How To Take A Lambo To The Next Level

Some people would think it sacrilege or ridiculous to modify anything on a car that costs as much as a modest middle-class house in many states. As much as we appreciate customized cars, we too had to wonder if enthusiasts weren't going too far, modifying a Lambo, Porsche, Maserati or other high-end vehicle. Let's not forget that in the custom car equation it's not only about the value of what you own but also who will do the work.
If you take your six-figure ride to a high-end shop then you have less reason to fear for your car's life. That's what Jim Rose did with his '07 convertible Gallardo. He took it to top shop, Sound Decision, in Montgomery, IL. The objective wasn't to do anything too crazy but to make everything look integrated, as if the system were meant to be in the car.
Top shops of course tend to use top-end gear. The experts at Sound Decision started on the integration theme by going with Alpine's IVA-W205. The quality of the product may match the level of the car, but getting it to look right was a separate matter-and the real issue. To help with the integration, the installers made a custom bezel, which they wrapped in factory-matched blue vinyl. It may not look totally factory, but aesthetically it works. Aside from the radio, CD and DVD, Rose wanted Sirius satellite radio so they hooked up a SIR-ALP1 adapter, rounding out Rose's entertainment options. The W205 is also tied into a factory backup camera for added functionality.
The frontstage is composed of appropriately high-end speakers, Focal's Utopia Be Kit No. 6 component set. The woofers are in the factory door locations, but the Sound Decision installers built MDF baffles and rings to replace the factory speaker housings. As for the factory grilles, they were tinted with custom-matched blue dye. The tweeters are in the A-pillars, molded in with fiberglass and wrapped in blue vinyl.

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Installing component speakers in a Gallardo is one thing, but getting a subwoofer system in a vehicle this tight is a challenge. The way around it was to use four 5" Focal Utopia Be 13 WS's in the passenger foot well, under the glove box. The small subwoofers are in an MDF enclosure with the woofers facing up. Since Rose wasn't looking for big bass, the 13 WS's work well to provide just the right amount of low-end frequency in the music mix. Sound damping for the speakers was covered by Dynamat. Dynamat Extreme and DynaXorb were used in the doors and around the subwoofer box.
For amplification, the popular PDX-4.150 and 1.600 amps from Alpine proved to be the best choice to work with the Alpine double-DIN source unit. No doubt, they were the right products in terms quality and compact size. The PDX 4.150 runs the component set speakers while the PDX 1.600 supplies power for the four 13 WS's. The amps are located in the front boot along with the luxurious-looking Focal crossover. It's on an MDF rack with black carpet trim that's matched to the factory boot trim.

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Of course anyone who owns a Gallardo is going to want extraordinary protection. With the new system installed, Rose naturally wanted a serious alarm. So the car and audio setup are protected by a Viper 5900 alarm and remote start. Not only does it protect the car, it also controls the retracting and closing of the Gallardo's roof.

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The total cost for the customization was around $20,000, including the cost of the product. When you consider that's only about 10 percent of the Gallardo's price tag, it does not seem that costly. Perhaps Rose might've spent a few more dollars, but given the goal of the system and the result, the car is perfectly combined with the modifications. As Rose says, it's all about personal enjoyment. In his case, he has the perfect combination to enjoy the heck out of taking his car on the road.
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