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FEATURE

FACTfile - Lamborghini Gallardo

Lamborghini launched their new short wheel base challenger to the Ferrari 360 at the Geneva Motor Show earlier this month. Lamborghini - now part of Audi - has ambitious plans to recapture a good share of the high performance car market and if early indications are correct have themselves a winner with the new Gallardo.

As is the tradition at Lamborghini the name of the car is drawn from bullfighting tradition - the Gallardo (pron.: ga:yàrdo) is one of the five fighting bull breeds bred by Francisco Gallardo of Santa Maria in Cadiz in the 18th century and is renowned for being heavily built, 'good looking' apparently! and very courageous in the bullfight.

Lamborghini Centro Stile - the design part of the company - started the Gallardo project back in 2000 and based the styling on an Italdesign-Giugiaro style proposal. The company has designed the Gallardo as a high-performance sports car but one that can be driven on an everyday basis - a compact (4.3m) 2-seater with a 300+ kmh top speed for country and city roads as well as the racetrack. The high engine power and torque output give the car a top speed of 309 km/h and very good (but unstated) acceleration. Much attention has been given in the overall design to reduction of the car's drag coefficient, as well as control of lift at the fron and the back - hence the front flap and flat underside and a rear spoiler that moves in line with vehicle speed to keep the car hugging the road.

Lamborghini Australia expects to take delivery of around 40 Gallardos from around October this year. There will be a left-hand drive model exhibited at the Sydney Motor Show with right-hand drive models available shortly afterwards. Pitched directly at the Ferrari 360 driver the Gallardo will have a similar price tag - and will give the prancing horse a run for its money! Let battle commence.

The Technical Section

Main Features

*mid-rear mounted engine, with the gearbox behind the engine
*permanent four-wheel drive
*independent double wishbone suspension system
*aluminium space frame
*low centre of gravity
*weight distribution 42% front, 58% rear
*two front mounted water radiators and one side mounted oil cooler
*wheelbase 2.560 m, front track 1.622 m, rear track 1.592 m
*total length 4.300 m, width 1.900 m, height 1.165

*engine: V10 90°, 4V, crankpin offset 18°, integrated liners with eutectic alloy
*capacity: 5 litre, bore 82.5 mm, stroke 92.8 mm
*timing system: DOHC chain driven, continuously Variable inlet and exhaust Valve Timing
*inlet system: Variable Geometry
*exhaust system: two separated banks with two "5 in 1" exhaust manifolds
*ignition system: individual coils directly mounted on each spark plug
*engine electronic management: Lamborghini LIE
*lubrication system: dry sump
*max power 500 hp (368 Kw) at 7800 rpm
*max torque 510 Nm at 4500 rpm

*torque model based
*throttle control with Drive by Wire system
*fuel injection (multipoint sequential) management and ignition (individual coils directly mounted on the spark plugs) management
*variable geometry intake system management
*variable valve timing management
*on board diagnostic system management
*emission control management
*"black box" recorder

*robotized gearbox shifting (e-gear)
*full vehicle stability management (ESP), including traction control (ASR), ABS with electronic brake force distribution, front automatic brake differential (ABD)
*climate system management
*rear spoiler management
*air bags management
*instrument panel and comfort-infotainment management

Sequential Gearbox Option
*electronic control, interfaced via CAN bus to the engine control system and the ESP system
*actuation by paddles directly mounted on the steering column
*possibility to select different operating modes: normal, sport, automatic, low adherence
*very fast but smooth shifting, equal to or better than that achievable by a very good driver with a standard gearbox

Engine
The Gallardo is powered by a completely new V10 cylinder DOHC four valve V90 5 liter, 500 Hp, 510 Nm. The engine is 90 degree V as opposed to the classic V72, this is to limit the height of the engine allowing the car to have a lower engine bonnet and better rear view as well as a lowering of the centre of gravity for better car handling. The dry sump lubrication system also contributes to the low centre of gravity.

The torque output is optimised in the full rpm range by increasing the charge efficiency at various speeds by controlling gas dynamic effects in the intake and exhaust system. This is achieved with a variable geometry intake manifold and a continuously variable valve timing system for intake and exhaust. While the variable geometry (which can be defined as "variable length") guarantees the correct base gas dynamic characteristics both at low rpm (long runners) and high rpm (short runners), the variable valve timing system guarantees optimal valve opening and closing for the rpm. For instance, the intake valve closing moment is early at low rpm and retarded at high rpm to coincide with positive pressure pulsation peaks at the intake valves.

