Why I love Ford engines

[Ross Nicol]

Spoke to the Lambo Gallardo driver who blew an engine at Phillip Island during our race meeting a few months ago and he has had to import a new engine. Cost $50,000
That's why I love Ford engines much cheaper for 500hp.
He also described an interesting characteristic of the car, under hard braking into turn one he experienced a loud bang.Turns out this is normal and after these events the body bolts have to all be loosened and retightened.He has sold the Lambo and is looking into a Dodge Viper, don't think the cornering will match the Lambo but fast in a straight line.

Ross

[Ron Earp]

Originally Posted by ross nicol

.He has sold the Lambo and is looking into a Dodge Viper, don't think the cornering will match the Lambo but fast in a straight line.
Ross

You are right - it won't match it, I think it'll surpass it. I remember lots of discussions on the Lotus forums about Vipers: "well, they won't handle and brake as well as the Lotus" and so on. No, far as I can tell they handle and brake better when properly setup. And the V10 is a torque monster.

Fantastic cars those Vipers and relatively cheap in the US. Setup for track work they are awesome!

R

[Paul Thompson 'Hooligan']

Amen to that!! - my experience of Vipers thus far having driven Supercharged GTS and GT3 Comp Coupe is that they handle very well.

They also seem relatively 'bomb-proof' to the loads that 90% of club drivers put them through.

[I LOVE GT40- Paolo]

Lambo is not a race car, just a luxury expensive toy for rappers and mafiosi.
They dont have the appeal and neither the performances of Ferrari, its just a different Audi,more trendy and fashionable cause newer models every 2 years.
Saw ALL the ones from "Milano lambo club" lapping in Monza some months ago....and after 3 laps,no one car was able to brake decently in the "variante" (and Monza track direction wellknows this,and leaved all the safety lines completely open).
2 of theme (Murcielagos) also blowed the engines..and all people there started a too big laugh.
A decent race car (including a shitty old and cheap Tourism car) simply destroy theme,with incredible shame of the rich driver.
Pilots never use that in a track,cause all know they will be pissed off at once,Lambo is just a very nice production car. ..and I see theme EVERY day,cause live 500 meters from Milano main lambo dealer,its a real pleasure for eyes,but really too far away from something racing (also in costs).
Try simply match one..with an old Catheram.. and not in straights....

Surely the Viper will be much more fun to drive for your freind (also if I will choose the new zr1 btw,that is also cheaper....personal choiche eh....)

[J. Salmon]

With my 40 and 355 side by side, I did some comparison out of curiosity. The LS7 is roughly 20 inches cubed, +/- an inch. The 355 motor is a bit shorter (about 18 inches) and a bit wider (about 24 inches). Both are all aluminum dry sump. The LS7 is 2x the displacement at 7 liters vs. 3.5. The 355 motor makes about 380 hp and 275 ft pounds, the LS7 makes 500+ and 460 ft pounds.
A 355 motor is about 40k.
The LS7 is about 13k.

In defense of Lambo (and keeping in mind that I am an Audi fan, so that is a plus, not a detractor) the new 560/4 motor is pretty stunning, both on paper and in person. The sound is absolutely unreal. If you want an everyday exotic that is good for a track day or two in the hands of an inexperienced yahoo (like me) then it is a pretty good choice, if you have the coin. But racing is not what Lambo has been about since inception. Although I hear they are going to start with the 560/4.

I do always laugh at the Ferrari guys who put down Lambo because they don't race, and then put them down again because they are just Audis. So which is it, because I think Audi has done a race or two...?