If the Aston Martin DBS was fairly deservedly cut to shreds in the latest annual appointment of the Evo Car of the Year, then the Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera did not fare much better with the judges, surprising given the high expectations surrounding the car from Sant’Agata Bolognese. The callous sneering in the Porsche and Ferrari camps was easy to imagine.

To quench these flames of derision, Lamborghini are said to be approaching completion of an ambitious upgrade project on the Gallardo, transforming it into what will be known as the Gallardo LP550, widely predicted to be unveiled at the 2008 Geneva Auto Show. A stupendous piece of news, so unexpected that we are still trying to savour the mind-blowing specifications: The 5.2-liter V10 engine of the Gallardo will be modified using the experience gained by Audi technicians working on the V8 engine of the Audi RS4 and R8 models. The engine should deliver a maximum power output of 550 ps (hence the name) and a maximum torque equal to 530 Nm.

It is not only the engine that will receive improvements. The transmission (both the manual gearbox and the e-gear sequential gearbox) will be capable of handling more power and torque, while the permanent 4-wheel-drive system will also be optimised and lightened. To finish off this ‘come-back’ package, the brake system and body will also undergo minor alterations.

Via | Edmunds

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