Lamborghini Countach versus Ferrari Testarossa

graeme73s · 08-06-2006, 10:42 PM

A good friend Danny has a yellow anniversary Countach and was invited to take part in a kids program called "girls not allowed". They wanted to race a Countach against a Testarossa. Danny was up for it but not having any race track experience he asked me if I would drive the car. Don't get me wrong Danny drives the anniversary hard but race track experience is another ball game.
So I arrive at the Rockingham Race Circuit in the UK to find that the Testarossa is driven by a real nice guy that races it in the Ferrari Classic Championship. The cars trailered there, has a roll cage, Pirelli race cut slicks, big 6 pot AP brakes, modified suspension etc.etc. Danny's car is bog standard other than a straight through exhaust. Anyway to cut a long story short the guy in the Testarossa goes first, does eight practise laps neither of us have been to this circuit before and then does the standing start flying timed lap. Then its my go. I drove Danny's car once four years ago for about a mile on a dual carriageway. I only do four practice laps as by lap two I'm already having to pump the brakes to stop for the corners, on Danny's advice I dump the clutch at 4000 rpm and were off. I cross the start finish line lift off and still can't stop for the chicane but no problem just go straight through the cones and turn around. The time for the Testarossa was 1 minute 29.6 seconds, the Countach 1 minute 28.2 seconds. Danny had a grin from ear to ear and so did I. The biggest laugh was with the guy who was there with an Enzo. He'd done about forty laps that day as they did a lot of filming with the car. His best lap was only five seconds quicker than I managed in the Countach.
Danny has often talked about upgrading the brakes on the Countach and if we had some good brakes and I could have done the eight warm up laps before the timed lap we'd have beaten the Enzo time. Ok when all said and done its all down to the nut behind the wheel. For those of you who are interested "girls not allowed" is shown 10.30am on a Saturday morning on channel 5. Our bit will be shown somewhere within the next four weeks. Hope they don't show my spin on lap two when I tried to slow the car down on the gearbox, it did not work and I ended up going backwards. cheers Graeme

BearFace · 08-06-2006, 10:54 PM

Bloody well done. The Testarossa was never really a sports car (the engine sat above the gearbox and the high COG messed up the chassis balance), but no-one could argue with the advantages of cut slicks, proper brakes and a decent track set-up, combined with 390 unstressed bhp and a handy driver. I think (correct me if I'm wrong, coz I tend to guess first and Google later...) that the Countach Anniversary had 455 bhp, but I'd have still put my money on the Ferrari with it's quoted set-up.

I reckon a good set of anchors would've bought you two or three seconds on those lap times. And don't forget the Enzo is already fully spec'ced for racing, save for road tyres...

Respect. I'm impressed

ADY1983 · 08-06-2006, 11:08 PM

Well done mate

sounded like a great laugh, i will be keeping a watch out for the show, Cheers Adrian

chriswt · 09-06-2006, 08:08 AM

I wish 'No Girls aloud' was around when I was young.

I'm 28 years old but if I catch it on TV then its hard to turn off (sad sad sad I know!!!).

The car-stuff is actually more informative than 'Top Gear' as they tend to give out real facts about the car rather then pull stupid faces like JC.

They did a Ford Focus Ralley car vs super bike a few years back which made it far more enjoyable than kids TV has a right to be.

Shude · 09-06-2006, 08:38 AM

If only you'd taken some pics!

"Girls not allowed" will be season-pass'd on my TiVo when I get home

wallingd · 09-06-2006, 08:42 AM

You are so lucky to havethis level of access to nice cars. I will try and watch it tomorrow if I remember.

graeme73s · 09-06-2006, 05:47 PM

Thanks guys here are a few piccies that a friend took. Forgot to take my camera. The Murcielago managed 1 minute 27 seconds, owned by a nice guy called Simon that hires it out for track day laps. Remember guys that the filming that was done will be shown over the next four weeks, they indicated that our bit could be week four

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j3...y/IMG_2346.jpg
http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j3...y/IMG_2364.jpg

cheers Graeme

Flyer · 09-06-2006, 05:54 PM

Nice one Graeme, will look out for that (or the torrent

)

Quote:

Originally Posted by graeme73s

The Murcielago managed 1 minute 27 seconds, owned by a nice guy called Simon that hires it out for track day laps.

