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Lamborghini wins. Ferrari F430 is just not in the same class as the Murcielago. Gallardo is the proper rival to the F430. tho street cred, noise, performance, looks, Lamborghini still wins hands down.

  • 2 weeks later...

I've been back in Sydney and the dream is well and truly over - I drove the Lambo and have heaps to say about it :P

To avoid one monster post, ill make several.. each with matching pics.

Part 1 - Holiday Planning

While planning my USA holiday I needed to hire a normal car to get around in. Normal cars are boring. Predictably for me, I spent weeks researching what sports car I should hire for 24 hours rather than looking into a car to actually get around in for most of the trip.

The two sports cars that immediately came to mind were a Dodge Viper and Ferrari F430. The decision about which car to rent was irrational. It didn’t have much to do with performance or handling, more about the thought of driving one of these beasts.

It was only when I saw that it was possible to rent a Murcielago LP640 that I started considering Lamborghini's. As I mentioned earlier in the thread, I tried long and hard to make renting the LP640 a reality but it didn't happen - mainly due to insurance issues and the rental company screwing me around.

After the thought of renting the LP640, everything seemed a bit disappointing, however in the end a number of factors led to me renting a humble 2008 Gallardo Spider instead :D

I never imagined that one day I would be brave (or stupid?) enough to rent one of these so the whole process - before, during and afterward seemed completely surreal, I was in dreamland.

I honestly thought something would go wrong beforehand and driving the Lambo just wouldn’t happen. This was something I couldn’t get my head around! Im sure most you would understand my madness.

  • 2 weeks later...

Good choice dude.

In the words of one F. Sinatra

"A Ferrari is something you drive when you want to be someone, a Lamborghini is something you drive when you are somebody."

Part 2 - Picking up

Didnt have a proper map, so ended up holding a piece of paper over my laptop screen and tracing out google maps with a pencil :P

Sleep deprived, anxious and armed with my hand scribbled map, I was downstairs ready and waiting for delivery at 9am sharp. Minutes passed by and we started mistaking cabs for my Murcielago. Two phone calls for reassurance and about 35 anxious minutes later the car arrived.

The car looked absolutely amazing on first sight. I love black wheels on a Murcielago but thought our car would have silver. For bonus excitement it turns out the car did have black wheels - suited my mental dream car image perfectly.

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The driving lesson

I was stressed out. My brain couldnt deal with the crazy excitement, risk, cost and ridiculousness of what I was doing. In my breakdown state I Jumped in the passenger seat, signed my credit card away and then it was time for a driving lesson.

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This consisted of me taking the drivers seat while the owner showed me how to use the e-gear system, electric roof, mirrors etc followed by a drive around the block. The initiation made the whole situation even more surreal - I was about to be let loose with a 500hp bright orange supercar after being shown how to adjust the mirrors and drive around the block.

We pulled back into the TI driveway, the owner jumped out and car was all mine.

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To the original question, Lamborghini without doubt, just so more special and the newbies are genuine userfriendly drivers cars. My beloved Countach and Diablo were wonderful machines but from all accounts good only in very small doses, uncomfortable, hot (poor ventilation) and downright scary.

Also an F430 is ferrari's entry level car and far from their most beautiful, Murcielago is Lambo's flagship.

However have I missed something here? That amazing looking orange Lambo is infact a Gallardo, not a Murcielago!!

However have I missed something here? That amazing looking orange Lambo is infact a Gallardo, not a Murcielago!!

Originally had the LP640 booked and paid for but had insurance issues so ended up with the Gallardo - I always mix up the two when writing about them so if I write Murcielago I really mean Gallardo!

I had heaps of pics and how it was to drive to post up soon!

Did you ever have a chance to max out your Countach or Diablo?

Part 3 - The Drive!

We drove though city, snow and desert all in one day.

Heading up to Mount Charleston

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Breakfast time on the mountain

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Posing before we left the carpark :laugh:

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After this headed back to the highway towards Death Valley in California. Hadn't driven far before it was time to feed the beast

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Back on the road

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Entering Death Valley National Park

We met people everywhere we stopped, I let plenty of people jump into the car for photos throughout the day :D

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Its ok to look like a pinhead when your in a Lambo!

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81 metres below sea level

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Filling up again before driving back toe Vegas for the night. We stopped at a town called Pahrump, was chatting to a teenager.. after a while he goes 'hey have you heard of the Nissan Skyline'? haha!!!!!!!!! Showed him some pics of my car back home, turns out he loves Skylines and wants to buy one! Didnt break it to him that they are RHD only unless he could afford an r35 :)

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We spent the night back in Vegas. Car was due back at 10am the next morning, ill upload the final drive from the following morning next.

Originally had the LP640 booked and paid for but had insurance issues so ended up with the Gallardo - I always mix up the two when writing about them so if I write Murcielago I really mean Gallardo!

I had heaps of pics and how it was to drive to post up soon!

Did you ever have a chance to max out your Countach or Diablo?

Hey Siks, never actually owned Countach or Diablo, just speaking in general terms there!!!

As for confusing Murcielago & Gallardo, no drama's, both are incredible machines That orange convertible looks sensational, you won't be forgetting that in a hurry!

Closest I have come to driving Italian Exotica was when I got married in 1998, my wife and I headed for Hawaii and I hired a Ferrari 328 GTS for 24hrs. Drove it around the entire Island of Oahu. It was certainly a Buzz, but nothing compared to that Gallardo of yours!

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