Driving experience

Lamborghini

 

My assessment of a Murcielago Vs a Diablo

 

I remember the very first time I saw a Lamborghini. I was 8 years old. It was a black 1983 5000s on an 8’ poster. I had never had a poster in my life and I wasn’t much of a car kid, but that all dramatically changed that day. I could not leave that store without the poster. My mom was shocked at how adamant I was about needing that poster.

For the next 8 years the massive car hung on my bedroom wall. Every night before bed I would day dream about what it would be like to sit in the car and enjoy it for all it was. The dramatic low slung body lines, the wide tires, the Italian leather. I was a wreck. My whole life I felt as though I was destined to own a Lamborghini yet at that time the means was definitely not a possibility. I had a goal, a goal that was achievable and no one could take away from me!

 

The Murcielago

 

The day the Murcielago arrived at my house was a spiritual day, and I am not a spiritual person. As the gate dropped down on the wide trailer the first glimpse of the car was imminent. The shiny black paint was bursting out of the door, the wide body almost touching the sidewalls of the trailer. My skin pimpled, my hair rose. My childhood flashed before me at that very instant, I was finally an owner of a bull that seemed to be so elusive.

 

Not to be intimidated I jumped in the driver seat and I took instant ownership into my hands. My body fit perfectly into the seat with plenty of headroom. With a firm grip on the wheel with my left hand and strong twist of the key with my right I placed my foot hard on the clutch and fired up the epic sound of the V12 monster that sat directly behind me. A smile that had waited to exit my face was plastered from ear to ear as if life itself had finally began. I was to say the least an 8yo boy again dying to find out what this car could show me.

 

As I drove off getting used to the feel of the clutch was quick, the throttle gave excellent feeback, and the wheel was direct. The car was easier to manage than I had been told. It was very fitting to me. I especially loved the awkwardness of the wheel not quite directly in front of me. The shifter was a little like a bolt action on a rifle which gave me a sense of accomplishment with each shift. The car was truthfully very fluid. Ran very smooth and the engine really seemed to like the mid RPM range. As the engine crept over the 6500rmp mark it seemed to gain power less quickly so shifting seemed to be a little earlier than the redline indicator. Pumping the gate into 2nd was astonishing. The car was like it found another life. A cheetah had found its prey and attacked. This car loved to be shifted at just the right time. Get it correctly and it was like the car was a new breed of animal. The intake noise got louder, then engine would give a mid tone growl and as the RPM’s climed the pitch would get higher and higher. The interior music would increase as if you were at a symphony playing chase. As I eased off the throttle and depressed the brake pedal it was very stiff. The car did not react quite as aggressively as I assumed it would and it took a sasquatch like effort to bring the car to a hault. This effort so much so came to be a force to decide with. Do I or don’t I push this corner, will my brakes be there to save me. With this always in the back of my mind, I found myself driving the car a little less spirited than I would have liked, but the enjoyment to drive this car was still off the charts!

 

The Verde Ithica Diablo 6.0

 

1 word… Beast.

 

Do I say this term because of the color? The lower slung front door trim that eases into the front wheel arch? The louder deeper growl of the V12? No, I say this for a fact. Diablo is what Lamborghini intended from the onset of creation. As I jumped into the driver seat I found I didn’t quite fit as comfortably as the Murci before it. I fit exactly and not an inch to spare. The leather seats gripped me differently, the car felt more confined. I loved it. The start of the engine created an all new feeling inside of me. The sound was a deeper toned growl. It may be the lightweight flywheel, but the RPM’s fly up the food chain. This engine is different, this engine is competitive. Once I finally warmed the beast up and got my right foot into the right frame of mind, the car seemed to find prey and kill it without thinking twice. This car is a true Bull. It finds the pavement quicker with steering being more precise and even better feel, the gated shifter is just as bolt action as the Murci and just as direct. The clutch feel is proper for an all wheel drive car. It just feels lighter from the driver cockpit. It feels more fine tuned. As I push the throttle with an aggressive foot the engine comes to life, the 6.0 loves RPM’s. She loves them more than the 6.2… The higher the RPM’s the louder the growl from the engine, more rumbling is ripped through the chassis as if the car is taking off for the moon. This green machine gladly screamed to the redline and jumped into the next gear with strength. I am not quite sure which car is truly faster, but the car that feels the necessity to get there by far goes to the Diablo. Depressing the brake pedal in the Diablo came to a surprise. The car came to a hault in a much quicker determined fashion than the Murci. The brake pedal feel was more even, fluid, and direct. The over all experience in the Diablo is what any Lambo enthusiast would explain to anyone dying to drive one. The Bull is pounding in the heart and soul of this Beast!

 

Special thanks to Limey for putting so much time and effort into this magnificent personality!

Posting this before even reading what you wrote.. Will be interesting to compare both our thoughts..

So now after reading it, Ill agree with alot of what you said based on my first ownership of both the Diablo Sv and the Murci.. The Murcielago never really felt like much of an improvement over the Diablo in any performance area, and visually the Diablo is more wicked looking inmo.

