30th Dec should be a National Holiday!

Well… Let me tell you about that day I had… the day that was Thursday 30th December 2004… self titled LAMBORGHINI DAY!!!!

10.45am – Arrive at Lamborghini London courtesy of my brother in law’s brother (Dave) with my brother in law (Jer) as designated co pilot.

The window of the dealership was swamped by people who had their faces pressed up against the window looking at my car as it was being valeted.

Walked up to the electronically locked door and was buzzed in. Seeing the car again in the metal simply took my breath away. I’d forgotten how big the car is in size. It is MASSIVE!

Final details sorted, glass doors slid open and Murci started, and as Jer is filming the car being driven out of the showroom onto the road, it finally dawns on me… “SH*T! in about three minutes, he’s going to give me the keys to that car… MY car…” I was genuinely was close to tears.

The words “total humbleness” summed up my feelings. I am massively privileged to experience such cars. In a space of a few minutes, Brompton Road was swamped with people looking at the car. They just came from nowhere…

Keys in hand, free Lambo Mug (to go with my Ferrari one!), and we’re set to go. Whilst pulling off… in a sea of admirers… the only thing I could say to myself: “don’t stall it! Don’t stall it!” I didn’t. until the next set of lights. D’oh!

What followed was a day of sheer indulgence on automotive contraband. This feeling should be banned!

Now, as I’m writing this at 23.57 in the evening and two tanks of super later, let me sum up the car…

SIZE: This car is HUGE! The true reality of it dawned on me when Dave tells me that the Murci is wider than the box lorry I was driving next to going out of London. You have to reset your parameters as the widest part of the car are not the mirrors, but the lower air intakes. (must be careful parallel parking…)

ROAD PRESENCE: I think Simonspider described it as a “rolling carnival” THIS CAR IS AN AVALANCE OF CLOWNS, DANCING ELEPHANTS AND MONKEYS!!! Nothing. NOTHING prepares you for the attention this car gets. TVR’s, 355’s, 360’s… every car passing us had at least two starring eyes on us. I’m amazed we didn’t leave a wake of RTA’s…

VISIBILITY: forward visibility is fine with the huge windscreen. Rear visibility with the side mirrors is none existent (see “SIZE”) but you can see ok though the rear one. Cliché, but the car does shrink around you when driving.

PERFORMANCE: True Supercar. Truly EPIC! From standstill, upon accelerating the car sucks up the tarmac and rumbles right through the seat of your pants. From 2k RPM the speed piles on. At 5k RPM it seems to get a second wind and pulls and pulls. Torque of Goliath proportions! You don’t hear this car coming, you feel it. What I find also very amusing is the way the chassis twists when you rev it!

The first time Jer experienced the acceleration, he went light headed. The first time my friend Ross experienced it, he related it to “that stomach feeling on a rollercoaster” None of my previous cars come close this. Not even the Jaguar JP1.

TRACTION: AWD. Need I say more. This evening, I drove my favourite set of roads and I drove them faster and more sure footed than ever before.

Now… DOWNSIDES: Because it does have some faults…

PEDALS: I find the pedal layout slightly uncomfortable. I had cramp in both legs at the end of the day. However this was after a whole day driving.

SOUND: As nice as the induction noise is. (akin to an aeroplane turbine engine), it does need a sports exhaust. For all the visual drama it has, the audio drama falls short. Tubi to be fitted soon.

GEARBOX: This car is not designed to be flik-flaked through the gears, as a Ferrari does. It is very mechanical and “tough”. To drive smoothly, requires very deliberate inputs. Accelerate… Suck up road… Drop clutch… Strong positive shift… Release clutch… Continue to suck up the earth…

MECHANICALS: The car hunts horribly. From 500 RPM through to 1.5k RPM… even 2k RPM at times. This makes for either looking like a tit revving the car at lights, having to rev the car to over 1.5k RPM when pulling away and waking the dead or risk stalling it by not adding any revs when engaging the clutch. There is also a very noticeable transmission shunt when pulling away.

SUMMARY

All in all, this car is awesome! A true supercar. It’s not as straightforward to get in and drive as the 360, but I think, that’s what it’s all about. It has it’s faults, but as soon as you feather the loud (post Tubi) pedal, all is forgiven.

Interestingly enough, Jer and I decided that for the 5am cross country thrash before the world wakes up, when it’s ONLY about the thrill of driving, we’d take the 360. For 95% of the above, more outright performance, and to feel like a living god, it’s got to be the Raging Bull.

Today has been a day I will remember for the rest of my life. One to tell the grandkids about. “on 30th December 2004, many years ago, your Grand Pops went and picked up a real Supercar… and this is what it was like…”

Will post more pictures and video when I put some together. Hope this as been enjoyable/informative.

Tuan

 

Pics of the car on here: (sorry, I'm a dunce at uploading images)

www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?p=2&f=63&t=144889&h=0

It's Azzuro Aquarious with Blue Delphinus hide. IMO a perfect colour combo, such a feminine colour on such a masculine shape.

Happy New Year to you all. I'll update you on my experiences.

PS: That too was my madien Murci drive. Talk about dropped in at the deep end!

Tuan