Had to go to LA on a one day trip today, Yuck!!!! After my meetings I had a 5 hour drive back to Vegas, Double Yuck!!! So to make things a little fun I stopped by a friends dealership to drive a Gallardo. I anm not the most skilled driver in the world but have driven almost everything and clocked over 7,000 miles in Lambos I'll state my opinions and stand behind them.

Looks: 2/10 Ugly
Paint: 4/10 Germany is where they are painted, we're 90% sure.
Handling: 10/10 amazing
Brakes: 10/10 amazing
Clutch: 12/10 Wow best clutch I have ever felt. Period.
Egrnomics: 7/10 Kinda high for a sports car.
Sex Appeal: 5/10 ???
Show off factor: 3/10 I'm not sure anyone noticed us in 10+ miles. (Nice for a change)
Shifting: 7/10 Similar to the GT2
Ease of driving: 8/10 Its too easy, it would get boaring.

It was the BEST Audi I have ever driven. It aint no super car at all period. It is a blast to drive the numbers may be similar to a Murciglago but in the real world it aint close. This isnt a case of pen** envy, I could have driven it back to Vegas and left the SL55 there and did a bank wire in the morning like I did on the Green Monster(My Murciglago). This car isnt a monster exotic its a sports car. It isnt in the class of the Ferrari 360 either. It feels mass produced like the Porsche's do. Not a bad thing just my opinion. It isnt worth $190K. The SL55 is a better car and you would have $70K change. The GT2 has way more ***** across the board. I was looking above and noticed that I gave high ratings in alot of the catagories and they are accurate, but the package just isnt great when you put it all together. I asked what the opinions of other long time Lambo guys were and most of us are of the same opinion, its the best Audi on the road. The handling and traction control are the only thing really special about this car.

True exotics are hand made, hard to drive, uncomfortable, loud, flashy, unreliable, sexy, toys. This car is easy to drive, to get into and out of, understated, mass produced, reliable transportation. Heck you could use it as a daily driver. It aint no exotic. It is fun and will sell and be good for Lamborghini in the long run because a % will step up th the Murciglago.

My GT2 is much quicker too. The numbers on paper for the Gallardo just dont seem to translate to the real world. I think they were inflated by the marketing dept at Lamborghini.

 

Thanks for the insight from someone who appears to have (and driven) it all. You didn't do a power category if I'm not mistaken, but I'd guess you'd give it a 5 or so.

 

Oops, I forgot the power catagory. 5/10 is about right. It was a little soft when I hammered it at 60 dropping from 4th down to 3rd(I drove the 6 speed). It just didnt pull like I thought it would. I got it up to 100 for a quick second or two but being in the city I couldnt do much else. It was still pulling pretty good at 90+ but nothing special. The gears were taller than I expected too. Much like a Diablo or Murciglago. For some reason I expected shorter gears.

It is definately softer than my GT2. Like I said the numbers on paper seem inflated to me.

As a side note I just put the chip/pullys in my SL55 and wow is it fast, hard to compare it to the baby Lambo but I like the SL better overall.

Sorry about the spelling its almost 4 AM and I suck at spelling anyways.

 

LV Eric, nice review and although I haven't driven one (I too think they are ugly so I wouldn't want one, and yes I can afford one too), your review sounds about right.

 

Awesome review, LV Eric.

Thanks


Eric

 

Thanks for the report.

These figures are from independent testers, it's a supercar all right!
Unless you're GT2 is modified, it's not much faster, or att all, than the Gallardo. And the GT2 is more expensive

http://www.track-challenge.com/main_...1=68%26Car2=39

Look at the Hockenheim time, it's a track that benefits cars that accelerate really fast.

 

Erik, can you compare these two cars and the Murci on one page for me?

 

In theory it should be less expensive but don't try and find one for the next 6 months that will be less than a GT-2, especially a slightly used GT-2. Once word gets out if LV is right, the prices will hit MSRP and lower. My prediction is he is and they will.

 

The GT2 isnt much faster, perhaps the same. I didnt have enough room on the road or time to do what I needed to do to be 100% accurate in my assesment.

Super car, no way. Saying it is will make some people feel important and help sales. Great, nice, fast, rare etc. are more accurate words. But super car when compaired to whats out there in the market these days it isnt.

Far as pricing goes anywhere in a month they will be at window. Audi dumped alot of them on every dealer in earily Jan. They shipped lots of them (200) at end of Dec from Italy to the States. The bean counters at Audi wanted to show $$$ on the 2003 books. The dealers are "trying " to create the over sticker market but it will soon break down first of Feb when they have to start paying the juice on flooring. Watch and see.

 

Side by side Gallardo/Murcilago/Diablo



Looks: 2/10 5/10 9/10
Paint: 4/10 8/10 8/10
Handling: 10/10 8/10 7/10
Brakes: 10/10 7/10 6/10 depending on year
Clutch: 12/10 8/10 8/10
Egrnomics: 7/10 6/10 5/10
Sex Appeal: 5/10 9/10 12/10
Show off factor: 3/10 10/10 12/10
Shifting: 7/10 4/10 4/10
Ease of driving: 8/10 6/10 4/10

Power: they are all different so compairing them is useless.

I have owned 3 Diablos over the years and still have 2 1999 GTR's which are race cars. In the above compairson I was useing a 97 Diablo Roadster as a referance. I have driven my Murcilago about 2000 miles since I got it in July. I only drove the Gallardo 15 or 20 miles. The numbers are only my opinions as a long time sports car owner/driver I'm not a pro in any sense of the word.

While there has been alot of improvement in the cars since Audi took over I feel they have lost their looks and edgy feel. The Murcilago and Diablo feel very similar just one is alot smoother. The best way to compair the 2 for this forum is: I had a 84 Carrera and traded it for a 93(?) 930 turbo. Everything was almost in the same spot, just one was alot nicer, disregard the performance difference. Thats the difference between the 2 12 cylinder cars.

The Gallardo dosent have any Diablo, V12, etc feel at all. Its like compairing a 1983 944 to a 1984 911. I have owned both of those cars and they are different animals. While they share the same name that where it ended so goes the Gallardo. It isnt a super car!!!

 

Eric, nice review, I'm still wondering why someone would shell out for a Gallardo rather than either pay a few more bucks for a used Murc or about the same for a used Diablo. Side by side the Gallardo just doesn't compare to the other 2 IMHO.

EDIT: just saw your post with the comparison, I guess we were thinking the same thing at the same time?

 

I think the Murci is A LOT 'sexier' than the diablo (except maybe the SV - my fav!!)....that boxy look and popup laights (pre-6.0 and some years) is sooooo outdated

 

All I know is if I ever consider a Lamborghini, the doors better open upward.

LV, Curious - How would you compare a gallardo vs. 360 modena?

 

You are right the doors better open UP.

I have never owned a Ferrari and only driven a 360 once in traffic, I topped out at 25 mph. Any comments would be a guess. I like the 360 better and it will be worth something in a few years. There will be alot of sub $100K Gallardos soon enough.

Why anyone would buy a new Gallardo for the same $$$ as a used Diablo is beyond me. Those guys with too much cologn and greasy hair at night clubs might, come to think of it.

Stryke please post a pic of the green & blue monster here.

 

No problem. You didn't specify in the PM which photos to post. Next time you're in NY I will definitely show you how to properly use a computer....lol.