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Rare Manual Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera and LP640: Punchy and Full of Character

Sam Fane of Seen Through Glass had an exclusive chance to review and drive two special Lamborghinis, the Gallardo Superleggera, and the LP640. You might be wondering, what is so special about these two supercars in 2021? Well, they both come with manual transmissions, from the factory.
Rare Manual Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera and LP640 8 photos
Photo: YouTube Screenshot/Seen Through Glass
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According to Fane, only ten MK1 Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera and less than 50 Lamborghini Murcielago LP640 came with manual gearboxes - making them insanely rare.

For car enthusiasts who are more in love with the driving experience, the thought of cruising through the hills in a Murcielago or Gallardo Superleggera with three pedals and a stick shift is mind-blowing.

The Lamborghini Murcielago LP640 is, by all means, a badass car. Packing a 6.5-liter V12 and revving to 8,000 rpm adds a limitless character to its resume. If you can afford it, you’ll only need three seconds behind the wheel before calling your local supercar dealer.

Fane feels a little intimidated sitting in the LP640. With the manual shifter, the Lambo has an odd angle that feels like driving a bus. Apart from the odd driving position, it's perfectly okay, the manual transmission changes the whole spectrum of the car for the better - kind of like a GT cruiser.

Driving down the road, Fane feels more in control of the Murcielago with a manual transmission than in an SVJ with an e-gear.

From first gear, the manual transmission Superleggera sounds epic. Compared to the LP640, that’s much smoother and lethargic. The Gallardo is punchy. Fane is immediately impressed by the clickety clank noise of the metal-on-metal shifter switching through gears.

As old as it may seem, there’s still a lot of fuss about the Gallardo Superleggera today as it was when it first came out. It was the hardcore entry-level Lamborghini with a flexible engine that put down some thrust from 3,000 rpm.

He also notes that having a manual transmission on the Gallardo Superleggera makes it more of a touring spec, losing its character. While there’s more character with a manual shifter, the whole aggression factor of the e-gear is non-existent.

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About the author: Humphrey Bwayo
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Humphrey is a car enthusiast whose love and passion for automobiles extended into collecting, writing, driving, and working on cars. He got his passion for cars from his Dad, who spent thousands of hours working on his old junky 1970 E20 Toyota Corolla. Years later, he would end up doing the same with a series of lemons he’s owned throughout his adult life.
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