Italian Exotic Sighting!
I went out to run some errands this afternoon around three, easy Sunday stuff like getting my hair cut, washing the car, and picking up some stuff to make Arnold Palmers at the supermarket. It's a pretty typical late-summer Southern California afternoon, the wind blowing in off the ocean, sun filtered by a few scattered clouds.
I was pulling back on to the I-5, heading north to base, when I spotted a very low-slung, angular car five lanes over from me. I only caught a glimpse at first because it was so low to the ground and flying through traffic, but I knew from what little I saw of the sharp creases in the body that it was Italian and designed some time between the late Sixties and early Seventies.
Not one to pass up checking out some rare machinery, I turn up the boost on my turbo and pegged the accelerator. Because of the congestion it took a minute or two to catch up, but when I did it was well worth it.
The car was a Lamborghini Espada S2, built between December 1969 and November 1972. I pulled alongside and lowered all my windows to listen to the wailing aria sung by the 325-horsepower V12, a stark contrast to the muted swish of my turbocharged straight-five. I gave a huge thumbs up to the driver, indicated to him I knew it was an S2 (S2s don't have the slats on the tiny rear window or the center-locking rims from the Miura) and then allowed him to drift into the hole in traffic I made for him to continue north.
We ninjaed through traffic for the next fifteen miles, rolling at about 90 mph. With the windows down, the radio off, and the V12 singing in my ears I was in heaven. The Espada is one of my favorite cars of all time, and because only 1217 were made world-wide between 1968 and 1978 (of which 575 were S2 models), I knew it was possibly a once-in-a-lifetime deal. I mean, how many people take their 34 year old Lambos out on a crowded SoCal freeway, even to blow off some steam?
Of course, I can now say (with qualification, of course) that the ol' Turbox can run with a Lamborghini. As I pulled off the 5 at my exit I sighed, wishing I could follow the Espada's driver all the way to wherever he was going. After I was through the gate I called lester22 because I needed someone to share the moment with, and being Rob's Italian and has an affinity for cars, well, it was appropriate.
The one I followed was black, but it gives you an idea...
I was pulling back on to the I-5, heading north to base, when I spotted a very low-slung, angular car five lanes over from me. I only caught a glimpse at first because it was so low to the ground and flying through traffic, but I knew from what little I saw of the sharp creases in the body that it was Italian and designed some time between the late Sixties and early Seventies.
Not one to pass up checking out some rare machinery, I turn up the boost on my turbo and pegged the accelerator. Because of the congestion it took a minute or two to catch up, but when I did it was well worth it.
The car was a Lamborghini Espada S2, built between December 1969 and November 1972. I pulled alongside and lowered all my windows to listen to the wailing aria sung by the 325-horsepower V12, a stark contrast to the muted swish of my turbocharged straight-five. I gave a huge thumbs up to the driver, indicated to him I knew it was an S2 (S2s don't have the slats on the tiny rear window or the center-locking rims from the Miura) and then allowed him to drift into the hole in traffic I made for him to continue north.
We ninjaed through traffic for the next fifteen miles, rolling at about 90 mph. With the windows down, the radio off, and the V12 singing in my ears I was in heaven. The Espada is one of my favorite cars of all time, and because only 1217 were made world-wide between 1968 and 1978 (of which 575 were S2 models), I knew it was possibly a once-in-a-lifetime deal. I mean, how many people take their 34 year old Lambos out on a crowded SoCal freeway, even to blow off some steam?
Of course, I can now say (with qualification, of course) that the ol' Turbox can run with a Lamborghini. As I pulled off the 5 at my exit I sighed, wishing I could follow the Espada's driver all the way to wherever he was going. After I was through the gate I called lester22 because I needed someone to share the moment with, and being Rob's Italian and has an affinity for cars, well, it was appropriate.
The one I followed was black, but it gives you an idea...