Whatever the impetus for Lamborghini’s “flat planes and sharp creases” era of design—a deep pathological fear of curves, dwindling stock in Italy’s strategic reserve of protractors—the decision has paid off in spades. Take the Gallardo, for instance: Lamborghini claims to have assembled nearly 13,000 of the baby bulls at its Sant’Agata Bolognese factory. Not bad for a company that was tossed between owners like a financial hot potato during the decades preceding the Gallardo’s 2003 debut. The current LP560-4 version arrived in 2008.
Now in the September of its years, Lamborghini sent the Gallardo in for the usual automotive nip-and-tuck session to maintain interest and keep orders coming in advance of its demise sometime next year. (We’ve previously covered its successor’s drivelines and features, philosophy and architecture, and dearth of transmission options.) The freshened car is making its debut at the Paris auto show; Lambo also dropped special LP570-4 Edizione Tecnica models based on the Superleggera and Spyder Performante, which are themselves spin-offs of the base Gallardo.
But back to the regular car. Up front, a new grouping of sharp triangular and trapezoidal forms, highlighted in body color and black, give the Gallardo LP560-4 a broader and more serious look. The air intakes on the outer edges of the fascia are now a tad larger, and new 19-inch matte-black aluminum wheels with polished silver spokes keep the new-for-2013 train on the tracks. The geometrics get slightly revised in back, too, as the engine’s air outlet is wider, improving thermal efficiency in the process.
Buyers looking to display a subtle touch of factory-supplied individuality can opt for the Gallardo’s Style package, which treats the underside of the front spoiler, the front and rear grilles, and the transverse element of the rear trim to a coat of high-gloss black paint.
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