I am not afraid to test the waters....subtitle, Gated Lamborghini Superleggera vs Pista. So I have the luck and good chance to have purchased one of only 6 gated manual, Gallardo Superleggera LP570-4 imported into North America. This car was a 2011 and the Gallardo lineage was the last manual Italian supercar you could spec from new, Ferrari having abandoned it in 2009 and Lamborghini's own Murcielago in 2008 or so. I was searching for a really nice, old school feel without too much unreliability. From 2009 -2014, only about 56 manual Gallardos were brought into the US and 4 were Superleggeras (the other 2 mentioned were from Canada as was my car). Below is my driving impressions as compared to the state of the art Pista. The Gallardo is wonderfully analogue but no dinosaur. You feel cramped and it's a little like being in a tank with the high beltine doors, impossibly far away windshield and A-pillars that remind you of an an X wing fighter. The high revving V10 sounds melodious, the lightweight flywheel, race car like, the clack of the gated manual so satisfying, and the overall feel much like a larger displacement, more exotic GT3. Fast but not mind blowing, it feels very appropriate for the street. You have to work your skills to get the most out of the car, adding another challenge separate from simply driving fast. It's metallic green coat changes color in the sun like a chameleon and it is about as subtle as a gunshot at a deer convention. I am so far extremely pleased with my choice. On to the Pista. I was a little worried I might become disaffected with the Pista once the Gallardo arrived but OMG, so not the case. To me, the juxtaposition of the two cars is FABULOUS. Night and day. While the Gallardo reminds me of all of my past favorite cars turned up to 9.9, the Pista represents the spaceship of the future turned up to 11. It is so outrageous, so wicked, so immediately taunting you to break every traffic law on the planet, it is all about restraint and then absolutely devilish exploitations of the cars capacity. These must be enjoyed on the street in short spurts as to do otherwise is more risky than a snort of crack cocaine. Chris Harris noted a 10 second prod of the gas sees you to 140 mph. Insane. It beat the GT2 RS on their test track driven by the Stig (in fact it beat every car they've tested). Even the turbo noise which is the bane of 458 vs 488 threads on FChat suddenly sounds enchanting and menacing. I appreciate the whooshes, whizzes, and pops (snap, crackle pop?) MORE now that I have analogue nirvana elsewhere. I feel like I am at the reins of a fire breathing dragon (am I not?). Even though the reins are hardened carbon paddles, I too love these as there is no other way you could possibly harness a beast so untamed. I have fallen in love 10x more in the general comparison. So do I love the gated Superlegerra? Hell yeah! Have I given up on Ferrari? Hell no! So lucky to be able to enjoy both ncredible monsters! Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Brilliant review and couldn’t agree with your assessment any more than I do! I was lucky to have a couple of gated Gallardos, one was special order. Every shift was a joy. Pista kinda takes you to whole different universe. Awesome observations man, thanks!
Those gated NA V10s are epic, it’s like loading a glock every shift ... although I prefer mine in a slightly more subtle livery. That said it’s a beautiful unicorn you got yourself there ... congrats!
Frank Sinatra allegedly once said: “you buy a Ferrari when you want to be someone. You buy a Lamborghini when you already are someone”. You have to take into account the context of that sentence, at the hype of the Feruccio vs Enzo rivalry for the dominance of the supercar niche. That being said, at least when aesthetics come into play, I strongly disagree with Sinatra: I feel Lamborghinis are too loud visually, too full on “look at me” and Ferraris are a bit more refined and quiet. More focused on racing and sports. Lamborghinis are wonderful cars, in some respects closer to their brand’s essence than Ferrari over the years. But when it comes to supercars, and once regardless of how my wealth compares to others’, I have set a budget to spend on cars and maintain them as if they were my child (no corners cut, the best items or nothing), I always choose Ferrari, period. I know it narrows my supercar resumé, but it’s a personal preference, that says a lot about me but nothing about the fun and quality of cars like McLaren, Lamborghini, Porsche, etc. I guess I’m still trying to be someone, according to Sinatra Regardless, thank you to the OP for a most excellent post. Great read! Kind regards, Nuno.
Just noticed the S2000 too. Between the three, you've got 26,250 RPM of NA greatness! First car I ever bought myself was an Integra Type R. Great cars.
I think Sinatra meant that; you really need to be someone famous to drive a Lamborghini OR the car will steal the show from you, because it's too loud and too showyyy, OTHERWISE it's true, Ferrari is a bit more refined and quiet, that's why Ferrari is a step-forward for some1 still trying to be famous !!
Funny today in think Lambo is the brand to buy if you’re trying to show off while Ferrari is the more mature reserved brand
