2004 Lamborghini Gallardo - Engine, Price & Performance - First Drive & Road Test Review

The eye in the sky doesn't lie, and with our Racepak GPS test equipment, we recorded a 0-60-mph blast of 4.7 seconds and 100 mph arrived at 11.0. Lamborghini's factory estimate is 4.2 seconds to 60. By way of sibling comparison, our best Murcielago runs to 60 and 100 mph have been 3.5 and 8.4 seconds, respectively. Standing on the brake pedal from 60 mph brought the Gallardo to a halt in 114 feet--three feet longer than the Murcielago's 111-foot best. We can safely say these numbers will improve with a production car under our usual testing regimen at our normal test track.

Does all this mean the $165,900 Lamborghini is a better car than the company's $280,000 beloved flagship? Not necessarily, but it does mean that there's a new, more reasonably priced, impeccably built competitor prepared to get in the face of a $172,000 Ferrari 360 Modena, Porsche's $180,000 911 GT2, and the all-American Ford GT (set to land in the high $140s). Full test numbers--and major exotic group road trip--to follow.