It's not every day you receive an invitation to attend an event that lets you flog one of the world's top exotics on some of the best roads imaginable. But over the course of four days that's exactly what we did, along with an esteemed group of Lamborghini faithful.
Hosted by Automobili Lamborghini SpA, the Giro is an invitational driving event for Lamborghini owners that concludes each year at Concorso Italiano and the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance by California's Monterey Bay. The company regards it as an important event and most of Lamborghini's ranking brass were on hand, including President and CEO Stephan Winkelmann, who took time out of his vacation to drive the entire route. Kicking off in Lake Tahoe, the drive spanned more than 700 scenic miles, including stops at Mammoth Lakes, Yosemite National Park, San Francisco, Santa Cruz, and Monterey. The route meandered across some of the most scenic sites imaginable along endless straights and diabolically serpentine canyon roads.
On the morning of our departure from Incline Village, I'm promptly handed the key to an LP560-4, the latest iteration of the Gallardo. White as snow and sharp as a knife, this is a car that demands respect before you even enter the cockpit. While the Gallardo remains the most successful Lamborghini of all time, more than 7,000 units sold since its 2003 launch, the LP560-4 is altogether more striking in every detail. A revised front with huge intakes, an aggressive rear end with broader shoulders and revised diffuser, and an all-new 552hp V10 engine are all part of the package.
The assembled group of Gallardos and Murcilagos, sprinkled with a few well-preserved cars, including Countach and Diablo-and even some cars from as far away as Canada and Texas-departs the resort grounds in a roar of thunder and a cloud of debris.
The sight and sound of any Lamborghini, let alone several dozen, is an attention-grabbing spectacle. And sometimes unwanted attention, as was the case only a couple hours into the first day. Responding to a call that reported a bunch of "speeding Ferraris," the California Highway Patrol, along with Placerville's Finest, pulls over the first couple lead cars. Minutes later, the entire group is caught up in the snafu and the spectacle grows even larger. When learning that someone had phoned in about "speeding Ferraris," someone points out that clearly none of us were driving a Ferrari. "Does that mean we can all go?" After some heated scoldings, eventually Winkelmann, exchanging smiles and handshakes with Johnny Law, breaks the ice and we're let go with a firm warning.
The rest of the drive is smooth, save for a speeding ticket I receive entering San Francisco-all things considered, I earned it-and nearly running out of gas following a particularly long, lonely stretch. At the last possible moment a gas station had appeared mirage-like on the distant horizon and we coasted in on the last of our fumes.
Each day's route was strategically planned to encompass a considerable amount of back roads that could not have been more tailor-made for the adventure, and overnight stops at posh locales provided the opportunity to unwind and share fantastic drive stories (some of which may even have been true). Our final night before the last scheduled stops in Santa Cruz and finally Monterey is met with great enthusiasm. Several hundred miles logged and I'm still eager to climb back behind the wheel, which should say something not only about how thrilling the Gallardo is to drive, but also about the level of comfort it offers. It's a car you want to drive hard, but what's more amazing is your ability to do so on a daily basis. A comfortable, reliable supercar. What an incredible concept.