The new generation of hybridized performance vehicles is undoubtedly very, very fast – the addition of electric support always means more punch and quicker acceleration. But just about a decade ago, the automakers were still relying largely on highly optimized combustion engines with no electric boost. The cars were probably a little slower but their sound was often absolutely amazing.
Case in point – the Lamborghini Gallardo Performante from 2011. Featured in the video at the top of this page, this Italian supercar is pretty rare with production limited to just around 180 examples for the entire world. One of these cars was recently taken to the Autobahn by the AutoTopNL team for a quick performance check. And the results were very good.
On paper, the Gallardo Performante has a 5.2-liter engine with a peak output of 562 horsepower at 8,000 rpm and 398 pound-feet of torque at 6,500 rpm, making it the most powerful stock Gallardo. According to Lamborghini’s numbers, it should be capable of reaching 62 miles per hour (100 kilometers per hour) from a standstill in just 3.9 seconds. The top speed should be around 201 mph (324 kph).
The highest velocity that can be seen in this video is somewhere around 186 mph (300 kph), at which speed the car felt like it had significant amounts of power ready to be unleashed. This wasn't the most impressive part, though – the Gallardo Performante impressed us with its glorious V10 sound, which is something you can’t hear in every new performance vehicle these days.
As a side note, the Gallardo’s successor, the Huracan, is no longer available for orders. After a nine-year run, the automaker has announced it has enough orders to keep busy until the supercar’s demise sometime next year. For the model’s successor, Lambo is expected to develop a hybridized twin-turbo V8, which means the glorious days of the naturally-aspirated V10 are coming to an end very soon.
