LAMBORGHINI Gallardo LP 550-2 Valentino Balboni 2009-2013 Photos, engines & full specs

As a retirement gift for its chief test-driver Valentino Balboni, Lamborghini built a special edition for the Gallardo. It was the only RWD vehicle in its lineup: the Gallardo 550-2 VB.

Usually, when a top-manager retires, the company gives him a golden watch, or a car, or something to remember them about the company they worked for. Lamborghini did something special: they built a special car so the customers will remember a test-driver. He test drove the Lamborghini cars for more than four decades and it was retired due to changes in Italian legislation in 2008.

The Gallardo LP550-2 VB featured few distinctive elements on its bodywork to differentiate it from its brothers. Though, it was like the black stallion with a star on its forehead. The white and gold line across the top of the car made the biggest visual difference. When it was parked, the 550-2 badge mounted low on the side sills, in front of the rear wheels, could tell the difference to a trained eye.

Inside, there was the same interior as any other Lamborghini Gallardo except for a few details. The interior was upholstered in black leather for the seats with a white stripe on the back. The center console was covered in Polar white leather, and below the left side window, there was an aluminum badge with the signature of Valentino Balboni and the production number of the car.

The drivetrain was tuned to Valentino Balboni's taste. For starters, the LP550-2 was the first rear-wheel-drive Lamborghini in over a decade. The base version was fitted with a 6-speed manual transmission with an option for a 6-speed automatic. The suspension and the differential were different than the rest of the Gallardo range. Only 250 units were made.