... and is featured in Evo regularly ("long-termers")

BearFace · 09-06-2006, 07:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chriswt

".... more informative than 'Top Gear' as they tend to give out real facts about the car rather then pull stupid faces like JC.

Those aren't "stupid faces", they're expressions of emotion - both adoration and disgust - on the face of he who is The Lord of Motoring Journalism, who the people know as Clarkson.

Now wash your mouth out, sonny

wallingd · 09-06-2006, 07:42 PM

123 FAB + SG54 LAM? Both were @ Brighton 20 May.

Dieselman · 09-06-2006, 09:41 PM

Sounds like a hoot Graeme, well done and thanks for the story.

wallingd · 24-06-2006, 11:02 AM

Just been on!

Alfie · 24-06-2006, 01:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wallingd

123 FAB + SG54 LAM? Both were @ Brighton 20 May.

SG54LAM was in Honfleur, France last Sunday.

graeme73s · 20-10-2006, 10:52 PM

sorry to rekindle an old thread but finally the guys have uploaded the video. You'll have to be patient as it seems to take a while to load. Hope you all enjoy, Cheers Graeme
http://homepage.mac.com/digitdesign/...36/page36.html

neilrr · 20-10-2006, 11:40 PM

Is it just me or are Countachs not ageing well?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Lamboughini-Co...QQcmdZViewItem

08-06-2006, 10:42 PM	#1
graeme73s Hardcore MB Enthusiast Join Date: Aug 2005 Car: 560SEC, Smart Brabus cabriolet 03, Smart Brabus Cabriolet 08, Porsche 993 C2S Tip Posts: 359	Lamborghini Countach versus Ferrari Testarossa A good friend Danny has a yellow anniversary Countach and was invited to take part in a kids program called "girls not allowed". They wanted to race a Countach against a Testarossa. Danny was up for it but not having any race track experience he asked me if I would drive the car. Don't get me wrong Danny drives the anniversary hard but race track experience is another ball game. So I arrive at the Rockingham Race Circuit in the UK to find that the Testarossa is driven by a real nice guy that races it in the Ferrari Classic Championship. The cars trailered there, has a roll cage, Pirelli race cut slicks, big 6 pot AP brakes, modified suspension etc.etc. Danny's car is bog standard other than a straight through exhaust. Anyway to cut a long story short the guy in the Testarossa goes first, does eight practise laps neither of us have been to this circuit before and then does the standing start flying timed lap. Then its my go. I drove Danny's car once four years ago for about a mile on a dual carriageway. I only do four practice laps as by lap two I'm already having to pump the brakes to stop for the corners, on Danny's advice I dump the clutch at 4000 rpm and were off. I cross the start finish line lift off and still can't stop for the chicane but no problem just go straight through the cones and turn around. The time for the Testarossa was 1 minute 29.6 seconds, the Countach 1 minute 28.2 seconds. Danny had a grin from ear to ear and so did I. The biggest laugh was with the guy who was there with an Enzo. He'd done about forty laps that day as they did a lot of filming with the car. His best lap was only five seconds quicker than I managed in the Countach. Danny has often talked about upgrading the brakes on the Countach and if we had some good brakes and I could have done the eight warm up laps before the timed lap we'd have beaten the Enzo time. Ok when all said and done its all down to the nut behind the wheel. For those of you who are interested "girls not allowed" is shown 10.30am on a Saturday morning on channel 5. Our bit will be shown somewhere within the next four weeks. Hope they don't show my spin on lap two when I tried to slow the car down on the gearbox, it did not work and I ended up going backwards. cheers Graeme __________________ 560 SEC Brabus Smart Cabriolet 08 Brabus Smart Cabriolrt 03 Porsche 993 C2S Tip Ford F150 Lightning

09-06-2006, 08:38 AM	#5
Shude Administrator Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Lancs Posts: 13,011	If only you'd taken some pics! "Girls not allowed" will be season-pass'd on my TiVo when I get home __________________ Pick up a piece of history - Above 1998 W202 C230k is broken up for spares Got a W202 but not got leather? Click here!

