I stopped by my dealer to check out the Super Trofeo with my son today. We took a close look at it and both got some time behind the wheel thanks to the wonderful staff at McLaren of Philadelphia where the car is being sold.
It was actually a very informative test drive since we got a chance to drive a regular 560-4 Gallardo although with the manual and compare and contrast the two cars back to back.
In a nutshell, the Super Trofeo, in this case in Mars Red and 1 out of 30 or so cars in the US (will probably be a much bigger deal 20-30 years from now
) with its V10 engine that delivers a total of 570 HP and a peak torque 398 lbs-ft at 6500 rpm is good for 3.4 sec 0-60 and weighs in at just a tad under 3000 lbs. The interior is pretty typical of limited edition and special models and of the Italian flair variety.
Dual color black and red alcantara adorns the interior as well as the seats with plenty of carbon fiber so one does not feel this car does not have enough flair. The interior is actually virtually identical theme that my previous Ferrari 360 Challenge Stradale had.
This Bull looks fast just standing still and climbing into the cockpit already elevates your heart rate...Then you actually turn the key and fire it up. The Trofeo treats your ears to a mechanical symphony and wonderfully sporty exhaust note.
Rolling out and accelerating while shifting through the gears of the E-gear single clutch auto-manual/paddle shifter gearbox, you are treated to all of the 570HP this lightweight model unleashes as this bull digs deep with all 4 of its hooves, err, wheels and rockets you forward at a very impressive rate. You get kicked in the back with every upshift as the gearbox delivers lightning fast shifts with virtually no interuption of forward thrust and momentum. This car lives for running hard.
Thoroughly impressed with the acceleration test, it was time to hit some of the more twisty back roads nearby and see what the car actually "feels" like. I liked the feel of this car a lot.
Plenty of feedback from the steering, the car felt well balanced and eager to tackle the twisty stuff with a rather quick steering rack ratio and a well sorted out suspension. It felt very sporty and I could not detect any of the all wheel drive negatives on the back roads. Perhaps at the track it would be more evident but for having fun on the back roads, I find the all wheel drive to be an asset.
Overall the car felt light, nimble with razor sharp and very precise steering.
Driving the more mainstream Gallardo 560-4 in Verde Ithica (green) right after for comparison, it was rather noticeable that the Super Trofeo is both ligther, more agile and sharper in responses as well as being more stiffly but not overly harshly sprung.
In all honesty I also really liked the green Gallardo with it's "fun to row yourself" 6 speed gated shifter manual.
Having owned 5 Ferrari cars in the past 2 years and having experienced some of Ferrari's own lightweight Challenge Stradale and Scuderia versions, I also like the more forgiving and manual gearbox versions just a bit more for a weekend type of car.
I wish the second lightly preowned Gallardo we drove was not so "Green" with the white interior.... or I would have taken it home! My son also drove them both and while he also felt and appreciated the Trofeo's more narrow focus and elevated level of sharpness and sportiness, he loved to row the 6 speed and listen to the V10 symphony enjoying each and every crisp shift from the gated shifter. The dual Gallardo test drive today left me with a much more satisfying feeling unlike the few encounters years ago. Yep, I think it may be time to explore some Lamborghini ownership.
Ivan, if the Super Trofeo Stradale appeals to you, I think you will be impressed with it and it won't disappoint.