So now after reading it, Ill agree with alot of what you said based on my first ownership of both the Diablo Sv and the Murci.. The Murcielago never really felt like much of an improvement over the Diablo in any performance area, and visually the Diablo is more wicked looking inmo.

 

Can't wait to see your assessment either

 

I would say the Murci did get a little refinement, but the looks of the diablo to me are better!

Can't wait to see your assessment either

 

I would say the Murci did get a little refinement, but the looks of the diablo to me are better!

Yes, certainly a little refinement... But thats about it...

I own both cars and although I agree with with most of megachads comparison. The one area that I would differ is the brakes. I find the stopping distance on my Murcie to be much shorter and sharper than the 6 litre. However my Murcie is an 05 580bhp car and I think I read somewhere that the later non LP cars had a brake upgrade over the earlier cars. Is this correct or did I just dream this?

Aside - great write up! There seems to more and more of us choosing to own both a Diablo and a Murcielago.

Yes MY05 received the brake upgrade.

My05 front brake is the same as Gallardo, an 8 pot instead of 4 pots

Great write up! How do the two cars compare on paper stock? 1/4, 0-60, skid pad, braking, and so forth?

fcuk theese old shit cars

 

Kidding aside, great review and congratz again, drive them both in good Health!!

fcuk theese old shit cars

 

Kidding aside, great review and congratz again, drive them both in good Health!!

Thanks Brotha!

Great write up! How do the two cars compare on paper stock? 1/4, 0-60, skid pad, braking, and so forth?

I am pretty sure on paper they are almost identical. With the later Murci cars improving.

There is a REASON my 2 Diablo 6.0SE cars are not for sale ans stay with me, one from when it was brand new and the other since 2002. There is just not another car that is just pure pleasure to drive each and every time I get in it. I have never run neck to neck on a drag strip with and early murice...but then agian I have never lost chasing one down and passing it on some spirited runs with my 6.0 cars.

 

They are a fantastic machine....PERIOD!

Maybe when mine comes I can drive and get some video of a little race between the 2.. Both are soo slow Im not sure i could find a road to Vbox a 60-130 time.

Maybe when mine comes I can drive and get some video of a little race between the 2.. Both are soo slow Im not sure i could find a road to Vbox a 60-130 time.

Hahaha. They are slow compared to this new shit thats for sure! But they are fun as hell arent they!

But they are fun as hell arent they!

And that's what it should be about.

Hahaha. They are slow compared to this new shit thats for sure! But they are fun as hell arent they!

Yes...

It's sure not all about speed. I learned that trying to keep up with a crap box EVO. It pulled from me like I was standing still. After that I just let the looks speak for itself. Believe it or not, even a Lambo forum needs an "embarrassed' emoticon.

very cool write up, thanks a lot Chad.

 

the engine characteristics you describe on the Murci, is something I fully agree with, and also why going for an lp640 instead of a 580 murci is worth the extra cash.

 

both beautiful beasts, but from your two I prefer the Diablo ... and that colour! wow

It's sure not all about speed. I learned that trying to keep up with a crap box EVO. It pulled from me like I was standing still. After that I just let the looks speak for itself. Believe it or not, even a Lambo forum needs an "embarrassed' emoticon.

It would need to be a fairly well modified EVO to beat a Diablo. I just raced a new C7 Corvette and on 50mph roll the Diablo could pull it pretty well.

That's surprising about the Corvette, but good to know. The EVO was something ridiculous like 1000HP. If I could have taken him a few more miles he would have detonated.

That's surprising about the Corvette, but good to know. The EVO was something ridiculous like 1000HP. If I could have taken him a few more miles he would have detonated.

Yes... 1000hp is going to win.. In the end, its a pos Evo... I was happily suprised with the C7, I even had Flyinglap with me, and the C7 driver was alone..

It would need to be a fairly well modified EVO to beat a Diablo. I just raced a new C7 Corvette and on 50mph roll the Diablo could pull it pretty well.

Glad to hear that!

 

Did a write up here:

 

http://www.lambopower.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=71616

Ok, little more.

 

After getting the headers replaced I have some more input since I got to drive it a lot more. The car was definitely not performing as well as it should have.

 

Power, is exceptional. This car is by far lighter than the murcielago. I wouldn't doubt by a couple hundred pounds. They have the same brakes yet the 6.0 stops way faster with better feal.

 

The steering feeback in the Diablo is better and more direct.

 

Your position in the driver seat is better. Instead of reaching for the shifter, it is placed in a perfect position. I don't find myself in awkward positions to shift like I did in the murci.

 

the Diablo has a little less comfort room. If you are over 6 foot, it would be difficult to drive.

 

 

The diablo feels more nimble in AWD than the Murci did as RWD... I am having a hard time deciding whether to remove the front diff, just because it is so much better than the Murci.. However, I think without the front diff it would make this car that much better!

 

Love this car and can't wait to drive it more! Hope to have a side by side comparison of speed with my friend in his 2005 Murci.. Then I'll know for sure which is faster!