The Lamborghini Gallardo LP550-2 Valentino Balboni

I think that the LP560 is a boring car.

Don’t get me wrong, the performance is great but in the same vein as the Nissan GTR, the car just feels a bit numb. The car just feels like a 599 or any other great GT car. The steering feel, shifting feel, and overall driver involvement just feels too insulated. The walls feel thicker, the car feels heavier, and the sensation just isn’t the same as our 04. I always felt like I would just go out and get a Superleggera if I ever felt the need to upgrade.

Yesterday I got the chance to drive the new Lamborghini Gallardo LP550-2 Valentino Balboni. The car was named after Lamborghini’s recently retired test driver as a tribute to his service and presented in a way that he would have prefered. The most significant difference from the LP560 is the removal of the all wheel drive system leaving all the torque to be funneled out through the rear tires.

And they put up quite a fight! Acceleration in the Balboni is a constant struggle for traction. The car is a missile but if you are not careful you will find yourself quickly being thrown into a worse lie than Tiger Woods. You have to be prudent and judicious with the throttle but once you are comfortable in the car it rewards you with the driving experience that you expect and want.

The car drives the way I want a Lamborghini to drive. It takes some skill to wring out good performance and it keeps you on your toes. The car is like aftershave – in can sting but you know it is worth it. You are driving the car, not the other way around. If it goes fast, you can really smile. If you come to rest upside down on the outside of a cloverleaf you have no one to blame but yourself.

The car’s acceleration is ferocious, the grip around turns is brilliant, and the brakes are confidence inspiring. You can easily power slide the car or drift around a wide turn if the mood takes you. The steering is light and direct and the car is well balanced.

The dichotomy between this and the “regular” Gallardo is interesting. It feels like comfort and smoothness increase in once instance and then they are reigned back in the name of performance and driver satisfaction. To be honest though, I am not sure they have gotten anywhere. The 04 that we have is at least 95% as fun as this car is to drive at about 1/3 the price. The MSRP on the car that I tested was $242,000 and that is just an unfathomable amount of money.

Lamborghini undoubtedly expects that the 250 editions of this limited car will be snatched up like Twilight tickets but I don’t see that being the case. Buyes are becoming more savvy and a special gold stripe is not going to be enough to justify the cash outlay for even an rare car like this.

The Balboni is unquestionably a fantastic car and it is clearly the best version of the Gallardo that is currently being offered but the current gap between new and used Lamborghinis is an issue that may make the marginal improvements that this car has meaningless in today’s market.

Makes me excited or us all to go out and enjoy our car for another 40,000 miles!