Lauded as 'a sports car cleverly designed as a supercar, without any of the usual supercar shortcomings,' the Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4 has been selected by the editors of Robb Report as the luxury lifestyle magazine’s 2009 Car of the Year.

Now in its 16th year, the award is presented annually to an automobile, formally introduced in the previous year, whose technical designs, styling, and performance position it as the world’s pre-eminent sports or luxury car. 

Selected from an exceptionally competitive field, the Gallardo LP560-4 outdistanced a dozen other luxury and sports cars to earn top honours. Listed in order of finish, the other finalists were the Mercedes-Benz SL63 AMG, BMW M3, Porsche 911 Carrera S, Aston Martin DBS, Chevrolet Corvette ZR1, Rolls-Royce Phantom Coupé, Jaguar XF, Nissan GT-R, Tesla Roadster, Bentley Brooklands, Smart Fortwo, and Iconic GTR Roadster.

The Lamborghini’s selection resulted from extensive testing in California’s Napa Valley by a panel of experts that included Robb Report editor in chief Brett Anderson and correspondents Paul Dean and Marco Della Cava. Those journalists were joined by more than 50 guest judges, including executives and Robb Report readers from throughout the world. “Though the Gallardo’s body styling is familiar to Italian-sports-car enthusiasts, the LP560-4’s performance is unlike anything they have experienced before from this marque, thanks to the brilliant fine tuning it has received” explained Mr. Anderson. “No past iterations of the Gallardo have delivered the combination of power and precision you get from this engine and four-wheel-drive system.”

Equally impressed, Mr. Della Cava credited Lamborghini’s sister brand, Audi, for its influence on the Gallardo: It has “impeccable … build quality, superglue road manners, and enough visual oomph to revive the dead,” he stated. “All the right numbers are here: a mid-mounted V-10 producing 552 hp; a 44-pound reduction in weight, thanks to a new transmission, composite brakes, and lighter suspension components; and the 4 after the car’s badge number, which denotes a four-wheel-drive system that turns even novice drivers into mini Formula One racers.” Mr. Della Cava’s views were echoed by fellow judge Paul Dean, who praised the Gallardo for its ability to work “in concert to furnish shotlike acceleration, the safety of all-wheel drive, the crispest of shifts, [and] a top speed that blurs landscapes.”

"The success of the Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4 can be traced to the dedication and passion exhibited for the brand by every Lamborghini employee, coupled with the drive to consistently deliver the most exciting super sports cars in the world," stated Lamborghini president and CEO Stephan Winkelmann. "Robb Report's continued recognition of Lamborghini's efforts is very important to the brand, and the award for Car of the Year cannot be understated.”