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ULE3 - CNET
Ten cylinders at full song behind me, a quick glance at the speedometer lets me know that I’m barreling down the banked straight at 140 mph. That’s about the moment I realized that the Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4 was still pulling.
I didn’t get an opportunity to test out the Gallardo’s electronically limited 202 mph top speed, because the California Speedway was configured to show off the Lambos’ handling (and to keep us inexperienced drivers safe) with its twisty infield course. Had it been left in its NASCAR oval config, I’d have been able to go a lot faster. However, I did get a taste of the sub-four-second 0-60 time and the fantastic braking and handling the Gallardo brings to the track.
Owners brought their Gallardos, Superleggeras, and Murcielagos, some stock and some wildly modified. Check out the gallery for more pictures of shiny Lamborghinis and driving impressions.
Source: CNET
ULE 3 - Octane Report
It comes as no surprise that super-cars hold a certain mystique in the public eye. Their reputation for desire is often fueled by their exterior design, technology, performance, and price-tag. But the truth is that their beauty is more than skin deep.
Some of those who have never driven a Lamborghini or Ferrari are of the mindset that this category of car is all flash and no sizzle. That high sticker prices are just because of image and status. Those that have driven a Lamborghini at speed can beg to differ.
Founded in the early 1960s by namesake Ferruccio Lamborghini, Automobili Lamborghini has grown into a modern manufacturer of some of the most advanced and thrilling cars on the road today. From taut suspension feel to stiff brake pedals and steering feedback, Lamborghini cars showcase their true reason for desire on track – powerful, GT racecar-like performance without any comfort compromise.
The Ultimate Lamborghini Experience returned to Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, CA for its third event. Sponsored by Lamborghini of Beverly Hills, Al & Ed’s Autosound, and Kenwood, The Ultimate Lamborghini Experience 3 was an all-out private owners’ track day designed to give select Lambo owners the chance to drive their cars the right way.
Driving a super-car at a normal track day is tricky. Its mere presence is likely to draw enough unwanted attention to border on the annoying and its outright pace is enough to make passing other cars a necessary trouble.
The Ultimate Lamborghini Experience did away with these issues by providing private, scheduled track time and added to it with driving instructors and allowing only Lamborghini vehicles to enter. Think of it as an annual Lamborghini owner’s day. At the track – which is even better.
The day kicked off with customer arrivals and a meet and greet with Valentino Balboni, the former chief test driver for Lamborghini. A legendary figure among Lamborghini enthusiasts, Balboni has reportedly driven more than ¾ of all Lamborghini models ever made and was a popular hit among attendees.
As mid-morning approached, customers were drawn together and given on-track instruction and training. The Ultimate Lamborghini Experience spared no expense in the instructor realm, bringing on such driving instructors as Davy Jones, who has competed in IRL, F3, and won the 1996 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Customers initially headed out on track in their Lamborghinis as passengers, with driving instructors pointing out braking zones, danger areas, and turns. After a few laps, driver and passenger would switch places, with instructors guiding and watching until customers were deemed ready to do hot laps by themselves.
Many Lamborghini owners had not ever driven their cars on track before and the thrill of pushing the limits was the draw of the event. Auto Club Speedway’s “roval” configuration combined the twisty and intricate infield course with a portion of the high banked super speedway oval. Murcielago, Gallardo, and Diablo owners got to feel their suspension loading through the infield area and then the raw acceleration of V10 and V12 engines on the long front straight.
The engine noise alone, bouncing and ricocheting off the banking, was worth the price of admission.
And, beyond the track time, The Ultimate Lamborghini Experience 3 was equally important as a gathering of all things Lamborghini. Car owners got the chance to swap stories, talk shop, and check out each others’ cars. If they got tired of seeing their own cars, on hand for display was a pair of new 2011 Lamborghini Gallardo LP 570-4 Superleggeras. Not a bad way to spend a day. Not at all.
Hearing the 'Italian scream' in new 202-mph Lamborghini
Yesterday, Drive On went over details from our close inspection of the Lamborghini LP 570-4 Superleggera, the $237,000 wondermachine that just made its way to a race track near us. Today, we take it for a spin.
Go is what one thinks of first with a Lambo, and Drive On leaped at the chance to give it a fast try around Auto Club Speedway at Fontana, Calif., one day recently.
The folks from Lambo made available two of the first Superleggeras in the USA. The 2-mile oval was reconfigured for road racing with chicanes, a hairpin, sweepers and some straights carved out of the infield, just a fast lefthander off the fun main straight and banked NASCAR Turn 1.
