2010 Lamborghini Gallardo: La Polizia Stradale on the case
It’s no secret that Italians are crazy about sports cars. You may think it’s just a stereotype, but I saw the proof first hand during a very special test drive of a Lamborghini Gallardo Ultraleggera. As part of a program organized by Audi and Lamborghini dealing with ultra-light materials, our trip to the Lamborghini plant in Santa Agatha de Bologna ended with us going for a ride, a perfectly natural conclusion for an automobile columnist visiting a car factory.
But this was no ordinary test drive. In fact, more than a dozen Gallardos were readied for the journalists in attendance to take for a spin. I must admit that if I was their PR manager, I’d have been a little worried about trusting a car this expensive and powerful to a bunch of thrill-seeking journalists. Sending us out individually on the roads surrounding this factory entailed certain risks since the traffic is reasonably dense, the roads very narrow and the speed limits generally under 60 km/hr. So they came up with an original solution: ask the Italian highway police, la Polizia Stradale, to accompany this group of sports cars.
Indeed, the police led the way with a squad car at the front and one following at the end in single file. At every intersection, there were more police blocking traffic to let us pass.
A very unique patrol car
As a general rule, Italian police officers get around in Alfa Romeo cars of all models and sizes, but there are some spectacular exceptions. In fact, the Italian highway patrol has two Lamborghinis transformed into police vehicles. These cars feature the typical powder blue colour of this country’s police vehicles and the same flashing lights on the roof.
Otherwise, they are 2008 Lamborghini Gallardo LP-5604s, the very latest version of this car that has undergone numerous revisions since its launch in 2003. Of course, this police car is used more for photo ops and Italian public relations than for chasing crooks, although in the Lazio region it’s used to watch certain sections of highways where cars move at high speed. However, its main use is transporting organs for transplant that need to arrive at their destination quickly. With a car with a maximum speed of more than 300 km/hr, getting there fast isn’t an issue.
So, this very special Gallardo led the way for our caravan of twelve similar cars. The cars trusted to us featured the standard range of colours offered to clients interested in this model, including orange, lime green, white, black and matte black.
As for the Gallardos at our disposal, they were the very latest model unveiled last year, the LP 570-A Superleggera whose weight has been reduced to 1,340 kg, which makes it the lightest model in the category. Each Gallardo was powered by a 5.2-litre 570-hp V10 engine capable of going from 0-100 km/hr in 3.04 seconds and has a maximum speed of 225 km/h.
A ride in a dragster
Test driving a great sports car in a convoy behind a police car isn’t exactly a recipe for thrills. Be that as it may, being seen in this car and getting behind the wheel alone almost made my trip. It wasn’t by choice, but I was driving an orange car with a black interior. The bucket seats could only be adjusted fore and aft, so there was no way to recline the seatback or play with the seat’s settings. But even before sitting down, you have to be somewhat flexible since the doorway is relatively small – you have to really bend your head down to get in. Once seated, you then have to find a way to get your legs in. It wasn’t too hard and when I managed to slide my size 46 shoes in the space reserved for the pedals, I must admit that it was very comfortable. Moreover, you can adjust the height and depth of the steering wheel, which helps you find a good driving position.
The Gallardo is equipped with a semi-automatic transmission with hydraulic clutch controlled electronically like Formula One cars, which explains why this gearbox doesn’t have a P position like a normal automatic transmission. To shift into neutral, you must simultaneously pull both shifters toward the steering wheel. To go in reverse, you have to push a button on the far left of the dashboard. There are three settings for this transmission: sport, automatic and race. You guessed it, in automatic, shifting happens...automatically. But you can always intervene using the paddle shifters. At that point, it becomes a manumatic transmission and you control the passage from gear to gear. As for the sport setting, the gears are much more spaced out and when downshifting, the transmission blips automatically. Finally, the race mode maximizes the sport settings.
Unlike the old Lamborghini Countach and Diablo and their almost non-existent rear visibility, the Gallardo earns high marks in this regard. Indeed, the exterior rear-view mirrors are a good size and are easy to adjust and see. The interior central rear-view is also easy to consult since the rear window is very big. Also note that since Audi took over Lamborghini when this brand was purchased by the Volkswagen Group, the interior trim and materials quality is far superior. There’s even a decent audio system and an efficient climate control.
Basically, this is a car with a comfortable passenger compartment that can accommodate tall people. As in many other cars, one only has to turn the key to hear the V10 roar with a sound that is sure to please – if you’re into that sort of thing.
After a few minutes wait, the lead car advanced and the cars in front of me did the same. So I pushed the A button to go into completely automatic mode and to get my bearings. Unlike other cars that are very responsive in this regard, you have to press reasonably hard on the accelerator to make the car move.
Then, once you’re moving, the accelerations won’t keep you waiting. Of course, we had to pass the police officer who was directing traffic without pushing too hard on the accelerator. On the road, I tested the brakes and they took their time before reacting, which is normal since the ceramic disc brakes need to warm up a bit before you can benefit from their efficiency. No problem with the rest, although there’s a certain delay when shifting in automatic mode, so it isn’t exemplary. Thus, you have to accelerate vigorously to eliminate this response time. Another solution is to proceed using the wheel-mounted paddle shifters.
After a few kilometres on a main road, we turned left and took a side road with a 60 km/hr speed limit. Thanks to the police Lamborghini up ahead, the cars accelerated boldly and a glance at the speedometer indicated that I was going more than 160 km/h on a relatively narrow road. As the car ahead of me continued to accelerate, I continued to press on the accelerator to finally reach 195 km/hr. That’s fast, but it’s able to go 100 km/h more! At close to 200 km/h, the car is stable, the steering is precise and the assisted steering is neither too heavy nor too assisted.
A change of direction led us to a somewhat winding road and the car easily ate up the curves one after another. I was thinking that if I was alone, I’d drive on a slightly wider road totally clear of traffic and that if I had police protection once again, the performances would be nothing less than exhilarating.
In spite of everything, the experiment was interesting and very conclusive. Unlike some Lamborghinis tested in the past, this car is clearly more consistent in terms of finish, handling, driving pleasure and mechanical sophistication.
Despite the almost lunar shape, the ultra-light construction and the Gallardo’s powerful 570 horsepower V10, I must admit that I’d opt for an Audi R8 equipped with the same engine. The German car seems more attractive for everyday driving and features almost identical performances.
Finally, after a few more kilometres and after passing a several intersections blocked by the officers of la Polizia Stradale, we wisely headed back to the factory and returned the keys to the event’s organizers... all the while hoping to have another chance to drive this car in the near future.