Fabrizio Giugiaro has returned to one of his best-known designs, giving the Lamborghini Gallardo a new identity nearly three decades after his original proposal. The result is the CAVËN Atelier HOMMAGE 26, a carbon-fibre-bodied supercar with a manual gearbox, up to 560 hp (418 kW) and a planned production run of just 25 examples.
Unveiled at the Concours at Wynn Las Vegas, it introduces CAVËN Atelier’s Designer Series, which invites established designers to revisit significant cars from their own careers.
Fabrizio Giugiaro Revisits His Original Gallardo Design
The project traces its roots to the Gallardo proposal Giugiaro developed at Italdesign in 1998. Lamborghini subsequently refined that work for the production car, but HOMMAGE 26 gives him room to explore how his original ideas might evolve today.
Working through GFG Style, Giugiaro has retained elements of that early concept while introducing fresh thinking elsewhere. The nose stays particularly close to his original vision, while the rear and aspects of the interior take a more contemporary direction.
CAVËN calls its approach Design Authorship: bringing the original designer back to develop their own work. For HOMMAGE 26, that means preserving the Gallardo’s character while moving beyond the production constraints that shaped it.
Carbon-Fibre Bodywork And Pop-Down Headlights
The familiar proportions remain, but most of the exterior has been replaced. The donor car contributes its roof, windscreen, side windows, mirrors and mirror bases, with new carbon-fibre bodywork transforming the surrounding surfaces.
Pop-down headlights give the front end a distinctive feature, while active aerodynamic flaps bring modern functionality to the design. At the back, a redesigned tail incorporates an opening rear window above the engine bay, giving occupants another way to enjoy the V10 soundtrack.
It joins a growing field of bespoke Gallardo projects, including the Tedson Etna restomod, although having Giugiaro involved gives HOMMAGE 26 a direct connection to the car’s beginnings.
Naturally Aspirated V10 With Up To 560 HP
Italtecnica has reworked the first-generation Gallardo’s 5.0-litre naturally aspirated V10, with an engine speed ceiling of 8,500 rpm and a manual gearbox central to the package.
Two versions are planned. The GT produces 540 hp (403 kW), while the Performance increases that figure to 560 hp (418 kW).
The chassis also receives attention, with revised suspension offering Comfort and Sport settings, upgraded brakes and 20-inch wheels. The aim is a car that can handle longer journeys while still rewarding its driver on a demanding road.
A high-revving V10 and a manual gear lever should do plenty of the selling here, particularly with Lamborghini currently having no plans to bring back a manual gearbox.
Just 25 Cars Starting At Around R16.8 Million
CAVËN Atelier plans to build only 25 examples, each based on a first-generation Lamborghini Gallardo. Buyers can provide their own donor or ask the company to source one.
Pricing starts at €900,000 (approximately R16,795,620), excluding the donor vehicle. That rand figure is a direct currency conversion, rather than a landed South African price.
Ownership also brings priority access to future Designer Series projects. Further cars are already in development, with the next chapter expected in 2027.
The appeal of HOMMAGE 26 is easy to understand. It gives an established supercar a second life, with its original designer helping decide what comes next and a manual V10 keeping the driving experience at the centre of it.
