Now it is clear why Lamborghini belaboured the “-4” suffix on the Gallardo LP 560-4.
Of course we knew it could only mean they were about to introduce a rear-driven Gallardo.
But the question why they needed to and what message they were trying to send were unclear.
The answer finally comes in the form of the LP 550-2 Valentino Balboni.
Initially, two things surprised us: the odd power figure of 550bhp and the use of long-time Lamborghini test driver Valentino Balboni’s name on their car.
Well, fortunately, the name has a curious upmarket and romantic ring to it, and fits far better than the 911 Walter Rohrl edition or the F430 Dario Benuzzi.
Contrasting stripes set off an otherwise standard Gallardo cabin.
Not that Ferrari will ever name their car after a test driver.
If they were ever to associate it with a driver, the obvious choice would be Michael Schumacher.
Dropping power to 550bhp is more a marketing decision than any engineering or practical consideration.
Balboni himself pointed out that 10 horses out of 560bhp is mighty hard to detect.
Lamborghini must have mused about rubbing this rear-wheel versus all-wheel-drive debate in Ferrari’s face by telling industry observers where they think RWD stands compared to their 4WD cars.
Ferrari, not amused, timed the announcement of their 570bhp F458 to coincide with the launch of this LP 550-2. Touche.
In a very unusual move, the car comes with a 6-speed manual as standard. Sweet.
However, the VB is still cause for celebration because for more than 15 years, Lamborghini have been without an RWD car – the last being the monstrous Diablo SV.
Back then, Balboni was very much a proponent of RWD but had to learn to love 4WD, as that was deemed to be the way forward.
Oddly enough, the decision to return to RWD just this once was not so much a Balboni idea as it was a corporate decision.
The yellow test car we are in is just one of two prepared for this event, the last one before the month-long factory holiday.
With just over 1000km on the clock, which included some Balboni test kilometres, we set off along his test route.
Surprisingly, it does not include the usual mountain roads but some curvaceous country back roads along the boundary of the farmlands surrounding Sant Agata.
Unlike the standard Gallardo LP 560-4, the VB packs a 6-speed manual gearbox as standard, while the popular E-Gear automated manual is optional.
Surprisingly, the clutch is not heavy and the take-up point is clearly defined.
The slotted metallic gate is perhaps more for show than a necessity, as the recalcitrant manual gearbox from those early days has become a thing of the past.
The gate does lend a unique metallic ring as one slams home each shift, enhancing the mechanical feel this machine has.
Mind you, these are deliberate features to not so much deliver more performance as to deliver more of an exciting and fulfilling drive experience.
This harks back to Lamborghini’s roots, which are inexorably entwined with Balboni’s involvement with the marque over the last three decades.
V10 in the Gallardo Valentino Balboni has had its output reduced by 10bhp.
It was a time when going fast was due to the driver’s skill and mastery of the steed he was driving, rather than clever electronic aids and the safety of all-wheel drive.
The VB is not for the faint-hearted.
Now that the entire flood of torque from the engine’s 540Nm – and the torque-reversal from engine braking acts through just the two rear contact patches – the VB is far more reactive to the throttle.
This represents a big challenge for Balboni and the Lamborghini engineers, as there is considerably more force acting on the rear axle than is normally dealt with using all-wheel drive.
The springs, dampers and anti-roll bars had to be changed in order to find a new balance between traction and handling, with just the rear wheel being driven.
Moreover, on the over-run, they had to find solutions to ensure that the VB would not snap into oversteer.
Valentino Balboni (left), with the limited-edition Gallardo named after him.
With the ESP in the default mode, these tendencies are well reined in.
Particularly for this reason, the VB feels more of a challenge than the standard LP 560-4.
There is a tad more movement detected from the seat of your pants, as the car reacts and moves its rear out with power.
Steering feel is just a bit clearer, without drive torque being fed through the front contact patches.
According to Balboni, who worked on the project since February this year, the real breakthrough came once Pirelli delivered new special compound P-Zero tyres to help deliver the progressive handling, along with substantial grip.
Interestingly, this could well be the world’s best case study on the effects of rear-wheel versus all-wheel drive.
Driving near the limit, one notices more reaction to lift-throttle in mid-corner.
And with the ESP setting in “Corsa” mode, one can even perform slight drifts when powering out of corners.
The VB has more vocabulary than the standard LP 560 in its dynamics, as it will perform more stunts than any “normal” car can.
But it needs a cognitive driver at the helm.
It is not as foolproof as the LP 560-4, though, and the sucker bites if not given the due respect.
This is not the Superleggera version of the LP 560-4. For that, you’ll have to wait.
The reduction in weight of the VB is solely due to the removal of the front drive components (it’s 30kg less than the LP 560-4’s 1410kg kerb weight).
No special effort has been made to lighten this car but everything was spent on making it a true driving experience.
This rear-drive characteristic would probably ensure that the VB becomes an instant hit with aficionados of the marque.
So what is the VB about?
It’s a blast to drive and is mighty fast but it won’t beat its competition, or its stablemates for that matter, in terms of sheer performance.
It’s far better than just a token of the rear-wheel drive format, even if it’s a brief adventure with production limited to just 250 units.
This is an instant classic.
2009 LAMBORGHINI GALLARDO LP550-2 VALENTINO BALBONI 5.2
DRIVETRAIN
Type V10, 40 valves
Capacity 5204cc
Bore x stroke 84.5mm x 92.8mm
Compression ratio 12.5:1
Max power 550bhp at 8000rpm
Max torque 540Nm at 6500rpm
Power to weight 399bhp per tonne
Gearbox 6-speed manual
Driven wheels Rear
PERFORMANCE
0-100km/h 3.9 seconds
Top speed 320km/h
Consumption Not available
SUSPENSION
Front Double wishbones, coil springs, anti-roll bar
Rear Double wishbones, coil springs, anti-roll bar
BRAKES
Front / Rear Ventilated discs
TYRES
Type Pirelli P Zero
Size 235/35 R19 (front), 295/30 R19 (rear)
SAFETY
Airbags 4
Traction aids ABS, ESP
MEASUREMENTS
Length 4345mm
Width 1900mm
Height 1165mm
Wheelbase 2560mm
Kerb weight 1380kg
Turning circle 11.5m
BUYING IT
Price excl. COE $918,000
Warranty 3 years/100,000km
+ Greater handling breadth, limited-edition, more “affordable”
– Extreme rarity, imagining Lambo with Mister Balboni, Ferrari has more power
