The gear throw is long, very long, and it needs to be rammed almost ham-fistedly home through the satisfying, clunking shift mechanism. This is a car that enjoys harsh treatment, a fact that would have filled me with fear for its reliability in the old days, but with Audi's engineering expertise and the steps Lamborghini has taken on its own, the Murcielago feels like it would take a beating forever.
Aside from this the controls are light and easy to use, and the clutch pedal feels less like the weightlifting machines that normally occupy supercars and more like that of an average saloon. Steering that is light enough at low velocities stiffens up at speed and as this car tends towards understeer, you have to wrestle it around corners on occasion. Ignite the rear wheels and it will powerslide out on a twist of opposite lock. If you're brave you can let go of the wheel and pull the car out on throttle, or you can steer in further and let the sophisticated German electronics sort it out.
Kept on gentle throttle the Murcielago is a pussycat that can cruise down the boulevards, soaking up admiring gazes as the engine lazily burbles away like some kind of big-engined boat. You can electronically raise the front end on bad roads to prevent costly scrapes on the low-slung front splitter, the mere mention of which will make every Porsche and Ferrari owner wince.
Press the loud pedal, though, and the rear wheels spin momentarily before the car blasts down the road with all the aggression and purpose of a serial killer on the run. It's fitted with Antidive, Antisquat and just about every other piece of technology that has been perfected on big heavy saloons, too, so body roll just isn't an issue. This car is F1 stable.
The engine note hardens to an industrial growl, the speedo races around to illegal speeds and the scenery rushes past the window at a bullet-train rate. Push hard on the throttle and prepare to hang on as the tires spin and catapult this yellow missile down the road. It's an emotional experience driving a Lamborghini in full flight, one that almost seems worth the $320,000 price of admission from behind the wheel.
Most Lambo owners will never get out of the fingerlight lower reaches of this car's two-stage capabilities, and it's a cunning strategy to keep things easy for the rich and talentless. Press the throttle pedal more than halfway, though, and you'll unleash the raging bull within. The true spirit of this car is pure Lamborghini, a sure-footed, powerful brute everyone should drive, if only just once.
The only real downside is the soft-top roof, which by Lamborghini's own admission is nothing more than an emergency cover. It comes with its own instruction booklet and takes old hands 10 minutes to assemble, and once it's up the car cannot be driven at more than 100 mph as the top is likely to blow away like a tumbleweed.
But if you have the money to buy a Lamborghini, you have the money to buy another car to use in adverse weather. This is a car that should not be tainted by rain. It's an adrenaline-loaded fair-weather fiend that will still look after you if things get twitchy.
2005 Lamborghini Murcielago
DrivetrainLongitudinal mid-engine, all-wheel drive
Engine6.2-liter V12, dual overhead cams, four valves per cylinder
TransmissionFive-speed manual
SuspensionIndependent adjustable front and rear double wishbones, Koni Frequency Selecting Dampers, anti-roll bars, Antidive (f), Antisquat (r)
BrakesFour-wheel ventilated disc brakes
PerformancePeak Power: 571 bhp @ 7500 rpmPeak Torque: 480 lb-ft @ 5400 rpm0-60: 3.6 secTop Speed: 198 mph