2010 Lamborghini Gallardo LP 550-2 ‘Valentino Balboni’

Valentino Balboni started working for Lamborghini on 21st April 1968 as an apprentice mechanic working his way up through the company until his retirement in 2009. In the 1980s, he was the only test driver who was simultaneously employed in prototype development, production and customer service at Lamborghini becoming the face of the brand and an ambassador for the company. In the 1990s, Sant'Agata began production of the Diablo and prominent customers in the US, Japan and the Arab states often insisted on meeting Balboni in person, to hear about their new car directly from the chief test driver.

Today, Balboni leads the life of an elder statesman and despite retiring, he is still proud to be known worldwide as 'Mr Lamborghini', a witness to both the founding era of Ferruccio Lamborghini and to the age of carbon fibre. Anyone who has ever sat beside him in the passenger seat, their palms sweaty and their heart pounding, will never forget the experience.

At the time of his retirement, the factory honoured their main man with a personal limited edition of 250 that offered him a free hand to encapsulate all his favourite driving characteristics in one model. Based on the Gallardo 550, the LP 550-2 Valentino Balboni is rear-wheel drive, reducing the curb weight by 30g to 1,470kg. The engine is rated at 542bhp and Lamborghini claims the Balboni can reach a top speed of 320km/h (199mph) and despatch 0-62mph in 3.9 seconds.

On offer here is a very rare UK supplied Balboni that was delivered new to it’s first owner on 12th October 2010 via Lamborghini Edinburgh. Finished in white (Bianco Monocerus) with the white and gold stripe this is the ‘E-Gear’ transmission example and is fresh to market from long term ownership.

The V5C shows only one former keeper and the mileage at the time of cataloguing was 45,288. Its been with its current owner for many years and has been kept mainly off the road in that time, with the last MOT being issued in 2014, but the car has always been stored professionally. Prior to its period in storage, it was exclusively serviced by Lamborghini Birmingham according to the accompanying service book.

In order to prepare the car for sale, it has recently been fitted with new tyres, discs/pads, refurbished brake calipers and will be treated to a service by a main dealer and a fresh MOT prior to the auction at Silverstone where we welcome and encourage your inspection of this rare Lamborghini.

A rear-wheel drive, normally-aspirated, 540bhp V10 is one for the pure driving enthusiast, a format that has been chosen by the man who has driven every Lamborghini prior to his retirement and a few since, as the most rewarding - the ultimate Sant'Agata driving experience.