LAMBORGHINI GALLARDO SPYDER

The Gallardo's 5.2-litre V10 engine produces a whopping 552bhp, which propels it to 60mph in just 4.0sec - and the Performante version is more powerful, and quicker still. Acceleration in any gear is astonishing, and the sound is something to savour, too. The standard six-speed manual gearbox is better than the optional clutchless manual gearbox that is clunky and operated using paddles on the steering wheel.
Although the Gallardo needs a fair bit of effort on the steering to get it into corners, it handles brilliantly at speed. There's immense traction from the four-wheel-drive system, superb grip and virtually no body lean when cornering hard. The stiff suspension means things can become unsettled over mid-corner ruts, though, and at low speeds the ride is really unforgiving.
With a big V10 sat behind your ear, it's hardly surprising that the Gallardo makes plenty of racket. Those fat tyres pick up plenty of road noise, and a fair bit of wind noise is generated, too. The brakes are switch-like when trundling along in traffic, while the optional paddle-shift gearchange is so jerky you can hear and feel what’s happening every time you swap cogs