09-06-2006, 05:47 PM	#7
graeme73s Hardcore MB Enthusiast Threadstarter Join Date: Aug 2005 Car: 560SEC, Smart Brabus cabriolet 03, Smart Brabus Cabriolet 08, Porsche 993 C2S Tip Posts: 359	Thanks guys here are a few piccies that a friend took. Forgot to take my camera. The Murcielago managed 1 minute 27 seconds, owned by a nice guy called Simon that hires it out for track day laps. Remember guys that the filming that was done will be shown over the next four weeks, they indicated that our bit could be week four http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j3...y/IMG_2346.jpg http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j3...y/IMG_2364.jpg cheers Graeme Last edited by graeme73s; 09-06-2006 at 05:49 PM.

08-06-2006, 10:54 PM	#2
BearFace Hardcore MB Enthusiast Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 467	Bloody well done. The Testarossa was never really a sports car (the engine sat above the gearbox and the high COG messed up the chassis balance), but no-one could argue with the advantages of cut slicks, proper brakes and a decent track set-up, combined with 390 unstressed bhp and a handy driver. I think (correct me if I'm wrong, coz I tend to guess first and Google later...) that the Countach Anniversary had 455 bhp, but I'd have still put my money on the Ferrari with it's quoted set-up. I reckon a good set of anchors would've bought you two or three seconds on those lap times. And don't forget the Enzo is already fully spec'ced for racing, save for road tyres... Respect. I'm impressed

08-06-2006, 11:08 PM	#3
ADY1983 Hardcore MB Enthusiast Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Yeovil, Somerset Car: 300CE-24 Sportline, MK1 Golf GTI Campaign Edition, Scirocco GTII Posts: 1,947	Well done mate sounded like a great laugh, i will be keeping a watch out for the show, Cheers Adrian

09-06-2006, 08:08 AM	#4
chriswt Hardcore MB Enthusiast Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Hertfordshire Car: Audi A4 Posts: 840	I wish 'No Girls aloud' was around when I was young. I'm 28 years old but if I catch it on TV then its hard to turn off (sad sad sad I know!!!). The car-stuff is actually more informative than 'Top Gear' as they tend to give out real facts about the car rather then pull stupid faces like JC. They did a Ford Focus Ralley car vs super bike a few years back which made it far more enjoyable than kids TV has a right to be.

09-06-2006, 08:42 AM	#6
wallingd Hardcore MB Enthusiast Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Humber region Posts: 2,673	You are so lucky to havethis level of access to nice cars. I will try and watch it tomorrow if I remember.

09-06-2006, 07:42 PM	#10
wallingd Hardcore MB Enthusiast Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Humber region Posts: 2,673	123 FAB + SG54 LAM? Both were @ Brighton 20 May.

09-06-2006, 09:41 PM	#11
Dieselman Hardcore MB Enthusiast Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 19,310	Sounds like a hoot Graeme, well done and thanks for the story.

24-06-2006, 11:02 AM	#12
wallingd Hardcore MB Enthusiast Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Humber region Posts: 2,673	Just been on!

20-10-2006, 10:52 PM	#14
graeme73s Hardcore MB Enthusiast Threadstarter Join Date: Aug 2005 Car: 560SEC, Smart Brabus cabriolet 03, Smart Brabus Cabriolet 08, Porsche 993 C2S Tip Posts: 359	sorry to rekindle an old thread but finally the guys have uploaded the video. You'll have to be patient as it seems to take a while to load. Hope you all enjoy, Cheers Graeme http://homepage.mac.com/digitdesign/...36/page36.html

20-10-2006, 11:40 PM	#15
neilrr Hardcore MB Enthusiast Join Date: Jul 2004 Car: Various W201s. Posts: 2,642	Is it just me or are Countachs not ageing well? http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Lamboughini-Co...QQcmdZViewItem

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