2011 Lamborghini Gallarado

The 2011 Lamborghini Gallardo ranks 1 out of 7 Exotic Sports Cars. This ranking is based on our analysis of 32 published reviews and test drives of the Lamborghini Gallardo, and our analysis of reliability and safety data.

The 2011 Lamborghini Gallardo has one-of-a-kind exterior styling, insane performance and a fantastic interior. These characteristics combine to make one of the fastest, sexiest exotic sports cars on the market.

The automotive industry thinks the 2011 Lamborghini Gallardo is an amazing exotic sports car. It’s powerful, and the Supperleggera model, which is 154 pounds lighter than base model, is extra fun to drive. It has some of the best handling capabilities in its class, and reviewers say standard all-wheel drive keeps the Gallardo glued to the pavement. To top it off, the Gallardo has an eye-catching exterior.

Without a doubt, the Lamborghini Gallardo is a great specimen, but it’s not suited for daily driving. For one thing, its unique body structure makes visibility poor, and compared to other models in the class, the Gallardo doesn’t have a lot of standard tech features. You’ll have to turn to the Aston Martin DB9 for standard Bluetooth, navigation and iPod integration.

But, if you’re looking for a superfast Gallardo and are more than willing to sacrifice a few amenities, go for the LP 570-4 Superaleggera. It’s lighter – Lamborghini even dropped its leather seats and replaced them with synthetic material to shed some weight – and faster than the base model. Fox News writes, "In fact, in many ways the Superleggera is the ultimate factory tuner car, and a god among the mod squad."

Other Sports Cars to Consider

When it comes down to it, the 2011 Lamborghini Gallardo trades comfort for performance, so if you’re in the market for a grand tourer, start with the Aston Martin DB9. It has one of the most luxurious interiors on the market and comes standard with satellite radio, navigation, Bluetooth and rear parking sensors – features you have to pay extra for on the Gallardo.

However, if performance is the name of your game, shoot for the Ferrai Callifornia. It has a 4.8-liter V8 engine, which is smaller than the Gallardo’s V10, but reviewers like the California’s performance just as much. The California costs nearly $200,000, and the Gallardo tops $200,000, so if those figures are out of your range, try the Audi R8. The R8 starts at about $114,000, but that doesn’t mean it can’t hang with the rest of the pack. Reviewers think its V8 and V10 engines are smooth and powerful.

Details: 2011 Lamborghini Gallardo

The 2011 Lamborghini Gallardo is available in coupe and convertible body styles. It’s also available in several models: the LP 560-4, the LP 560-4 Spyder, the LP 570-4 Superaleggera, the 550-2 Valentino Balboni, the 570-4 Spyder Performante and the Bicolore. This year, automotive journalists spend a lot of time discussing the Superleggera, which is 154 pounds lighter than the LP 560-4 to enhance performance.

• "For now we are content to celebrate Lamborghini's decision to build a truly hard-core exotic and give Ferrari something to worry about, aside from the pretty lime-green paint."
• "A sleek machine and newest member to the Gallardo (pronounced guy-ar-doe) family, it does something to you. Maybe it's an escape, a fantasy, or just the only opportunity to drive an Italian work of art."
• "In fact, in many ways the Superleggera is the ultimate factory tuner car, and a god among the mod squad."
• "The high-performance Lamborghini Gallardo represents the essence of exotic ultra-luxury."

Gallardo Performance - 9.1 (Excellent)

Other than a touch of understeer here or there, test drivers can’t think of anything bad to say about the 2011 Lamborghini Gallardo. "On the move, the V10 is incredibly aggressive, emitting a deep bark at full throttle that’s wilder and more brutal than the Ferrari Italia’s engine note,” says Car and Driver. “And the Superleggera is seriously fast in a straight line.”

Gallardo Exterior - 9.4 (Excellent)

The 2011 Lamborghini Gallardo’s exterior is like nothing on the market. "There's nothing subtle about this car,” says Detroit News. “It draws constant stares. Pedestrians gawk. Traffic stops. This car is an obscenity in all of the right ways."

