I’m going to start by listing all of the awful things about the Murcielago. It is hard to get in and out of, the driver position is awkward and not straight, the seat pokes you in many places and isn’t very comfortable, it has a small trunk that is almost useless, The steering is really heavy, the car feels absurdly huge, you have to avoid every pothole (expensive fix if you don’t), you have to be careful not to cut turns because you may scrape the car (like in a box truck), the car is cramped, there are blind spots everywhere except directly in front of you, its offensively impractical and vulgarly ostentatious, Its wider than the lane, rearview mirror is useless and only show you the engine, the side mirrors are useless and only show you the intakes for the engine, it is terrible on gas, nothing on the car is conventional or easy, no part of the car is socially acceptable, and because of the money at stake and the blindness, it is a terrifying car to drive and extremely stressful. So what is the appeal then?   

Now at this point you may think I hate this car seeing as how I just listed almost everything that can be wrong with a car. It is however the opposite, I love the Murcielago!!! The reason I love it is because it is such an exciting and exhilarating experience. There is not one single thing about this car that is dull, some of it is terrifying yes, but at least it is something. Because of this the Murcielago demands the driver to participate actively, what a concept!!! There will be no texting while driving in this car under pain of writing off a $400,000 car and probably a big V12 engine pinning you to whatever you hit.

Because of all of its flaws those of you who see cars in a largely practical sense will most likely hate the Murcielago (my dad hated it, even though he likes cars). Those of you who see cars as much more than just transportation will understand the appeal of this car. It takes a passion for cars to really grasp the Murcielago because it is all about pure automotive passion. The Murcielago should be looked at more as an experience than a car, because as a car it barely cuts it. It does however put a huge grin on your face and will certainly get your adrenaline pumping, so it’s more of a thrill ride than mode pf transportation.

There is also the “outlaw” appeal to this car. Literally everything about it gives a big, orange, one fingered salute to mainstream society. It is absurdly fast, clearly not at all meant for following the rules of the road (it hits 100mph at the top of 2^nd gear). It is obnoxiously loud in both the sound it makes and the way it looks, with its bright array of colors and sharp alien looks. It will just disturb anyone who is trying to quietly go about their day. Most of all though, the Murcielago is vulgarly ostentatious and it just calls so much attention to its self saying, “look at me and my wealth!!!”. If you are a straight edged person who flows the rules this is not the car for you.

As for the logistical flaws, you will eventually find your way around them. For instance, I figured out that when merging into traffic, since you cant see behind or beside you, it is necessary to look ahead of you, find an opening, and then floor it into the opening. This uses the car’s power to your advantage. With the first of these huge absurd Lambos, the Countach (who’s name means “holy sh*t!” in Italian), people figured out that in order to back the car up, you have to open the door and sit on the sill of the car looking over the car from the outside to see where you’re going. These supercars require some thought and innovation from their drivers, as well as uninterrupted involvement while driving, and that is the point here. You don’t buy a supercar to use as transportation, you buy it to use as a fun toy to play with on nice days, so why should it be dull or civilized at all? It is the most fun I have had driving any car because the whole experience just oozes automotive passion and some devious excitement when the law isn’t looking.

The Lamborghini Mucielago is definitely not for everyone. It requires a level of driver involvement and sacrifices that most folks just wouldn’t tolerate. However, it is those people who you will be flying past if you’re the type who would like this car. For me, the bad looks from people wagging their fingers are even better than all the thumbs up from people who do get it. This is because at the end of the day when someone is scorning you, just remember: you’re in a Lamborghini having a blast and they’re not. The experience is everything, some understand and some don’t, but life is not for worrying about what they naysayers think. So, if you have the chance to drive a car like this, have a blast with it.

WoM Score: Lambo Murcielago LP640

Primary Function: Performance: 2
Secondary Functions: Luxury(1), Practicality(1): 1……… very hard to place on the road, nicely finished but not comfortable
Visual Appeal: 2
Build Quality: 2
Value for Money: 1

Final Score: 8/10

-Nick