Nick,
I've only driven a 430 coupe which my dealer loaned me for 4 days a couple of months ago so my experience thus far is fairly limited. What I can say is that it is a much improved car over the 360 Modena that I previously owned and the F1 shift is definately better than e-gear. The Lamborghini box requires a little more effort from the driver if you want to enjoy smooth upshifts. In sport mode the changes are positively violent
Downshifts with e-gear are fantastic though with an incredible accompanying soundtrack (on 06 model year cars onwards). Both cars are quite different to drive to be honest as the Gallardo feels more planted on the road, the benefit of it's 4WD system giving it more mechanical grip. It has more torque lower down the rev range and makes a more ferocious noise that builds up to a wail at high revs. It's also a far newer car in design terms with better ergonomics in the cabin and better quality of finish to the interior by which I mean things like door seals, the use of leather throughout the cabin including door sills, a glass rear screen that can be retracted to let in fresh air and hear the engine when the top is up etc and it has more modern equipment - TFT screen for nav/infotainment, front lifting system, dual zone climate control, 3 blink indicator setting for highway lane changes, rain sensing wipers etc. Non owners often ridicule comments like these and say they are sports cars that shouldn't have them but when you take the car on longer trips they become more important. A stripped out pure sportscar to me is an Ariel Atom or an Ultima not a Ferrari. It will be fairer to compare the F142 to the Gallardo in these areas as I suspect that model will be far better equipped.
The Spyder is noticeably slower than the Gallardo Coupe I had before it though which somehow seemed a rawer driving experience and I believe the F430 is similar in this respect from what I've read. A few tenths of a second doesn't sound like much but is enough to make a perceptible difference.
I had a close look around a new LP560 at my dealer on Tuesday and heard it running. My only previous viewing was at the Geneva show in March. The new car looks far more aggressive with it's shorter headlights and pronounced flaired nostril air intakes in the redesigned front bumper. The sound of the new V10 is astonishing on start up... you almost need earplugs for the first few seconds
The Spyder version should look sensational.
I'll report back with more informed comparisons after my trip to France in the 430.