For the Italians in this duel, it’s like a night at the opera. All the showiness and drama of La Scala. Huge cast, elaborate costumes, deep lungs, music by Puccini or Verdi. For the Americans, it’s the straightforwardness of a four-piece guitar band. Maybe The Killers. (Or are The Killers a bad choice of analogy? "Are we human or are we dancer?" not so very straightforward, really. "I’ve got soul but I’m not a soldier," huh? It was reimagined by Bill Bailey as, "I’ve got ham but I’m not a hamster." Anyway, I digress.)

The Murciélago LP640 and Corvette ZR1 couldn’t be more different. To their fans, both hold an extraordinary power to captivate and move. Both camps find the other a bit pointless.

Pointless? How in the blue blazes can any 200-mph car be pointless? For the Corvette crowd, it’s the attention-seeking cantankerousness of the Lambo that undermines it. Their beloved American idol is so easy to live with, you can use it all the time. That way, you can enjoy its pulverizing acceleration and face-bending cornering whenever the opportunity presents itself. From the Corvette side of the fence, the Murciélago is such a demanding luvvy that you might just be tempted to leave the thing at home.

But to fans of the Lamborghini, that’s the entire point of a Murciélago. Yes, it asks an awful lot of you, and yes, it makes a savage impression wherever it goes. It is a rolling event, a special-occasion car, and you should feel privileged to be a part of the whole hysterical performance. If you can’t stand the heat, get out of la cucina.

Of course, the Murciélago LP640 and the Corvette ZR1 do have something in common, and that’s the reason we’ve brought them together: their huge power and hallucinatory speed. Let’s get those astonishing figures out of the way, just to establish their bona fides. Lambo: 632 hp, 0-62 in 3.4 seconds, 210 mph. ZR1: 647 hp, 0-62 in 3.5 seconds, 205 mph. Not so very far apart, eh?

Full Story: Top Gear – LP640 vs. ZR1

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