The Squadra Corse came from Sant’Agata with a purpose – to make it to the top of the timesheets. And, after a day’s preparation, it hit its mark.
It’s almost seven in the evening when Giorgio Sanna gets out of the Gallardo, and gives his okay. The chief test driver at Lamborghini is finally satisfied – together with the technicians at Squadra Corse, the department that manages motorsports at Sant’Agata. He spent the whole day putting the finishing touches on a car that would go on to conquer the Quattroruote time sheets at the Vairano test track. Competence, patience and determination fuse into a very special car – the Gallardo Squadra Corse. As things stand now, it’s set to rout anything that dares to challenge it. The urge to see the result of so much effort, the certainty of having gotten everything right is seductive, but it’s too late. It’s better to wait till tomorrow.
The first one is good. But the second…
It’s 8:30am, and it’s Quattroruote’s turn. The men at Lamborghini drove the car to the best of their ability, but if the record is to be broken it has to be done by one of our test drivers. So, suit, helmet, gloves, and off we go – it’s all about surpassing the absurd record set by the McLaren 12C Spider a few months ago, when the chronometer stopped at an extraordinary 1:12.92. But it can be done. After all, this is the evolution of the Superleggera – the Queen of the track. This is the swan song for the Gallardo – before its successor, the Cabrera debuts in Geneva next March. And, for this extreme version, they’ve refined the aerodynamics and invested in tyres that work better on the track than on the road. Despite being approved for street use, they are slightly peculiar Pirelli P Zeros – as soon the temperature varies, you immediately notice the difference. Solid, unequivocal – the Trophy R’s afford extraordinary grip. At low speeds they complement the all-wheel drive, while at high speeds they work together with the aerodynamics – and, in particular, with the massive rear wing – to glue this Gallardo to the track. We set the wing on the maximum load setting, and the result is remarkable stability – particularly on the three fast corners where a steady hand is required (1.2g’s at 175km/h is no joke). And the Squadra Corse reassures you with a rear end that moves only as much as you want it to.
The ‘racing’ versions of most cars are irritable, not very open to dialogue, and more inclined towards putting you to the test rather than giving you unearned satisfaction. This Gallardo, however, stupefies for its ability to not let you make a fool of yourself. It’s not for everyone, obviously, being the 570bhp monster that it is. If, however, the driver is familiar with supercars, it’s very easy to gain confidence, despite the semi-slick tyres and an extremely stiff suspension – these are factors that simultaneously raise and lower the limits. The car seems to be sewn onto you, as we take off with a single goal in mind – to beat 1:12.01. We complete the first lap. The Squadra Corse has already pocketed a ridiculous time, but this is no time to be complacent. Compared to a Ferrari 458 or a McLaren 12C, the drivability has an old style feel – yet this shouldn’t be considered a defect at all. The only true flaw, if there is one, is the transmission. It definitely feels a bit anachronistic. Dual-clutch gearboxes have, by now, spoiled us with instantaneous shifts that are free from jerks. Here, on the other hand, in race mode, we experience a violence at gear changes that we thought had been relegated to the past – and beyond the unpleasantness it affords to the neck vertebrae, there remains the annoying tendency of the car to step out of line when the wheels are not pointing perfectly straight. In a sense, the V10 is also to blame for how hard it pushes. It’s more a matter of becoming accustomed to it because the transmission kicks in at the right time. What’s more difficult is getting used to the gearshift paddles – they have been just as microscopic since 2003. During the actual test, the results don’t take long to show and by the second lap we’ve established a new record – 1:11.85. Our tester slows down, and cools off the mechanicals – an unequivocal sign of his satisfaction.
Racing Features
THE RECORD AT VAIRANO GOES THROUGH HERE
Besides the classic Pirelli P Zero Corsas, the Gallardo Squadra Corse can be fitted (original equipment, but optional) with P Zero Trofeo R tyres. The last letter stands for ‘Race,’ and, as if it weren’t enough to convey the peculiarity of these tyres, there are recommendations from Pirelli: “The permission for street usage of these tyres allows only transfer to circuits.” In fact, these tyres were designed expressly with the racetrack in mind – a dry one moreover, because the tread pattern doesn’t offer optimal aquaplanning capability. The classic water drainage grooves, in fact, are present only in the inner part of the tread, while the outer section has characteristics similar to those of a slick – with few carvings, and a ‘full’ shoulder, which is exactly what’s needed to maximize cornering grip, traction capability, and directional precision (with the help of a central rib). The rear wing is also from the track – the same one, in fact, that’s used on the Gallardo which races in the Super Trofeo championship. It’s made of carbon fibre, and the settings are manually adjustable. To lap Vairano, we used the setting that provided maximum downforce.
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
Engine: Rear/central longitudnally mounted 10-cylinder V (90°) - Bore 84.5mm, Stroke - 92.8mm, 5,204cc, Max power - 570bhp @ 8,000rpm, Max torque - 540Nm @ 6,500rpm, Cylinder block and alloy heads - 4-axis overhead camshafts with variable timing, 4 valves per cylinder (chain) - Direct injection – Intake ducts of variable length. Transmission: 6-speed automatic - all-wheel drive - electronically-locking rear differential. Tyres: front 235/35ZR19 - rear 295/30ZR19. Body: coupe, 2 doors, 2 seats – independent front suspension, wishbones, coil springs, stabilizer bar - Rear axle with independent suspension, transverse arms, coil springs, stabilizer bar - hydraulic shock absorbers - ventilated disc brakes, ABS and ESP - rack and pinion steering, hydraulic servo control - Fuel tank 90 litres. Dimensions and weight: Length - 4384mm, Width - 1900mm, Height - 1165mm, Weight 1,340kgs. Production: Sant’Agata Bolognese, Italy.
© Riproduzione riservata
Write your Comment