Just spent the morning driving around in '06 E-Gear Gallardo. Wonder how much will translate?
12-18-2006, 12:14 PM
#1
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Just spent the morning driving around in '06 E-Gear Gallardo. Wonder how much will translate?
For the record, I'm an Italian car nut, and I am lucky to get to drive a '98 Ferrari F355 regularly, and a 360 Spider somewhat less regularly.
The big V10 motor is utterly tractable in ways the Ferrari's smaller displacement can never match. Not all that exciting to listen to at idle or going at low speeds - just a whistling accessory whine inside like many larger displacement VAG products. However, even the smallest input causes a viper's hiss of intake right by your ear, followed immediately by a bullish bellow. You drive around in 5C (40F) weather with the windows down to catch the sound. Very intoxicating. WOT produces a roar totally unlike the wails found in the Ferrari camp. Deep, menacing, purposeful. Like good drugs, you want to do it over and over again! INCREDIBLE!!!!!
Fit an finish is beyond reproach as has been noted by reviewers. Everything feels solid, moves with precision, and the various finishes hold up to wear and tear much better than those of Ferrari. An option on this car are the fully powered seats, rather than just the seat backs. Much better for comfort, control, and good visibility. The front trunk holds a briefcase and little more, although there is a stowage shelf behind the seats that can fit several decent sized small bags - depending on how far forward you move the seats. The Ferrari scores points for more space and better visibility, but you do sit lower and flatter on the floor.
The low speed ride over low speed sharp imperfections is amazingly brittle for a newer car - harsher than the Ferrari in comfort mode. Chassis though is very stiff and up to the task. The ride is much much better on the highway than street, and the taller gearing combined with torque for days means the cabin is quieter and more civilized. The stereo can actually be heard! No cruise control though.
Steering is surprising heavy and the awd binds disconcertingly in tight turns. The turning circle is like the QE2 btw, so steer clear of U-turns in tight spots. The nose lift system is a Godsend, as it means you can clear steeper driveways and speed bumps without scraping the nose.
As for the F-1 inspired E-Gear, well, let's just say it's not my cup of tea. For the record, I don't particularly care for the smoothest semi-auto box, the DSG system, but this one isn't anywhere so smooth and user friendly. I've driven the stickshift Gallardo as well as an '04 E-Gear. The '04 was especially annoying, and improvements have been made for '06. However, the stickshift is still far smoother, more flexible under a variety of conditions, and easier to operate. You need to let off the gas ever so slightly between upshifts to get the smoothest shift. Downshifts are of course a piece of cake. For the smoothest stops, it's still advisable to flick the car into neutral right before halting. Of course you will need to remember to have your foot on the brake and click the right paddle before pulling away. There is a lot of clutch slipping as you move off unless you do it reasonably briskly, since the car doesn't have the context to know if you're parking, or pulling away from a light. Reverse is the same. People have encountered early wear on the E-gear clutches.
Brakes have a bit of initial softness before biting hard. The bite feels linear, even if the effort at the pedal is not. They certainly can't be called over-assisted, but they aren't all that firm by old school exotic car standards. Given the size of the platters behind the wheels, I haven't yet found a place to really test them on public roads without risk of getting rear ended.
Ultimately this is a car meant for the open road. Just like the Ferrari. It has a distinct masculine character that counters the Ferrari's more feminine one. With the Ferrari you drive it with an iron fist in velvet glove. In the Lambo, it's better suited to just an iron fist - judiciously applied. This is an every man's (woman's too!) rock star's car. The Ferrari is slightly more aloof and some might even say aristocratic. Driving past a school as lunch let out, the screaming yellow pearl doorstop halted kids in their tracks and elicited all kinds of positive signs. Even more when I stabbed the throttle a few times:-) People are just a tad more hesitant approaching you when you drive the Ferrari.
Which would I pick? The Ferrari certainly has more charisma. But like a prima-donna, it can be hard to live with. The servicing costs on the F355 are truly staggering (later models are far better). The F355 is not an every day car. On the other hand, the Gallardo could easily be used as a daily car if you don't need much stowage space. It uses a timing chain instead of a belt, and the V10 is loosely based on the Audi V8, so mechanical issues are likely to be few and far between. Just get the stickshift!
