Ride in a Ferrari and Lamborghini Back to Back

Back several months ago, I believe in November of 2011, I was able to have a ride in both a Ferrari F430 Spider and a Lamborghini Gallardo back to back, and as such I would like to give a short comparative analysis of my experience. I would have done this sooner but it slipped my mind. Better late than never though! It should also be noted that both cars belong to F-chatters, and as such I would like to give another thank you to them if they happen to read this.

First off, let me just say that both cars were exceptional and that both were very much fun to be in. That being said here we go:

I rode in the Lamborghini first. Before I even saw the car all I heard was it roaring as the owner pulled it around from the garage. It should be noted that this car just looks fierce and has a road presence that is hard to match. It just begs for automotive contenders in terms of looks and yet few can answer, in my opinion. Upon approaching the car I couldn't help but notice how low to the ground it sat and how low the roofline was, yet how roomy it was inside. I had more headroom than I do in my mother's civic. Unbelievable! The seats were firm, somewhat flat, yet not uncomfortable. The interior was very modern, with lots of buttons and such and a very aerodynamic look to it. The dash was very clean and nice looking with leather wrappings and carbon fiber accents, though I'm pretty sure the owner had added the carbon fiber himself. Overall, a very nice place to be.

Acceleration. That is the Lamborghini's middle name. That thing picked up and moved! I must say, gear shifts from the paddle shifting system were rather rough (and by rough I mean when it was shifted you were thrown forward and then promptly slammed back again by the intense acceleration) but that really did not bother me. And the exhaust note was absolutely frightening, a low pitched roar sort of thing that let everyone know to get out of the way. Just awesome! And it gets tons of looks. As we passed people, I noticed them fumbling for cell phones for pictures or leaning over each other to get a good look out the window. This thing calls for attention in terms of speed, looks, and sound and believe me, it gets it. Truly an amazing machine.

Things I did not like about it had to be the rough ride from how low it sat and its rough gear changes but all in all, the car seemed honestly to be a considerably practical (except for fuel) machine and really easy to drive for what it is. Something I did not expect.

Now the Ferrari. For those of you who don't know, my favorite car is the Ferrari F430 (coupe) and as such this was a moment of truth. I had memorized the specs since the car came out, poured over pictures, watched videos, chatted with owners on forums, spotted them around town, learned all I could about the car and now I would get to see if it was all I hoped for...


It was...and more!

First let me say what a looker this car is. It looks fantastic in pictures, and in the flesh, it is unreal. In rosso corsa, it was utterly stunning, and with a black interior with red contrast stitching and Scud rims...let's just say I had to sit down. Truly epic to behold.

Upon getting into the car, again I had to note how spacious it was. I didn't even hit my head, something I struggle with in my mother's civic and even my own car, a Volvo s40. The black leather with red stitching was gorgeous and it really changed my mind from the typical tan I had always liked. In terms of gadgets, the interior of the Ferrari was much simpler than the Lamborghini, yet I liked it more. It had a more basic, more classic feel, yet it had every commodity you could really need, even an auxillary input for Ipods (that might have been after market). Again, a comfortable cockpit to sit in and oddly practical considering it's a sports car.

In terms of ride, I dare to say flawless. Very, very smooth with minimal bumps and the gear changes were sublimely smooth and quick. And the acceleration was ridiculous! You would be slammed back into your seat and just stay there, even through the gear changes because they were so smooth, until the driver let off the gas. I didn't even notice how fast we were going (and believe me, it was quick!) until I looked at the speedo because everything was so smooth!

Now one of my favorite bits, the exhaust note. This was a thing of beauty. It would start out sort of low and quiet but step on the gas and the engine absolutely roars. I mean, that car is one noisy mother when your putting your foot into it. Yet at low speeds, its just loud enough to make an enjoyable sort of buzz to let you know that it's back there ready to go when you are. It literally sent shivers down my spine.

All in all, my favorite was the Ferrari, but that's not to say the Lamborghini wasn't incredible. What I was most surprised about was how different the two cars were. You don't really realize it when reading about these machines or watching videos or whatever, but once you actually feel them, they are extraordinarily different, yet both magnificent in their own right. It was truly a great thing to experience these cars first hand and I encourage anyone who has the opportunity to ride in/drive one of or both of these cars as soon as possible. Hope you enjoyed this novice review!