458 Italia vs Lamborghini 550-2 Balboni

Didn't expect the Balboni to be that fast, especially when you consider that the driver has to stir a stick.

 

It was an e-gear - but still a surprise.

 

Ah, I didn't know it came with paddles, I thought the Balboni only came in manual. Still didn't expect it to take 2 out of 3.

EDIT: Ah, yes I see it now, written in the corner.

 

So latest ferrari creation is slower then latest version of a 7years old gallardo.......


Lambo is more than 100kg lighter i think....but even so....458 has 7 gears...

Lamborghini can make a 4wd car lighter than ferrari does a 2wd....

 

Why would this result be a surprise? Both cars have similar power to weight ratios, with the Balboni holding a slight advantage;

Balboni - 399 Bhp / ton

Italia - 384 Bhp / ton


They also both claim to have the same Max Torque, 398 Lb ft. But the Balboni claims a lower weight, so it has an advantage here too. ( 1380kg Balboni, 1485kg Italia ).

Balboni - 288 Lb Ft / ton

Italia - 268 Lb / ton

Both car's looked pretty evenly matched, as the one that took the initial jump was able to hold its lead, but the gap seemed to stay almost constant..

 

Balboni is Rear Wheel Drive.

 

I know. but lambo is making a 4wd lighter than a 2wd ferrari...its a fact....

 

Gallardo LP560-4 (4WD) weight 1546 kg with full tank

 

And Lamborghini Gallardo LP570-4 Superleggera? wich is also 4wd?

 

Correct 4WD, and quoted weight is 1340kg..

 

In this month comparison of Superleggera and 458 in the French "Motor Sport" magazine, controlled weight is:
- 458: 1553kg (or 1557kg, two different info in same article!)
- LP570-4 superleggera: 1525 (or 1553kg, 2 different info in same article!)

O-100km/: 3.7sec for both
1000m: 20"8 for both

Qualitative assessment: they put Ferrari as Number 1 on their 3 category: Motor/gearbox, road behavior, performance.

 

Thanx for this information. Any chance you can scan and post the write-up of the two car comparison?

 

Not suprising at all considering their similar power to weight ratios. I guess some expected the latest Ferrari to smoke the Balboni.

 

I'm surprised because the respective factory figures for the 0-100 km/h sprint are 3.9 sec (Balboni) and <3.4 sec (Italia). I guess the rolling start negates the advantage of the Ferrari's superior gearbox. In any case, this vid is hardly scientific and the latest Gallardos are damn quick cars.

 

I'd love to see them on a track together. Straight line racing makes for a cool video but little else.

 

Even though the Balboni won 2 out of 3 races, I would say they were pretty much neck and neck. Straight line acceleration was 100% the same after 2nd gear for both cars, so I have to say it was a draw in my eyes. Whoever got the jump from the starting line won the race each time, so in this case, the Balboni driver was just faster or earlier on the gas more often. I would love to see a full lap comparo with the same, world class driver behind the wheel. That would be interesting.

 

yeah seriously... all that video showed me is the cars are pretty evenly matched.

 

So, the verdict is: the 'new' Ferrari and the LP Gallardo ....... are pretty much in the same ballpark ?

 

(in a straight line)

 

exactly
In Motor Sport article they basically say that both cars are in a completely different ballpark. Traction control, suspension and handling is so much better on the 458. The Lambo is still designed in a classical way, like cars 10 years ago: basic electronic, very hard suspension, big motor with raw power. Some may like it and its lack of sophistication.

They say that the 458 can be driven much faster on open road as it give you MUCH more confidence to push the limits (thanks to the electronics and to the suspension which makes the car still stick to the road on a surface less than perfect)

 

Well lets spin that another way...

The LP is a tricked out version of an old car. The 458 is a base version of a new car.

So it would seem logical that they wouldnt be too far from each other performance wise.

Now its easy to watch a video and see them being fairly equal...the real question is what did each of those cars feel like from the drivers seat ?

 

Yes, that is the real question.

But I think the surprise comes from the fact that, as most of us have yet to drive he 458, all we have to go on are third hand accounts and with such favourable accounts the buzz surrounding the car is akin to hype at the moment. The fact that a far less sophisticated car that must be getting somewhere near the end if its life-cycle can keep pace (even if only in a straight line) with the the new gold standard which is being hailed almost as the second coming puts a little perspective into the equation.

 

Well let's face it, noone ever said the LP550 was a slow car.

It's not such a surprise considering the Gallardo was only recently updated and the LP550 only came out last year.

 

Of course I could throw $20k into an 80s Mustang GT AND keep up with a 458 or an LP in a straight line...

So the statistics are really meaningless. Its how it all comes together from the drivers seat.

Thats why these armchair stat racers (I know you arent one) are so laughable to me. They look at a 0-60 time of 3.2 vs 3.5 and say some stupid crap like 'wow so and so smokes so and so'.

All that matters is what it feels like to drive. Its about having a connection to the car. its about feel. its about fun. If it was simply about performance stats the Ariel Atom and supercharged Vipers would be the best selling sports cars in the world...