RE: Lamborghini Gallardo LP550-2 Balboni
Discussion
LuS1fer said:
Stuart said:
Balboni story (true) from my trip to Laguna Seca this summer for the historics.
Wandering around the paddock I spied a blue Balboni, hazards flashing, clearly where it ought not to be. A few minutes later the tannoy sparked into life and the announcer said "if there's a Mr Valentino Balboni in the paddock, will you please move your Lamborghini, or it will be removed"
So Lamborghini might not have given him one, but he certainly borrowed one for the Monterey Historics weekend. He didn't have the right parking pass though, uber-italian development hand or not...
Unless it's signed somewhere and they assumed it was the owner's name....Wandering around the paddock I spied a blue Balboni, hazards flashing, clearly where it ought not to be. A few minutes later the tannoy sparked into life and the announcer said "if there's a Mr Valentino Balboni in the paddock, will you please move your Lamborghini, or it will be removed"
So Lamborghini might not have given him one, but he certainly borrowed one for the Monterey Historics weekend. He didn't have the right parking pass though, uber-italian development hand or not...
leon9191 said:
RobM77 said:
leon9191 said:
Gridl0k said:
leon9191 said:
Gridl0k said:
Not seen this answered anywhere so maybe here's the place - did they actually give one to Mr Balboni or not?
No they didnt, well thats what EVO said anyway.
d.Lambo owners club should make everyone chip in whatever it takes. This guy made their enjoyment possible, to a large extent...
Anyone here met him? I can only assume that 40 years testing Lamborghinis has made him look like Popeye.
I remember a program/video clarkson did in the 1990s and he was on there testing a Diablo, had it fully sideways rear wheels pouring out smoke.
No The Road.
Legend.
I thought the general consensus was that he was a rubbish driver? Evo did a feature a few years ago on test drivers, where they wrote a piece on legends such as Walter Rohl, Dirk Schoysman, Mike Cross etc. The write up on Balboni described him as an embaressment, spinning constantly on product launches and generally showing no degree of car control at all.
Don't shoot the messenger, but that's what I'd heard.
Edited by RobM77 on Wednesday 2nd December 16:27
Mr Green said:
Regardless of what magazines may say about his driving abilities, he seems like a genuinely pleasant guy, and very humble considering his job. 
Gentleman Geoff said:
LuS1fer said:
the white stripes look a bit naff. In truth, I'd probably want one without the stripe.
Definitely. I love the sound of this Lambo but that stripe spoils it. Do all Balbois have this?RobM77 said:
Mr Green said:
Regardless of what magazines may say about his driving abilities, he seems like a genuinely pleasant guy, and very humble considering his job. Gruffy said:
5Valve said:
I have a feeling Valentino does'nt need to have a car given to him, instead of the Gold watch, on his retirement. He's been driving/developing Lamborghini cars daily since the late 60's!
He still beams like a schoolboy when the faintest opportunity to drive them appears. The passion is very infectious and completely genuine. Hopefully his brand ambassador role will keep him behind the wheel.I had the pleasure of meeting VB a few weeks ago and he was an absolute gentleman with a real passion for the cars. During a busy PR event showing the LP550 to potential customers he found time to chat to me and then to come out into the car park to sign the engine bay of my SV. He just seems to love what he does.
I meet Balboni twice. First in 2002 in Switzerland, he presented the new Murci. I had the pleasure of a testdrive (sitting next to him). well, ....how shall I put this, he has created his very own driving style over the years. We were going up to 250km/h on a country road, and there was a family car in front of us, probably going 80km/h and on the other side, there was a Trcuk coming towards us. If you know, how small the roads are in Switzerland, then you know, what it means, passing that family car and still manage, to get by the Truck (more or less all at the same time, with still way over 200km/h ...... I cant really tell you how he did it, because I had my eyes closed, brrrrrr.....
So I thought back then, that he is a road warrior, but also a survivor. I drive race cars, and I was very sure, that on a race track, he would not be able, to go the pace of the real racers.
In 2004, I meet him again in Djion, France, at the race track. He was driving the new Gallardo. He drove the car arround the track, like he drove on the road (reckless, sliding, allways almost out of control, but somehow allways managed to get by).
As everybody with some track skills know, sliding does look spectacular, but its NOT fast.
In the afternoon, the gentlemann drivers of the Lambo Murci Cup showed up with their race cars. I know some of them, and there are some very good race car drivers. Best qualifing laptime was 1.29, which is allready fast for Djion. Then Balboni was asked, to do a view laps. Ok, lets try, he said and left (no racing outlet, only with his jacket, he entered the car).
First laps were around 1.32. Respect! But then, he geared up to racing mode, and after five laps, we were recording 1.28 and the last lap even 1:27 something for him.
That day, he got the respect from everybody there.
I also have to say, he is a very nice cool gentleman, allways friendly and funny with his Italian accent speaking english. The fact that surprises me the most, is that he is still alive ......
So I thought back then, that he is a road warrior, but also a survivor. I drive race cars, and I was very sure, that on a race track, he would not be able, to go the pace of the real racers.
In 2004, I meet him again in Djion, France, at the race track. He was driving the new Gallardo. He drove the car arround the track, like he drove on the road (reckless, sliding, allways almost out of control, but somehow allways managed to get by).
As everybody with some track skills know, sliding does look spectacular, but its NOT fast.
In the afternoon, the gentlemann drivers of the Lambo Murci Cup showed up with their race cars. I know some of them, and there are some very good race car drivers. Best qualifing laptime was 1.29, which is allready fast for Djion. Then Balboni was asked, to do a view laps. Ok, lets try, he said and left (no racing outlet, only with his jacket, he entered the car).
First laps were around 1.32. Respect! But then, he geared up to racing mode, and after five laps, we were recording 1.28 and the last lap even 1:27 something for him.
That day, he got the respect from everybody there.
I also have to say, he is a very nice cool gentleman, allways friendly and funny with his Italian accent speaking english. The fact that surprises me the most, is that he is still alive ......
rob.brad said:
Is it just me or does the black Lambo in one of the bottom pictures have damage to the grills in the air dam on what would be the O/S?
Maybe my eyes playing tricks on me...again (B*st*rds)
It's probably the one they used for Evo Car of The Year (or CAR magazine's Supercar of the Year section in their COTY). They hit a rabbit and it went right through the front airdam grill - there's a pic of it in the magazine (not gory!) and it's the same airdam. Maybe my eyes playing tricks on me...again (B*st*rds)
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