Lamborghini Murcielago - Bat Out Of Hell

On the test track, I was immediately struck by the ease of driving the new car. Its clutch and gearshift are moderately weighted, and the new drive-by-wire throttle is very progressive. Apart from the larger capacity, the major differences are the variable valve timing and drive-by-wire throttle, both interfaced with the new engine management system to provide a much more linear response. Compared to its predecessor, the engine both sounds and feels much smoother, and power delivery is simply awesome. There is loads of torque from just off idle, and the throttle response is noticeably crisper. Through the gears, the new motor revs more cleanly and breathes better at the top end. Bearing in mind that the Murcilago has four-wheel drive, the traction control system seems all too eager to have its say in the proceedings. In fact, even on the relatively gentle curve before the pits, I found the traction control cutting the ignition quite intrusively when I accelerated hard in second gear. Even after short shifting to third, it still attempted to interfere, so after a couple of laps I switched it off.

Although on paper the Murcilago uses a double wishbone at each corner, the design has been totally revised in dimension and geometry. The car also uses carbon fiber for its chassis with honeycomb floor panels. The resulting structure is immensely stiff. Combined with a reinterpretation of the classic Lamborghini space-frame structure, it gives the car a substantial handling edge.

The revised front suspension of the Murcilago works incredibly well, and the larger front tires also help. Thus, in tight bends, the new car turns in precisely without the strong understeer of the Diablo. You can place it perfectly, and add or subtract throttle at will to go faster or slower on your chosen line. Simple as that.

Lifting off or braking in fast bends was always heart-stopping in a Diablo. With its engine mass better contained thanks to the lower center of gravity, the Murcilago is infinitely more stable, and its tail stays firmly on line under the same circumstances. It is a far more confidence-inspiring car to drive hard and more forgiving when you take liberties. While it is still a big, wide and heavy car, it just feels less so thanks to its better steering, vastly superior front-end grip and relative lack of roll oversteer.

When all is said and done, the Murcilago is light years ahead of the Diablo in both dynamics and ergonomics, and its build quality is a notch up the ladder, too. You quickly realize that in one fell swoop Lamborghini has rewritten the rulebook.In the Diablo, the engine was the star, and you tolerated the foibles of the steering and handling to experience this engaging powerplant. By comparison, the Murcilago is a coherent and balanced package where the handling, brakes, steering, gearshift and cabin ergonomics are equal partners with the motor. My opinion of the Murcilago rose the more I drove it. This is the best car Lamborghini has ever made by a long shot, and it has a synergy that takes the marque to a new level.

When Audi came to Sant'Agata Bolognese, there were fears the Teutonic mindset might just stifle the Italian soul of the raging bull. Far from it, the Germans seem to have caught a heavy dose of local brio, and their fanatical attention to detail and build quality, not to mention resources, has improved the product immeasurably.

Emotion plays a big role in a supercar purchase, and the Murcilago is more engaging to look at and drive than any contemporary Ferrari. The fact that Lamborghini intends to make 400 cars a year, as part of a total 1,400-unit output when the new small Lamborghini appears in 2003, should be cause for concern down the road in Modena.