Category: Exotic Sports 
Price Range: No data available
Performance from 4500rpm up, four-wheel-drive traction, accessible grip, engine sound, looks, quality, relative usability
Second gear ratio too high for Britain, some vision is hampered
Will give Ferrari's breadwinner, the 360 Modena, a real fright
The Gallardo's entire structure is parent Audi's technology of extruded aluminium beams with sheet parts attached. Not that any parts are shared, of course, but it does guarantee huge expertise in crash protection and the material itself is very good at absorbing crash energy. It has been designed to meet strict US side and tail-end impact tests as well as all frontal and offset tests. The airbag count amounts to driver's and passenger's two-stage front 'bags (good) and seat-mounted side 'bags that protect the head as well and the thorax area (also good). The brakes are astonishingly effective, as is traction control and the ESP system, so crash-avoidance is fantastic. Mind you it needs to be, as you'll probably be driving it a whole lot faster than an ordinary car.