Test drivers were graciously allowed to share the track with the Ultimate Lamborghini Experience 3, an annual event put on by Beverly Hills Lamborghini and an assortment of other sponsors. The organizers rent the speedway for a day and provide coaching to give Lambo owners the opportunity to find out what their cars are capable of. Or, more accurately, what they are capable of as drivers, since these cars are packed with far more performance than most drivers will ever tap.
Wisely, Lamborghini officials provided high-performance driving instructors to give a quick schooling in the nuances of the road course. Instructors then moved to the right seat while Drive On and others took the controls. Instructors displayed remarkable calm, considering.
We can’t say we proved the car’s 202 mph top speed, but we confirmed it is plenty fast:
We accelerated from zero to 60 mph in a tick over 3 seconds. And with right foot firmly to the floor, those 10 high-compression (12.5 to 1) cylinders deliver an absolutely delightful Italian scream. Fed by direct injection, the RPMs race upward until an electronic rev limiter brings an abrupt end to the fun or a slack-jawed driver remembers to flick the paddle shifter on the six-speed box before redline. (E-gear offers automatic modes as well, but what fun is that on a race track?)
What may be more surprising, though, is the sure-footed ease with which the 4-wheel drive keeps the wide, low coupe planted on the asphalt. It never permitted the rear weight bias (43% front/57% rear) to introduce oversteer, that uneasy feeling a driver gets when the back wheels send a message that they are about to pass on the right and your windshield view is about to start rotating. Or as a NASCAR driver would say, “we got loose and spun.”
Such stability is provided through a central viscous drive coupling and a limited slip differential on the rear axle, a set-up Lamborghini has been developing for nearly two decades. Aluminum double-wishbone suspension and aluminum body shell and panels help infuse the handling with a feeling of stiff precision.
And about those brakes. With the optional ceramic disks at all four corners, it takes time for even a driver with some track experience to accept just how deep toward a corner these stoppers will let you carry speed. Astounding.
Sadly, no Formula 1 or American Le Mans contracts were awaiting this driver after his test run, and a few orange cones outlining a slow-down chicane may have given their lives for this test. But one more humbling opportunity awaited.
Valentino Balboni has been working at the Lamborghini factory since the late 1960s, when he was hired as a mechanic trainee, and a few years later he scored the job of factory test driver. Virtually every Lambo produced since the early 1970s was driven and approved by Balboni before being sold to the public. Along the way Balboni became an expert high-performance driver and such an important part of Lamborghini lore that last year the company named a model after him.
Balboni was at the speedway along with one of his Balboni Lambos. Bright orange with white racing stripe, it’s old-school model of the Gallardo — rear wheel drive, clutch and manual 6-speed transmission. Balboni offered Drive On a right-seat ride for a high-speed session, where he buried the speedometer needle on the straights and used power slides and oversteer — tamed and intentional — to wheel the car through tight corners and rocket out, carrying far more entry and exit speed than this driver could think about in the traction-aided Superleggera.
Back in pits, Balboni smiled and conceeded he was only driving at about 65% of maximum, as he had to make his tires last all day. He likes the Superleggera just fine, but he says his old-school Balboni keeps alive what sports car racing, and Lamborghini, used to feel like.
“The philosophy of this car is to remember the old Lamborghini roots,’ he said. “It’s more demanding but at the same time more rewarding.”
Most drivers with a quarter of a million bucks to spend on a Lambo, however, are going to take theirs with the surefootedness of a high-tech version. And if you want super fast, super light in your Lamborghini, that would be the Superleggera.
– William M. Welch/Drive On
Source : USA Today
AL & ED's And 50 LAMBOS
It’s the Ultimate Lamborghini Experience
Words by John Grafman
Pictures by Timo Hulett
Beverly Hills and Fontana are a little bit closer than you might think—if not in miles, at least in spirit. There can be only one explanation for this, it’s the Ultimate Lamborghini Experience.
What started out as a gathering of 10 enthusiasts, and the cooperation of Beverly Hills Lamborghini, has now grown into a full-fledged event. Certainly, there are other gatherings of Lamborghinis, and other track experiences offered by many clubs, but how many can actually say Valentino Balboni was on hand giving tips and hot laps?
