctioned via Iconic Auctioneers, Supercar Fest Sale of Iconic and Classic Cars 2024 on Saturday the 18th of May, Sywell Aerodrome, Sywell, Northampton, NN6 0BN. Introduced in 2003 and ceasing production in 2013, the Gallardo, with support from parent company Audi, emerged as Sant'Agata's pinnacle of usability and reliability, boasting a total production count of 14,022 units. Named after a renowned breed of fighting bull, this V10-powered marvel stood alongside Lamborghini's lineage of V12 flagships. Noteworthy for being Sant'Agata's first ground-up creation under Audi's ownership, the Gallardo marked a resurgence for the brand in crafting more accessible and practical super sports cars, a departure not seen since the Jalpa's discontinuation in 1988.
Crafted upon a nimble yet sturdy aluminium spaceframe and adorned with aluminium panels, the Gallardo housed a mid-mounted 5-litre V10 engine, propelling power to all four wheels as needed via a 6-speed manual gearbox or a 6-speed 'E-gear' paddle-shift automatic transmission. At the 2007 Geneva Motor Show, Lamborghini introduced the Gallardo Superleggera (Superlight), a stripped-down and enhanced iteration of the model. Utilising carbon fibre construction, this variant shed 100kg while boasting upgrades to the intake, exhaust, and ECU, resulting in a power surge to 530bhp. Standardising the 6-speed E-Gear transmission, manual enthusiasts were also catered to with a no-cost option. With just 618 Superleggera units in existence, they remain both rare and highly sought after.
The Superleggera we have on offer today, build number #491, is a left-hand drive example and was built as a European-market car. During its early years it resided in Russia, as can be seen on the original Lamborghini invoicing included within the history file, before finding its way to the UK and being registered here in 2021.
Every car has a story and, whilst in Russia, this Superleggera was a very well known car, fitted with a monstrous twin-turbo kit, making it one of the fastest cars in Russia at the time. Strapping a pair of turbos to a Lamborghini was still in its early days, and unfortunately the engine was subject to a catastrophic failure, necessitating a replacement in the form of a later 5.2-litre V10 from the facelifted Gallardo which was sourced and fitted.
Under the watchful eye of its enthusiast owner, it was transformed using well known body design house, Hamann Motorsport. Hamann stands tall among the elite in the realm of bespoke car tuning. 'Infused with ingenious features, compelling engineering, and captivating design, their creations evoke awe wherever they roam: be it on the racetracks, streets, or car shows and events'. The visual transformation was extreme with the obvious work being the well-executed wide-arched body kit. The car has not only changed in a visual manner, it has also been converted from the factory-supplied E-gear paddle shift to a fully driver-focused manual transmission. A roll cage has been fitted and a digital dash, amongst other modifications. Whilst in the UK the car was sent to marque specialists Push Performance for a custom exhaust and induction kit.
Within the history file are details of recent maintenance and servicing, most recently at the end of 2023 and early 2024 when the car was treated to work accumulating to over £5,000 including a full fluids service, brake work, wheel bearing replacement and more. At the time of cataloguing, the odometer was reading 14,500km.