Maximum torque of 510 Nm is at 4500 rpm, with 80% of this maximum at only 1500 rpm; conversely, maximum power is at a much higher speed, i.e. 7800 rpm. Throttle control is a drive-by-wire system, with two electronic throttle bodies.

Electronics
The core of the Gallardo's electronic system is the new generation Lamborghini LIE engine management system based on Lamborghini know-how in this field. This system is connected via a sophisticated CAN BUS network to the Lamborghini vehicle computer GFA and to the e-gear, ESP/ABS, Dashboard ECUs and the other satellite ECUs (doors modules, climate system, rear spoiler, comfort/infotainment). All main information and warnings are centralized on the instrument panel to improve direct control of the main functions and driving safety with a dedicated ECU controlling airbag operation.

Transmission
The main feature is permanent four-wheel drive transmission, based on the proven Lamborghini Viscous Traction system. The LVT system, which at constant speed on 'homogenous adhesion' (ie normal) roads maintains a traction force distribution around 30% front, 70% rear, is designed to be "self-regulating", without needing electronic controls. The viscous coupling (an intrinsic regulating closed loop operates in all conditions) varies the traction force distribution in line with dynamic weight distribution variations and the adherence (ie grip) conditions. This means that, during acceleration (or during climbing) on high adherence roads, the distribution will change favouring the rear axle (more rear traction force percentage, e.g. 80%, corresponding to the increased weight on the rear axle). However, if in these conditions the rear axle tends to lose grip, more traction is immediately biased to the front, with the system tending to reach a point where the adhesions utilized by the two axles are identical.

The gearbox is 6 speed, using latest generation double and triple-cone synchronizers and optimised actuation linkage for precision and speed in shifting with ease of operation. A robotized sequential gear shifting system, the Lamborghini e-gear is a new feature, maintaining the basic mechanical gearbox unchanged. The rear differential features a friction-type 45% limited slip, while the front differential slip limitation is controlled by the ABD (automatic brake differential) function of the ESP system. The clutch is a reduced diameter double plate clutch - again to help keep the engine (and consequently the centre of gravity) as low as possible.

Body
The Gallardo body benefits from parent company Audi's experience in aluminium bodied cars - a structural aluminium space frame, based on aluminium-extruded parts welded to aluminium cast joint elements. Exterior aluminium body parts are riveted screwed or welded on to this structural frame depending on the function of the part. Other external "hang-on" parts (such as the bumpers) are made of thermoplastic material and connected by bolts. This approach gives very good torsional stiffness (over 23000Nm/°) with an optimal stiffness/weight ratio and excellent energy-absorption capabilities shown during crash testing. The reduced space frame and body weight give the vehicle a total "dry" weight of 1430 kgs (in spite of its 4WD).

Suspension/Braking/Safety
The Gallardo has double wishbones front and rear suspension system - standard fare for high performance cars - and Koni "self-adjusting" FSD dampers. Great attention was given to optimising the Gallardo's dynamic behaviour in cornering. In order to guarantee controllability, the car is designed to slightly understeer at the beginning of the corner and remain neutral for the rest of it. No wind-up effects (typical of some 4WD cars with viscous transmission) are detectable, even in sharp cornering. "Antidive" and "Antisquat" characteristics guarantee optimal car behaviour during acceleration and braking.

The Gallardo has Pirelli P Zero tyres (front 235/35 ZR19, rear 295730 ZR19) with winter tyres with the same dimensions developed and which will be available towards the end of the year as an option. The choice of 19'' wheels has allowed large diameter brake disks (front 365mm, rear 335) together with Brembo 8-piston callipers in the front and 4-piston callipers in the rear. The braking system - also with a state of the art ABS/ESP system - gives excellent brake efficiency (deceleration over 1.1 g on dry) and no fading even after extreme use. The stability control system (ESP) has been designed to help the driver in demanding conditions, while still allowing a true sports driving experience.

The Gallardo easily exceeds all European and North American safety standards, with driver's and passenger's "dual stage" front airbags (complying also with future "out of position requirements"), side "head-thorax" airbags and doors anti-intrusion bars as standard in all versions.

© italiancar.com.au 31/03/03