Chariots of the Gods: The Best Five Cars Lamborghini Ever Built

Lamborghini. The name conjures up images of exotic chassis designs and expensive leather driving gloves. Their cars are among the fastest and most expensive in the world. I have looked through all the cars built by this Italian company and come up with my choices for the best five they have ever made.They are as follows:

5) 350 GT: The first Lamborghini, made in 1963, the 350 GT was actually a toned down version of the 350 GTV prototype. Though only 135 were built(1), this two-seater is highly sought after by collectors, in part because they were the first Lamborghini, but also because it has timeless lines that make me imagine what a Corvette might look like if it had been designed in Italy.

Aside from its beauty, the 350 GT was also a car that was speedy and nimble. It possessed four-wheel independent suspension, disc brakes, and a powerful 12-cylinder engine that gave it a top speed of 154 miles per hour(2). Originally selling for $15,600, today the car is valued at over $110,000.

4) LM002: I put this vehicle on the list because Lamborghini showed some major cajones to ever build this thing. It is an SUV built by a sportscar maker. This is not unheard of today, with Porsche building the Cayenne and companies like Ferrari and Alfa Romeo are rumored to be considering crossover SUVs of their own. However, this was first built in 1986, long before the Hummer or the Escalade. It was ostentatious, expensive, and huge, with a V-12 engine and a 76-gallon gas tank(3)!

It sold for around $120,000 and weighed more than a Hummer H3T by nearly a ton(4). It was a big hit with Middle Eastern dictators and others with endless military budgets due to its great performance in sandy desert conditions. It was last manufactured in 1993 but is still highly sought after by collectors today.

3) Gallardo Superleggera: The version of this car produced in 2007-2008 was a new idea for Lamborghini, which is known for builder cars loaded with raw power. The Superleggeria used lighter components to improve both speed and handling. The 2011 version takes the original vision of this car to a new level.

The '11 Superleggera features a 570 hp V-10 engine that can reach 202 miles per hour, all-wheel drive, and the reduced-weight components that make this the lightest Lamborghini on the road. This popular vehicle runs about $220,000(5) and will thrash just about everything else in existence.

2) Countach: Easily the most recognizable of any Lamborghini, the Countach inspired many posters and t-shirts with its other-worldly designing association with the finer things in life. With its wedge shape and scissor doors, the Countach was about as sexy as it is possible for a car to be.

Along with all this dazzle came some serious speed and performance. The Countach was powered by a V-12 that changed over the car's 16-year production period (which was from 1974-1990). Costing $100,000(6), this car was a statement that screamed "Look at how freaking rich I am!".

I actually got to sit in one of these back in 1988 when I pulled into a car wash where a guy was washing one (why he would wash the thing at a coin-operated car wash was beyond me). The owner, a weightlifter, was very gracious and let me sit in the driver's seat. The leather was soft, and the dash looked like the coolest thing I had ever seen. The owner mentioned casually that he had never even used the top two gears despite the fact that he had driven the thing over 100 miles per hour.

1) Reventon: Easily one of the most difficult cars in the world to find (only 20 were built(7)), the Reventon is the most powerful and expensive car Lamborghini has ever made. Costing over 1 million dollars, this super machine spares no expense. From its 211 mile per hour top speed, sci-fi LCD displays throughout the interior, and its wedge-rocket shape, the Reventon is one of a kind.

If you should ever have the extreme misfortune of crashing into one of these things, kiss your low insurance premiums goodbye forever.

All five of these magnificent vehicles is a testament to the sort of speed, design, and technology that have made Lamborghini one of the most lusted after sportscar brands on the planet. If you ever get a chance to see one of them in person, I would highly recommend it.

Sources:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lamborghini_350GT
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lamborghini_350GT
http://www.conceptcarz.com/vehicle/z567/Lamborghini-LM002.aspx
http://www.automobilemag.com/features/collectible_classic/0901_1986_1993_lamborghini_lm002/countach_quattrovalvole.html
http://www.automobilemag.com/auto_shows/geneva/2010/1002_2011_lamborghini_gallardo_lp5704_superleggera/price_engine_0_to_60_mph.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lamborghini_Countach
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lamborghini_Revent%C3%B3n