Original Lamborghini Gallardo designer returns nearly 30 years later to give the supercar a $1M redesign while staying true to its roots

The Lamborghini Gallardo is getting a second life, courtesy of the designer behind its origins.

Almost three decades after first putting pen to paper, Fabrizio Giugiaro has revisited the Gallardo with a bold new project that blends familiar styling with some seriously modern touches.

Called the HOMMAGE 26, the reimagined supercar is the first project from CAVËN Atelier’s new Designer Series.

And while plenty has changed since the original arrived, Giugiaro has made sure some of the Gallardo’s most recognizable features remain.

The original Gallardo designer has given it a modern makeover

When the Lamborghini Gallardo arrived in the early 2000s, it quickly became one of the Italian automaker’s most recognizable models.

The Gallardo’s naturally aspirated V10 engine, compact proportions, and distinctive styling helped make it a dream car for an entire generation.

Now, Giugiaro is returning to the design almost 30 years after first creating it at Italdesign in 1998.

The HOMMAGE 26 has been developed by CAVËN Atelier, with Giugiaro leading the project through his GFG Style studio.

The idea was to revisit his original design without being restricted by the same production requirements that shaped the first-generation Gallardo.

Despite being a complete redesign, the new model retains some familiar features.

Giugiaro has kept the original’s distinctive front-end styling, while the rear has received a much more dramatic transformation, but this isn’t any old Gallardo restomod.

In fact, only five components from the original Gallardo remain: the roof, side windows, windshield, side mirrors, and mirror bases.

Everything else has been redesigned, including a completely new carbon-fiber body.

It gets some seriously unusual design features

The HOMMAGE 26 isn’t simply a Gallardo with a few cosmetic upgrades.

The redesigned supercar features pop-down headlights, active aerodynamic flaps, and an opening rear window that allows owners to show off the engine.

These additions give the classic Lamborghini a much more contemporary appearance without completely abandoning the silhouette that made it famous.

The interior is also receiving a makeover, although CAVËN Atelier has yet to reveal exactly what the cabin will look like.

The company describes the project as an evolution of an existing design, combining elements of the original with new ideas.

The $1 million Lamborghini will keep its manual V10 engine

While the exterior has undergone a significant transformation, the HOMMAGE 26 keeps the original Gallardo’s 5.0-liter naturally aspirated V10 engine.

However, it hasn’t been left completely untouched.

Italian engineering company Italtecnica has upgraded the engine, allowing it to rev up to 8,500rpm.

Buyers will be able to choose between two versions: the GT, producing 540hp, and the more powerful Performance model, delivering 560hp.

Both versions will retain a manual transmission, giving drivers the opportunity to enjoy the V10 without an automatic gearbox taking over.

The chassis also receives a two-mode suspension system with comfort and sport settings, upgraded brakes, and 20-inch wheels.

Production will be extremely limited, with just 25 examples planned.

Each one will be built using a first-generation Lamborghini Gallardo as a donor vehicle, and customers can either supply their own car or ask CAVËN Atelier to source one for them.

The price starts at €900,000, equivalent to approximately $1 million, and that’s before the cost of the donor Gallardo or any additional extras.

For fans of the original supercar, it is a pretty extravagant way to revisit an icon – but having the man who designed it in the first place behind the project makes this one particularly special (and speedy).

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