Reporter Lindsay Larin takes a test drive
Test driving a 2008 Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder is like experiencing your first bite of mouthwatering USDA prime steak from a five-star restaurant. As the succulent bite melts in your mouth you realize the $5 dollar steak from your local diner, that you used to enjoy, will never taste the same.
Gripping the wheel of a Lamborghini convertible is similar – except this piece of meat will cost you the price of the farm. Driving a Gallardo leaves you with a taste for luxury and a craving for speed.
Named after a famous breed of fighting bull, the Italian-bred Lamborghini Gallardo (pronounced: guh-yar-doh) Spyder boasts a 5.0 litter, V 10 engine with 520 hp, top speeds of 195 mph, and accelerates from zero to 60 mph in 4.2 seconds.
On paper those numbers are impressive. In the driver’s seat of a 2008 Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder, those numbers jump off the page with the thunderous revving of the engine.
Lamborghini Bellevue held their annual Gallardo Road Show on July 14, showcasing a pack of three elegant Lamborghinis with a breathtaking backdrop of Snoqualmie Falls at Salish Lodge & Spa. Bellevue Lamborghini, one of only 27 authorized Automobili Lamborghini dealerships in North America, handed over the keys for the rare opportunity of test driving one of the two-door convertible, two-seater berlinetta cars.
The vibrant blue customized from the Ad Personam Program was eye-catching, but I chose the car with a black exterior called Nero Noctis. The Reporter’s photographer, Fumiko Yarita, jumped into the silver (Grigio Thalasso) one.
Relieved to sit in the passenger seat for the first lag of the test drive, I admired the two-tone leather interior, a smooth combination of Nero Perseus and Cuoio Olympus, and relished in the feeling of sitting in such a sleek, yet powerful machine.
The initial intimidation of the car gave way to the anticipation of the drive. Following a brief rundown of the cars E-gear system (involving actuation by paddles on the steering column), former professional race-car driver, Kevin Schrantz shifted gears in the drivers seat and we were off.
The drive followed Snoqualmie’s scenic back roads, providing plenty of smooth corners and long straight-aways, where the thunderous rev from the trio of engines vibrated throughout the trees and the plunge from zero to 60 mph in 4.2 seconds left me speechless. I had to assure Schrantz more than once that the silent pleas coming from my direction were derived from pure excitement and not from fright.
Although Lamborghini’s parent company is Audi, renowned for its quattro 4WD system, Lamborghini uses a system of its own. According to Bellevue Lamborghini specialist Shahin Zonoozi, the skin of the car may be provided by Audi, but the rest is pure Lamborghini.
The test drive took us prowling through the back roads, across town, and onto the freeway. Just as I finally relaxed in the passenger seat, the three cars came to a stop. It was our turn to drive.
I admit I was nervous at first, but once in control, the paddle shifting came natural and so did the speed. I began to understand what Zonoozi was talking about when he said there’s a mythical thing about driving a Gallardo.
Granted I didn’t hit top speeds, but I enjoyed the wind in my hair and the smooth motion of the car gliding over the pavement. The Spyder was surprisingly stable and comfortable to drive. Despite common belief that exotic cars are not meant to be daily drivers, Lamborghini’s all-wheel-drive is designed to handle ice, rain, and snow.
They really are fantastic reliable daily drivers, said Zonoozi. The old myth about exotic cars not functioning properly or parts breaking down easily – that’s dead, he explained. Zonoozi’s extensive engineering background allows him to understand the cars capabilities on a very detailed, technical level.
“You can drive one as a daily driver or take it on the track or for a weekend at a lodge and enjoy being the center of attention – whatever turns your wheels. They are reliable and comfortable and very economical to take care of.”
This may be true, but we’re still talking about a quarter-million dollars; the price of a condo in one of the high rises overlooking downtown Bellevue (or at least a down payment on one).
With today’s shaky market, people are showing more signs of reluctance when it comes to splurging on non-neccessities. In the words of Zonoozi, when it comes to buying a Lamborghini, “It’s not about the cost, it’s about your courage.”
Bellevue Lamborghini first opened in 2006 and boasted record breaking sales in 2007. As it stands, the dealership sells an average of two Lamborghini’s a month.
Pulling up to the front of Salish Lodge meant the joy ride had officially come to an end. I said my final fair-well to the Gallardo and slid behind the driver seat of my trusty Honda Civic. I drove away knowing that I had been given a taste of something, I’d be left craving until next year’s Road Show, when hopefully, I’ll be sitting behind the wheel of the sleek 2009 Gallardo LP560. Bellevue Lamborghini will be receiving its first 2009 LP560 model, with an Biano Monocerus exterior, sometime in the next two weeks.
Lindsay Larin can be reached at llarin@reporternewspapers.com or 425-453-4602.