Gallardo Interior - 8.5 (Very Good)

In terms of performance, the 2011 Lamborghini Gallardo and the Audi R8 are on completely different levels, but they do share a lot of things in common like interior parts, which makes some test drivers worry that the Gallardo is losing its Italian roots.

Gallardo Safety - NA

While the federal government and insurance industry have not tested the Lamborghini Gallardo, this exotic sports car has a number of safety features.

Gallardo Reliability - NA

Lamborghini protects the Gallardo with a three-year/unlimited-mile basic warranty, which is good for an exotic sports car.

Lamborghini Aventador

The 2012 Lamborghini Aventador ranks 2 out of 7 Exotic Sports Cars. This ranking is based on our analysis of 8 published reviews and test drives of the Lamborghini Aventador, and our analysis of reliability and safety data.

Reviewers are amazed by the 2012 Lamborghini Aventador’s raw power, nimble handling and high-tech interior. While the Aventador is significantly quicker from zero to 60 mph than competing exotic sports cars like the Ferrari FF, it’s also significantly more expensive.

The 2012 Lamborghini Aventador wows reviewers with its bold, aggressive styling. And while the car’s dramatic exterior looks the part of an exotic sports car, reviewers say that the Aventador exceeds their expectations with its shocking performance.

The Aventador’s body is a carbon-fiber monocoque, which keeps its weight down, but Lamborghini says that it also makes it impressively rigid. That strong, lightweight body shell, combined with all-wheel drive and a suspension system that’s modeled after Formula 1 race cars adds up to an extremely agile car. But in addition to being nimble and light for its size, the Aventador is also exceptionally powerful.

The Aventador houses a 6.5-liter V12 engine that produces 700 horsepower. Lamborghini mates this powerhouse to a seven-speed automated manual transmission, and reviewers say that the acceleration is intoxicating. The Aventador features selectable drive modes that allow you to tailor performance for strada (road), sport and corsa (track) use, and test drivers like all three. They say that while the sport and corsa modes rocket this Lamborghini around the track with wrath-of-God performance, the Aventador is still relatively comfortable to drive if you’re just puttering around in strada mode.

Inside, most reviewers praise the dash, which features an LCD screen rather than gauges. This allows drivers to select different gauge views, but most auto writers are pleased to say that the virtual gauges have an analog look. Other design cues mimic a fighter jet, such as the starter button, which is housed under a cover that you have to flip back to engage. Overall, they say the interior is comfortable and roomy, but one reviewer notes that taller drivers may need to be mindful of the Aventador’s low roofline when climbing inside.

So, what’s the downside? Well, while the Aventador impresses reviewers and outperforms most other exotic sports cars, it will cost you close to $380,000, which is a hefty sum compared to most of the competition.

Other Cars to Consider

The Aventador is pricier than most competing exotic sports cars, but if you’ve been drawn to Lamborghini because of their unique design, the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG might catch your eye with its unusual gullwing doors. It starts at $183,000, which means that you could buy two of them for the price of the Aventador and still have enough left over for a Ford Fiesta. But the SLS AMG can’t match the Aventador’s performance. With 563 horsepower on tap, the SLS is no slouch, but it’s down 137 horsepower when compared to the Lamborghini. Additionally, the Aventador’s all-wheel drive and race car-inspired suspension mean that the SLS AMG would have a hard time keeping up on the track.

If you’re looking for an exotic sports car with impressive performance, but also want one that can seat four comfortably, the 2012 Ferrari FF might be a good compromise. Pricing hasn’t been announced yet, but reviewers expect the FF to start at around $300,000. And while it’s not as quick, reviewers rave about the FF’s all-wheel drive, comfortable seating and inspiring performance. Its 651-horsepower V12 is 49 horsepower shy of the Aventador’s 700, but test drivers say the FF’s combination of nimble handling, power and comfort make it a serious contender in the exotic sports car class.

