Moz, a friend of our GTspirit moderator Rat Boy, has had a Murcielago for a few weeks now. His writeup below gives a brilliant impression of what it’s like to fall in love with, work for and finally own a true supercar! Big thanks to Moz!
Moz’ Lamborghini Murcielago Story:
After what seemed like an eternal wait (3 weeks since purchase!) the Murcielago (Arancio Atlas 05 car note by Rat Boy: Arancio Atlas = Orange ;-)) that I have hankered after since I first set eyes on one back in 2001 was delivered in a covered transporter via Lambo Manchester on Friday 29th June – definitely one of the best / most memorable days/hinge points of my life! I had had sleepness nights, anxiety rushing through me and butterflies in my stomach on the run up to this day.
Putting things in perspective, I have banged on about having one of these since 2001 when the bank balance was somewhat more humble and I was tearing around in a ‘riced up’ Mitsubishi Evo 7. I could almost read people’s minds when I would start wibbling on about it “yeah yeah, whatever dreamer – stop bullshi**ing etc”. Well, here is the big two fingers to those of you that rolled your eyes at the time. I set myself a goal 6 years ago, and I have worked my balls off to achieve it.
So, the car is on the drive…..and the heavens opened considerably to the extent that I didn’t feel it would be an overly enjoyable day to go out and check out the new stead! (if a little suicidal with nearly 600bhp to play with!) – then it rained, and rained, and rained! until finally last Friday the weather looked like it would hold out for a few days – my trigger point to get out and go for a little drive around the UK!
So, off I went to seek out mid Wales’ unspoilt empty(ish) roads as so favoured by Evo Magazine, then onto Anglesey for a quick Friday night pit stop (total journey circa 300 miles). The Murci felt a bit daunting at first, it felt like it wanted to kill me actually! The Murci feels far more ‘mechanical’ than my outgoing Gallardo – its almost as if you are just bolted to a V12 engine block with a tin can around you, the whole thing shakes and vibrates behind you and can sometimes be an intense experience to say the least (this is NOT a car to attempt to drive with a hangover, or if you don’t feel 100% – total concentration is required at all times)
The 4wd system in the Murci doesn’t really covet you and flatter your driving with high tech electronic aids as most modern 4wd systems do, this is a car you must respect or it will chew you up and spit you into the nearest hedge without a second thought!
This said, once I got out to some proper driving roads in mid-Wales the car came into its own. Yes, its harder to drive than the Gallardo, and yes, you often find yourself in opposite lock (snappy rear end) moments (which can be bloody scary in such a high value tool!) – but Christ! does it deliver all this with lots of drama/soul/charisma.
Once on the coastal A55 road in North Wales (I simply HAD to head for those mountain tunnels to properly appreciate the Tubi system on it!!) the fun stopped for a bit thanks to the Plod! – I am positive that the local Traffic Officers were radioing ahead to each other after each 10 mile stint that one of them held me behind him at 75mph, as every time one peeled off up a slip road, within a couple of minutes road users would be flashing me as they came the opposite way and sure as eggs are eggs I would be confronted by yet another jam butty Volvo!. I’ve had quite a few ‘attention whore’ motors over the years, but the Arancio Atlas Murcielago might as well have 20 foot flashing neon’s above it saying ‘OI EVERYONE LOOK AT THIS!!’ – the car is as subtle and stealthy as an atom bomb.
Anyway, at the end of my first leg I arrive in Anglesey – knackered with my ears ringing! but very pleased with my latest purchase nonetheless.
The next morning (Saturday) I am out on the road again at 6.30am to check out some empty roads on the drive back down South, and this is where I really got to know the car (and nearly write it off too as it goes…but hey, I had to push the envelope a little bit!!). Some twisty empty A-B Roads were where the car came alive and brought the the confidence that this actually is no harder to drive than a Gallardo as long as you respect it a bit more.
During my drive home around the Cheshire area I noticed more Arancio Atlas going on about 6 cars behind me, this time with the familiar pearcing bright xenon’s of a Gallardo chasing me down. After a couple of minutes we are convoy together on the A56 near to Oulton Park, so it was time to have a little play. In fairness the baby Lambo held its own very well against the Murci, there wasn’t a massive amount in it – but that said, I would wager that its the 130-200mph parameters where the Murci comes on song more against its baby sister. We pulled up side by side at the traffic lights near Davenham (A56) where we both wound our windows down only to bleat “I’m not doing my clutch in here!” to each other virtually at the same time LOL. The Gallardo driver commented that the Murci seemed a bit “twitchy” at times (which bearing the fact that the TCS was flashing at me quite a bit during our encounter, didn’t surprise me at all).
I got stuck in a horrendous tailback on the M40 on the way home (British GP traffic + the m-way was closed due to an oil slick), and the Murci took it all in no worries at all. No overheating, no failures – nothing.
In summary, the Gallardo is like a fine artists sculpting chisel – its delicate, its fine, its subtle and has finesse in its delivery. By comparison, the Murcielago is like a ten tonne wrecking ball as used to demolish buildings! – its brutish, not subtle and wants to smash your face in! – you must respect it, or it will kill you!
£250 worth of Super-Unleaded and 24 hours later, I arrived home in Bucks – the car is good, and we now understand each other.
I am very much looking forward to our next adventure.
Moz