I look forward to driving the R8 very much!
The big V10 motor is utterly tractable in ways the Ferrari's smaller displacement can never match. Not all that exciting to listen to at idle or going at low speeds - just a whistling accessory whine inside like many larger displacement VAG products. However, even the smallest input causes a viper's hiss of intake right by your ear, followed immediately by a bullish bellow. You drive around in 5C (40F) weather with the windows down to catch the sound. Very intoxicating. WOT produces a roar totally unlike the wails found in the Ferrari camp. Deep, menacing, purposeful. Like good drugs, you want to do it over and over again! INCREDIBLE!!!!!
Fit an finish is beyond reproach as has been noted by reviewers. Everything feels solid, moves with precision, and the various finishes hold up to wear and tear much better than those of Ferrari. An option on this car are the fully powered seats, rather than just the seat backs. Much better for comfort, control, and good visibility. The front trunk holds a briefcase and little more, although there is a stowage shelf behind the seats that can fit several decent sized small bags - depending on how far forward you move the seats. The Ferrari scores points for more space and better visibility, but you do sit lower and flatter on the floor.
The low speed ride over low speed sharp imperfections is amazingly brittle for a newer car - harsher than the Ferrari in comfort mode. Chassis though is very stiff and up to the task. The ride is much much better on the highway than street, and the taller gearing combined with torque for days means the cabin is quieter and more civilized. The stereo can actually be heard! No cruise control though.
Steering is surprising heavy and the awd binds disconcertingly in tight turns. The turning circle is like the QE2 btw, so steer clear of U-turns in tight spots. The nose lift system is a Godsend, as it means you can clear steeper driveways and speed bumps without scraping the nose.
As for the F-1 inspired E-Gear, well, let's just say it's not my cup of tea. For the record, I don't particularly care for the smoothest semi-auto box, the DSG system, but this one isn't anywhere so smooth and user friendly. I've driven the stickshift Gallardo as well as an '04 E-Gear. The '04 was especially annoying, and improvements have been made for '06. However, the stickshift is still far smoother, more flexible under a variety of conditions, and easier to operate. You need to let off the gas ever so slightly between upshifts to get the smoothest shift. Downshifts are of course a piece of cake. For the smoothest stops, it's still advisable to flick the car into neutral right before halting. Of course you will need to remember to have your foot on the brake and click the right paddle before pulling away. There is a lot of clutch slipping as you move off unless you do it reasonably briskly, since the car doesn't have the context to know if you're parking, or pulling away from a light. Reverse is the same. People have encountered early wear on the E-gear clutches.
Brakes have a bit of initial softness before biting hard. The bite feels linear, even if the effort at the pedal is not. They certainly can't be called over-assisted, but they aren't all that firm by old school exotic car standards. Given the size of the platters behind the wheels, I haven't yet found a place to really test them on public roads without risk of getting rear ended.
Ultimately this is a car meant for the open road. Just like the Ferrari. It has a distinct masculine character that counters the Ferrari's more feminine one. With the Ferrari you drive it with an iron fist in velvet glove. In the Lambo, it's better suited to just an iron fist - judiciously applied. This is an every man's (woman's too!) rock star's car. The Ferrari is slightly more aloof and some might even say aristocratic. Driving past a school as lunch let out, the screaming yellow pearl doorstop halted kids in their tracks and elicited all kinds of positive signs. Even more when I stabbed the throttle a few times:-) People are just a tad more hesitant approaching you when you drive the Ferrari.
Which would I pick? The Ferrari certainly has more charisma. But like a prima-donna, it can be hard to live with. The servicing costs on the F355 are truly staggering (later models are far better). The F355 is not an every day car. On the other hand, the Gallardo could easily be used as a daily car if you don't need much stowage space. It uses a timing chain instead of a belt, and the V10 is loosely based on the Audi V8, so mechanical issues are likely to be few and far between. Just get the stickshift!
I look forward to driving the R8 very much!
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12-20-2006, 11:46 AM
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Palo Alto area
or something in the Bay Area in between Stanford (for me) and Berkeley (my wife). Heaven on earth...such a lovely area!!
The other choices we have are Denver or Dallas, although I'm a softie for NorCal
The other choices we have are Denver or Dallas, although I'm a softie for NorCal