Lamborghini Aventador: The Details

Starting at nearly $380,000, the 2012 Lamborghini Aventador LP 700-4 features a mid-mounted 700-horsepower, 6.5-liter V12 engine, which is paired to a seven-speed automated manual transmission. The Aventador puts its power to the ground through a Haldex all-wheel drive system. Standard interior features include a multimedia system with navigation, Bluetooth and iPod connectivity, push-button start and automatic climate control.

Available options include front and rear parking sensors with backup camera, heated seats, an upgraded stereo and a multifunction steering wheel with controls for the multimedia system.

• "It's named after a bull who was very mean and probably gored and trampled a whole village, thus making him a shoe-in to lend his name to a new Lamborghini. And, in the spirit of that irate bovine, the Aventador is a mite bit ornery. It's what you might call intentionally violent."
• "From the instant you flip up the red ignition-button cover and punch the Aventador's 12 raucous cylinders to life, you know you're in the cockpit of a special machine."
• "It’s a razor-sharp jet-fighter on wheels, but more important, the Lamborghini Aventador is one of very few truly raunchy automobiles. With its aggressive engine note and aerospace styling, it is completely different from the more sophisticated - and equally new - Ferrari FF."
• "The Aventador, named after an award-winning bull from the Spanish Corrida, a Lamborghini tradition for many of its two-seaters, features a number of ground-breaking technologies that combine to make it the best overall sports-car from the company - ever."
• "It's difficult to sum up the feeling of driving the Aventador in a family publication - it is an experience best described with expletives. Everything about this vehicle screams at you, from its recession-blind price tag to the outrageous angular sharpness of its design to the revved-up engine howl it gives when you push the start button."

Aventador Performance - 9.3 (Excellent)

The 2012 Lamborghini Aventador amazes reviewers with its blistering performance, race car-inspired handling and tenacious all-wheel drive grip. AutoWeek reports, "The car's performance is stunning yet surprisingly sane -- even at warp speed on a track."

Aventador Exterior - 9.5 (Excellent)

Lamborghini is known for producing sports cars with radical exterior designs, and the 2012 Aventador impresses reviewers with its new look. Popular Machanics writes, "Perhaps surprising for a vehicle with this much outward braggadocio, it actually delivers on the promise of its looks."

Aventador Interior- 8.0 (Very Good)

The 2012 Lamborghini Aventador impresses reviewers with its high-tech cockpit and comfortable seating. Inside Line says, "Its cabin looks contemporary and is usefully roomy, sporting an impossibly deep cowl and minimal brightwork."

Aventador Safety - NA

Neither the federal government nor the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has crash tested the 2012 Lamborghini Aventador.

Aventador Reliability - NA

The 2012 Lamborghini Aventador comes with a three-year/unlimited-mileage basic warranty.

GM Recalls Impala, LaCrosse Cars in North America

General Motors is recalling more than 14,000 cars in the U.S. and Canada for power steering and electronic stability control problems. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says the recall affects 4,077 Buick LaCrosse cars from the 2012 model year, and 10,344 Chevrolet Impala cars from the 2012 model year.

The recall affects Buick LaCrosse cars built between June 9, 2011 and July 2, 2011. The LaCrosse’s StabiliTrak system, which is GM’s name for electronic stability control, may have a malfunctioning sensor which could make it erroneously activate. This could make the car suddenly slow down and experience an abrupt change in handling. NHTSA says this could cause the driver to lose control of the car. GM dealers will reprogram the electronic brake control module for free starting this month.

Chevrolet Impala

In a separate recall, GM is recalling Chevrolet Impala cars that were built between April 19, 2011 and July 29, 2011. NHTSA one of the Impala’s power steering hoses may have been misrouted to a location where it could touch or come too close to the catalytic converter. If the car is on, heat from the catalytic converter could melt the hose, causing power steering fluid to leak onto the catalytic converter, which could cause an engine compartment fire. GM dealers will make sure the hose is routed properly so it doesn’t come too close to the catalytic converter. Repairs are free for affected owners and will start this month.