German Car Zone

IE, interesting interpretation (your own) of my post. You sound irritated...?

I never used the term "natural AWD" - that concept is in your own mind alone.
But hey, let's run with the analogy you've put forward.

Let's consider the Audi S3. It's a transverse-mounted AWD layout vehicle derived from a FWD vehicle. Let's hypothetically say that the next S3 is FWD only. In such a case it would be fundamentally incorrect to say that Audi would be making a more toward FWD when the system, clearly, is an inherent FWD one from outset. The drivetrain to the rear is very much add-on "stuff".

The same could be said if, in the future, all BMWs are xDrive and one comes out that's RWD all of a sudden.

Fundamentally, nearly every AWD drivetrain is an add-on to an existing two-wheel drive system.

The Lamborghini Gallardo has much more in common with an F430 than it does with an RS6. The LP550-2 proves this.

Im glad you guys liked the thread..
now lets see if we can dig up some more info or pics

We knew this is coming when Lamborghini launched the face lift Gallardo calling it LP560-4, and emphasis the '4' in the name.

Interesting to see that this model was given the go ahead, the previous Gallardo SL wasn't given the RWD treatment because engineers claimed it had caused an 'imbalance in the car's handling characteristics'.

Simply awesome, looks really cool! Both, interior & exterior lines are hot! If it's a Lambo, it must be gorgeous!

Lamborghini Gallardo LP550-2: The Perfect Bull?

By The Auto Insider

9:45 AM on Mon Jun 29 2009

Assuming this leaked set of photos are the Lamborghini Gallardo LP550-2, then Lamborghini's finally given enthusiasts what they've wanted, dropping their grip-locked all-wheel-drive system in favor of rear-wheel-drive action. With a six-speed manual, could this be the perfect Lambo?

The reason for the lessened number designation relates to a slightly de-tuned 5.2-liter V10 that makes 550 horsepower rather than the 552 in the 560-4, but that lack of two ponies doesn't make this Italian a slacker with a dash to 100 km/h arriving in 3.9 seconds. This is helped by a 30 kg overall weight reduction.

Limited to 250 units worldwide, the LP550-2 features a 10% price reduction over its all-wheel-drive brethren, comes in any one of eight exterior colors and comes with a special white livery. Official specs and data is slowly leaking out of Sant'Agata and we'll bring you all the latest as it becomes available.

Source: here

Damn!

This Lambo is just insane...want one in black please

Paint scheme looks sleek, love to see it on white, black or lime green tho

As for the 10bhp less, well AWD produces more BHP at the wheel, so when you take the power delivery away from the front wheels, less BHp at the wheels is produced

I'm guessing, maybe some of our mechanics could tell us different

That didn't make any sense to me on multiple levels. One, the 550 or 560 rin LP550 or LP560 refers to the engine HP, not wheel HP and engine HP is absolutely not effected by if it is drving 4 wheels or 2 wheels. Even if we assume it was wheel HP for a sec, taking away AWD and replacing with RWD will not reduce the wheel HP, if anything it will increase it, since the drive line losses are lesser when you only have to drive only 2 wheels vs 4.

I'll let a mechanic explain.

I suppose it's just a marketing trick, trying to keep the AWD version in a slightly superior level compared to its new brother.