Arrivederci Gallardo!

After ten years and 14,022 cars, the Lamborghini Gallardo has come to the end of the road. The Gallardo was the first Lamborghini to really break the mold so to speak. Prior to the car's production, the company would average around 250 or so cars a year, The Gallardo brought a whole new way of thinking at the company in terms of volume by jumping to 2000+ per year. Since Lamborghini was founded in 1963, nearly half of all the cars produced are Gallardos.

Like all Lamborghini's, the Gallardo name was derived from bullfighting. The Gallardo bloodline was known for its exceptional courage and undaunted nature. ans was bred during the 18th century. When the Gallardo was introduced in 2003, it also brought many new advancements for Lamborghini. Including an all new aluminum space frame, the first ever Lamborghini to have full time all wheel drive, and a robotized electronic shifting system (e-gear). The Gallardo also set records with 32 different variants of the car over it's 10 year run. My particular favorite was the Superleggera. It was also the first Lamborghini to have a special service record with 2 cars built for the Italian State Police.

The 2013 Gallardo LP 570-4 Squadra Corse boasts a dry weight of 1340 kilograms, 70 less than the already lean Gallardo LP 560-4. With a stunning power-toweight ratio of 2.35 kilograms per hp it delivers breathtaking performance: from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.4 seconds, from 0 to 200 km/h in just 10.4 seconds.

Now, the final car produced? It is a Gallardo LP 570-4 Spyder Performante in Rosso
Mars (red) and it is destined for a private collector.

Source: Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A.

Hot Rod of the Day: 1932 and 1930 Ford Model As.

Here's a sort of old meets the new. A relatively stock looking 1930ish Ford Model A, with a very much traditional 1950s look 1932 3 window (deuce coupe) Model A.

Henry Ford Museum under construction

The Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn Michigan is a staple for any car enthusiast to see when in the Motor City. The collection of vehicles on display is outstanding as it really represents the Automobile and what it has done to transform both America and the World. That being said, the Henry Ford's collection does not feature just Ford vehicles. Just about all of the American manufacturers are represented from Ford to Tucker, and many foreign manufacturers as well. From MG to Volkswagen. Even Honda.

You can see the famous Golden Rod land speed car. Pause and reflect in front of the 1963 Lincoln Continental  limousine which carried President Kennedy through Dallas. Even sit in the very same seat that Rosa Parks defiantly sat in, that sparked the Civil Rights Movement. They have it all. Recently, the Henry Ford announced that there will be major renovations to their transportation section of the museum. This will make the exhibit more accessible and more interactive than it has ever been. And we're hoping it will also bring room for expansion to the collection. I try to stop and visit the museum every time I am in Detroit. Usually making several trips a year and spending hours taking in the history of the automobile and American life. Just as Henry Ford would have wanted.


The Henry Ford Museum