While it isn’t necessarily incredible to have a gathering of Lamborghinis on a weekend day, it is amazing to have 50 in the middle of the week far beyond the outskirts of glitz and glamour of Los Angeles. This love-in is taking place on June 3, 2010, in Fontana at the AAA California Speedway. But until they can find the space to place the racetrack in Beverly Hills or Century City, this will have to do.
This is the third time the stars have aligned themselves just right where so many wonderful cars and great people of been able to come together to enjoy the camaraderie of fellow enthusiasts.These people aren’t just looking to schmooze, they’ve come to drive. They have the cars, and damn if they aren’t going to get the out on the big bank turns.
The California Speedway is definitely a world-class track, so it’s very fitting having this Italian brand participating at this venue. Al and Ed’s Autosound has been a key supporter for the third year in a row, and numerous others are finding this is the one event to be a part of as well, including Kenwood Giovanna Wheels, Black and White Car Rental, NTT transport,Corsa Car Care. Specialty Car Craft, Cavallino Jewelers, Garage Envy.com, and CXC Simulators.
But the ultimate Lamborghini experience is more than just a get-together, and prior to taking to track each driver must attend the technical session in the classroom outlining the dos and don’ts of high-speed driving. In addition, each driver has a personal co-pilot consisting of a current or former race car driver. These private tutors know exactly what to do and provide the personal attention any enthusiast could wish for.
Plenty of track time is allocated for each driver for the most part. Of course, any enthusiast would argue that there’s never enough time on the track. Fortunately, for those people there is an alternative on hand. When off-track, the very next best thing comes from CXC Simulators, which provides an extremely realistic driving experience. These motion-controlled simulators with three panel screens provide a very good second opportunity to enjoy the experience anytime. The simulators can even be programmed for a variety of tracks and vehicles and best of all these require no insurance or tires.
The Ultimate Lamborghini Experience allows those that have the toys a chance to go out and play without the concern of the police issuing an APB. The get in price for this isn’t what we would classify as inexpensive, but neither are Lamborghinis. In the world of yachts and private jets, this really is a deal. The other option is to have your own private course, but in a pinch, this will do.
Fortunately, the legendary Valentino Balboni, a 42-year veteran, consultant and brand ambassador for Automobili Lamborghini SpA, is personally able to show just why he is so revered. An opportunity to sit beside him is a rare opportunity, and his spirit is imparted on those lucky enough to attend. Those looking for the ultimate have just found it.
Source: LA Car
Enraging the Bull: Racing 150 MPH in a Gallardo at the Ultimate Lamborghini Experience
Lamborghini. The name alone oozes speed, style, sophistication, and sexiness. So what’s it like to drive one of the raging bulls from Sant’Agata? It was without a doubt the most visceral, entertaining, and special experience I’ve ever had behind the wheel.
The famed Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, Calif., was the setting, and the partially cloudy SoCal weather couldn’t have felt better. I was graciously invited by the staff of Al&Ed’s Autosound and Beverly Hills Lamborghini to take part in their co-sponsored, second annual Ultimate Lamborghini Experience. It’s the one-stop event for flogging Lamborghinis on a closed track with professional (go faster) instruction.
Ultimate Lamborghini Experience Line Up
Before you run to book a spot at next year’s event, it’s sadly only open to Lamborghini owners looking to run their personal bulls in a controlled environment. But if you’re lucky enough to own a Bolognese beast, only a small (relatively speaking) fee and a liability release form can keep you from enjoying several hours of Pirelli rubber-burning fun at the speedway.
All participants were first treated to a classroom-style informational meeting taught by pro racers and speedway officials who outlined the circuit’s dos and don’ts. This was followed by a brief question and answer session. Together with the whiteboard track analysis, the pre-session talk proved to be quite beneficial.
As the drivers were inside getting their instruction, their late-model Murcielagos and Gallardos were being professionally prepped by Beverly Hills Lamborghini technicians — not just in the California Duster sense, but rather a full-scale fluid, tire, fuel, and electrical system check.
2009 Lamborghini Murcielago LP 640 Front Three Quarters View
Click to view Gallery
Once everything was said and done, it was time for me to go fast — or in my case, at least try to.
“You ever driven one of these?” my instructor asked rhetorically as we strolled toward the gorgeous bright green (‘Verde Ithaca’ in Lambo speak) Gallardo LP560-4 Lambo, one of Beverly Hills Lamborghini’s designated media cars. “This is my first time,” he said. Not exactly a reassuring thought, but then again his name was Al Unser III, son of Al Unser Jr. and grandson of the legendary Al Unser.
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