Glorious though a lot of the restomods can be, there are only so many times a 911 or old Ford can seem exciting. Lamborghini, on the other hand, feels like it has a fair bit of untapped reimagination potential - for those wealthy enough, at least. Already we’ve seen cars like the sensational Eccentrica Diablo, and now Croatian firm Tedson Motors has revealed the Etna - based on the first Gallardo.
Yes, a car launched in 2003 is now deemed sufficiently classic for a restomod overhaul, but think about the spec: nat-asp, mid-mounted V10 revving to the heavens, hydraulic steering, reasonably compact dimensions and a standard manual gearbox. Plus an optional automated unit, for early '00s supercar bingo full house. It’s the classic supercar recipe, only sanitised slightly for the turn of the century by all-wheel drive. By plug-in hybrid hypercar standards, like Lambo’s own Temerario in fact, the Gallardo is resolutely old school. Tedson apparently wants to maintain that while injecting some contemporary edge. ‘Our goal with Etna was clear: make it lighter, stronger, more responsive, while enhancing its analog soul.’ Which doesn’t sound like a bad formula for making a memorable supercar in 2025.
The new look instantly marks the Etna out as something different to the Gallardo norm. The front is reasonably recognisable, with the rear a lot more reminiscent of the later Huracan, complete with a Y-motif for the lights and brace of exhaust pipes - the system is now titanium, mounted centrally. Those distinctive slatted haunches that marked the original Gallardo out appear even more dramatic than the first time around.
Additional changes outside include the stunningly reworked teledial wheels from AL13 in California, attitude ramped to the max with a custom offset and wider tracks. Suspension is now from JRZ, and the entire Etna body is carbon; claimed weight loss is 200kg thanks to the new panels, the exhaust and carbon seats. Tedson claims its work offers up ‘transformed driving dynamics.’ Plus, just as importantly for a million-dollar restomod, the Gallardo looks spectacular.
Tedson plans to use early cars as Etna donors, complete with the 5.0-litre, 500hp version of the V10. It claims another 100hp over standard will erupt (sorry) from the engine bay thanks to its re-engineering; lighter internals will see the Lamborghini rev beyond 10,000rpm, which is pretty significant given an 8,500rpm limiter 20 years ago, and intake changes will liberate a few extra horsepower.
Additionally, the firm suggests that it wants to prioritise the conversion of E-gear cars, ‘preserving the manual cars for future generations’, which makes some sense, but it doesn’t explain whether the E-gear will get any modifications to bring it up to snuff against the rest of the package. The clunky old automated manual could well let the side down against a 10,000rpm V10, race suspension and c. 1250kg kerbweight. Could be pretty awesome with the open-gated manual, too…
For the moment, there aren’t any interior pics of the Etna - expect those ahead of a full debut early next year. As is par for the course, really, Tedson says the cabin is ‘taken to a new level’ by ‘retaining the analog and classic feel, focusing on the quality of the materials and pure driving emotion’. Obviously, any colour choice the buyer desires, inside or out, will be accommodated as part of a 12-month build process. This is no small undertaking.
Indeed, Tedson suggests it’s taken three years to reach this point. It’ll convert 77 cars in total, which should be easily sourced given the thousands of Huracans that were made, with production due to begin in the autumn of 2026. One way to stand out among the rest of the optimised exotics, but best move fast - good Gallardos aren’t getting any cheaper…
All pictures courtesy of Tedson Motors
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