| First Drive | Edinburgh, Scotland | Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4 Spyder |

Lamborghini has uprated the Gallardo Spyder with the same LP560-4 revisions as the Coupé model, so now you can hear the V10 engine in full surround sound. Has chopping the roof off of one of the most thrilling supercars ever turned the Gallardo into a car for Rodeo Drive or is it just as much of a raging bull as ever?

In the Metal

In converting the Gallardo LP560-4 Coupé into the soft-top Spyder, Lamborghini has not done anything as crass as simply replacing the steel roof with a canvas cover. Yes, the Spyder sticks with a fabric roof for ease of packaging and keeping the weight down, but the Spyder still manages to tip the scales at 140kg more than the Coupé. More importantly, the Spyder has a raised rear deck to accommodate the roof when it's folded away and this gives the open car an even more aggressive look than its Coupé sister. In common with the Coupé, the Spyder has the same menacing LED daytime running headlights and Y-form rear lights, along with chromed quad exhaust pipes. As for the roof, it folds away in around 20 seconds and is available in black, blue, grey or beige - the only beige thing about this car.

What you get for your Money

When you're laying out the price of a house, you expect plenty in return from your supercar. The Gallardo P560-4 Spyder doesn't disappoint. The 5.2-litre V10 engine generates 553bhp - up from its predecessor's 513bhp - and you have to choose between the standard six-speed manual gearbox or E-gear transmission that lets the driver change gear by paddles mounted just behind the steering wheel. There's also four-wheel drive as standard, with 30 percent of the power sent to the front wheels and the rest shovelled through the massive rear tyres.

Inside, the Gallardo is beginning to look a little long in the tooth, though build quality is excellent and there's all the standard equipment most owners could ever want. However, you'd be well advised to spend the extra £1,565 on the reversing camera as the higher rear deck of the Spyder makes parking a nerve-jangling experience in tight spots. The only other option most buyers are likely to tick is for satellite navigation, which costs £1,580 and is borrowed directly from Audi so it's easy to work.

The seats are very supportive and electric adjustment quickly finds the ideal driving position, though taller drivers may find legroom on the cramped side. We also found the seats rub against the rear bulkhead when adjusted further back, creating a squeak between the leather surfaces. Still, the Spyder provides some practicality with a small front luggage area that can hold a soft sports bag easily.

Driving it

The extra 140kg of the Spyder compared to the LP560-4 Coupé show up in the convertible taking slightly longer to hit 62mph from rest. However, we're not going to complain about 0-62mph in four seconds and a 201mph top end - both are mightily impressive - and the Spyder's easy access to the sounds of the engine and exhaust make the drop-top feel faster than the Coupé. The noise from the V10 engine really is one of the great delights of the modern motoring world, building from restrained to downright insane the further the engine is pushed. There's a distinct shift in the engine's attitude around 3,500rpm as the exhaust lets more aural treats escape, or you can flick on the Sport button to hear more of the engine bark more of the time. This button also raises the limits of the ESP traction control to give the driver a little more leeway when pressing on through corners, though finding the handling limits of the Gallardo on the public road is unlikely and best saved for the track. On a track, you can engage the Corse mode that quickens the gear shifts of the E-gear 'box and gives crisper throttle response. Whichever mode you prefer, the Gallardo LP560-4 Spyder feels every bit as capable as its Coupé sister and there's no obvious body flex to betray the loss of the roof.

The E-gear transmission of the car we tested is the best we've tried to date, allowing for more finesse when manoeuvring at parking speeds. It also swaps gears cleanly and quickly. It may not have the cleverness of some rival dual-clutch gearboxes, but it works very well.

With the noise and acceleration initially overwhelming the senses, it takes a while to appreciate the delicacy of the LP560-4's steering. There's a near perfect balance of feel, assistance and accuracy that lets the driver place the Gallardo deftly into, through and out of corners, with none of the nervousness experienced in some supercars. This is the great skill of the Gallardo: it is shatteringly good, yet it doesn't intimidate. Add in suspension that is not just compliant for this type of car but genuinely supple for all-day comfort and you have the makings of a very usable supercar. Hell, it's even easy to get in and out of.

Worth Noting

Even in the world of supercars, the environment is a consideration and Lamborghini, builder of the world's most sensational supercars for four decades, makes concessions here. Carbon dioxide emissions for the LP560-4 Spyder are down to 330g/km for the manual gearbox model (351g/km for the E-gear-equipped model), which is a whopping improvement over the 400g/km of the previous version. Average fuel economy of 20.0mpg is also reasonable for this class of car, though few owners are likely to achieve this figure if they like driving their Gallardo as intended.

Summary

It's easy to be overwhelmed by a car such as the Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4 Spyder as it's everything a supercar should be. Amazing to look at, sensationally fast and completely involving to drive, it turns every journey into a memorable event. Even when looked at more rationally, this Gallardo impresses. You could easily use it every day, in all weathers, and Lamborghini is trying to reduce its environmental burden. But who are we kidding? The whole point of the Spyder is to overwhelm, and it succeeds overwhelmingly.