VehicleVoice#45 – Lamborghini Murcielago LP640 Debut
- December 1, 2006
- Video Podcasts
- Posted by cameron
- 1 Comment
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There are few things more thrilling at an auto show than to be there for the unveiling or a truly exotic street car. When the well-heeled executives at Lamborghini whipped the silk off the all new Murcielago LP640, the huge crowd of automotive journalists crowded around the Italian marque’s booth gasped. It’s breathtaking, with the pearled-white paint glistening under the lights, and the promise of more speed than any sane person could handle growling under the hood.
But it’s hard to turn the head of AutoPacific analyst Keagan Patrick with a little glitz and glamour. Sure, he wouldn’t turn his nose up at a chance to drive the new Murcielago LP640. But he did notice one ergonomic flaw that just shouldn’t be in a $350,000 automobile.
Show Runtime – 1:31
1 Comment
While Keagan’s comments are entertaining, it should be noted that most competition-oriented cars with an F1-style paddle shift system prefer to have the paddles fixed on the steering column. When moving very quickly, it’s more important to know that the right-hand shift executes A type of shift and the left-hand shift executes B type of shift. As some drivers corner using a hand-over-hand motion, the ability to become confused by the position of the paddles (when mounted to the wheel itself) is very high.
A good example of this is the current VW GTI. The paddles are on the steering wheel and numerous European reviews have blasted VW for “giving in” to everyday driver’s requests for the paddles on the wheel. (e.g. http://cars.ign.com/articles/697/697978p1.html )
Now, having written this, I’m not suggesting that Keagan is an “everyday” driver, but I hope the point is well taken.
DB