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At a time when most designers swear by curves and shapes which flow and merge, the Lamborghini Gallardo created by Belgian stylist Luc Donckerwolke dropped in 2003 like the proverbial bomb. Look for curves in this vehicle and – except where they are technically essential – you will look in vain. Edges and corners define the front, sides and tail. Donckerwolke’s courage in producing such clear-cut shapes and his ability to combine them in a harmonious whole has earned him the renowned red dot design award for the Gallardo and its big brother Murcielaga, which has been following the same design concept since 2001.

As time went on, the sports car manufacturer from Sant’ Agata, Bolognese, launched a range of Gallardos including an open-top Spyder and the lightweight and high performance “Superleggera”. In 2008, the Italian firm finally carried out some fundamental technical and optical modelling on its “small” sports car, also improving the styling even further. The front section of the V10 racer, now known as the Gallardo LP 560-4, has since been even more aggressive.

Known for its stylish finishing, ENCO Exclusive from the Saxon town of Chemnitz has now created a customised carbon fibre glove for the Gallardo LP 560-4’s lean mean body. The GT3 design front bumper is 100% carbon fibre and has three large gills on each side where the fibre strands are clearly visible. Two additional carbon fibre finish aerodynamic components are available to fit both this and the series bumper: the front splitter and the rear spoiler. The GT3 side skirts may be unobtrusive, but they make the Lamborghini as a whole appear even bigger and stronger. The boot cover for this mid-engine racer- what in normal cars is the engine hood – is also ultra-lightweight but highly resilient carbon fibre. The rear diffuser, wing mirrors and air vents in the boot lid are finished in carbon fibre laminate. Top quality matt foil adds the finishing touches, giving the angular Gallardo the look of a stealth fighter plane. ENCO Exclusive has also had a field day with carbon look laminate in the interior. The inlay on the wheel, the cover on the central console and dashboard and the handbrake shine in silvery black – as do the door handles and openers.

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