There’s little to match the sound of the Lamborghini Gallardo’s V10 engine at full steam. It has thunderous power, delivering 492bhp in original form at a zinging 7800rpm and there’s a usefully larger dollop of mid-rev shove than most rivals to make the Gallardo a surprisingly effortless cruiser. Press the throttle hard, though, and it will travel from 0-62mph in a mere 4.1 seconds and carry on till it hits 192mph.

The Superleggera lowers the 0-62mph time to 3.8 seconds and raises top speed to 196mph, though it’s how it scorches through the gears that really sets it apart from the standard Gallardo. The 2006-on Gallardo with 512bhp is the best all-rounder with a sharper feel than the original car and not quite as extreme as the Superleggera. The six-manual gearbox is the choice of keen drivers, but more new buyers opt for the E-Gear sequential manual with paddle shifters that take the strain out of the hefty clutch pedal action.

In June 2008 the LP560-4 model replaced the original Coupe. It has 560bhp and is even lighter, giving it a 0-62mph time of just 3.7 seconds

Four-wheel drive as standard means the Gallardo always handles well, but its ability to go round corners without coming close to relinquishing its grip is astonishing. It may not have the scalpel finesse of a Ferrari 360, but the Gallardo will still beat its Italian rival from A to B thanks to its competence and the confidence it inspires in its driver.

The steering is not as full of feel as some would like, partly due to the 4WD, however, it helps make the Gallardo easier to live with on a daily basis as you don’t feel as if the car is fighting you, which is the case with previous generation Lamborghini’s. The other massive plus of the Gallardo is how well it copes with rut-strewn roads. It’s surprisingly composed, which makes it comfortable and all the better at tackling corners.