Lamborghini has built its 10,000th Gallardo. The pinnacle LP 560-4 in question was shipped to Shanghai, China, where further celebrations continued.

The Lamborghini Gallardo first went into production in 2003, and from initial launch shots to first impressions out on the track, the Gallardo astounded critics. With exceptional handling and crisp, brutal power, the Gallardo was almost in a league of its own. The four-wheel drive system was also praised by expert drivers and was refined even further in later models.

Over the years, the original design and styling has been kept and has aged wonderfully. Even now, seven years later, the low and sharp profile still drops jaws and whets appetites with only minor changes to the front and rear bumper bars.

The ferocious sound of the 5.0-litre V10 (and later, 5.2-litre) cannot be ignored and is etched into the minds of anyone who gets a chance to hear one at full throttle.

One of the latest versions of the Gallardo came in the form of a Balboni special at the end of 2009. This was a rear-drive only edition which celebrated the achievements set by the company’s chief test driver, Valentino Balboni, and his retirement.

If you fancy obtaining your slice of heritage, and have loads of cash, the Lamborghini Gallardo currently retails in Australia for $475,000 – for a LP 560-4 equipped with a manual six-speed. Or, $469,000 for the Balboni edition, if you’d like an extra dollop of adrenalin with your V10 serving of supercar.