Lamborghini Monday: A Total Blast!

Let’s just state the obvious right away: there are far, far worse ways to start your week than getting to drive an Italian supercar through gorgeous Washington country. This wasn’t the first time I’ve driven a Gallardo, but seriously, if I ever get to be a point where hopping behind the wheel of one of these babies doesn’t make me feel like a little kid on Christmas morning, I will know I’m dead inside, and should seek help. Without a doubt, nailing the gas and hearing the Lambo’s 520 horsepower V10 wind up is easily one of the most exhilarating experiences I’ve ever had—like, ever—and seriously, I wish everyone could try it.

Given that Jen, Sean and I were going to have handlers riding with us, I was a little worried we wouldn’t get to really mash the throttle. After all, the last time I was in one of these Raging Bulls, I was racing from Park City to Las Vegas with a crazy woman who could care less about the speed limit, and the time before that, I had unfettered access to one for 24 hours in Vegas. So I’d have felt a little cheated if we’d done a gentle cruise, but my fears were completely unfounded.

My minder Nick was super-cool, and didn’t seem to care when I waited until the 8,000 RPM redline to shift, and was relaxed as could be while I was chasing Jen down the freeway at 130MPH. The Gallardo is an incredibly powerful car, but it’s very well behaved, and it never felt unsure of itself or sketch in any way. Even when we went over a bumpy set of train tracks, the car was composed, and there was nary a squeak or rattle to be heard. Lamborghinis have clearly come a long way since they were delivered with non-functioning electronics and anemic air conditioners.

Now, I don’t know if I’d choose them for my personal car—I might go traditional and opt for the stick—but the paddle shifters are a complete blast to use, and the way the tranny matches your RPMs as you down shift makes for an absolutely gorgeous soundtrack. The only complaint I have about them? They can make the turn signal a little tricky to find. But that’s a pretty small flaw. Overall, I love this car, and even though it looks like my head is sticking out the top, I was perfectly comfortable in the cabin. I didn’t bother to check how it felt with the top up, but I can’t imagine too many of these cars will be driven in the rain anyway. Enjoy the pics!