Gotta choose one: Lamborghini Murciélago or Nissan X-Trail FCV? [w/POLL]
Lamborghini Murciélago and the Nissan X-Trail FCV - click to enlarge
When we took the hydrogen-powered Kia Borrego FCEV and Nissan X-Trail FCV out for two quick first drives in Vancouver last month, we happened to park the Nissan next to a Lamborghini Murciélago for a few moments. This prompted us to wonder, just for fun, which of these two vehicles AutoblogGreen readers would prefer to have as their only car. There is an environmental case to be made against both, especially in this crowd that's more willing than most to sacrifice a bit in the name of saving fuel.
- The case against the Murciélago: it's is a gas guzzling monster (10 miles to the gallon, combined) that costs north of $300,000. It screams every color but green as you're sweeping down the road. The drive may be fun, but no one will know you're a treehugger when you're in one of these, and a few bumper stickers probably won't help.
- The case against the X-Trail: it, too, is wicked expensive (to make - you can't buy one yet) and there are limited places to refuel the thing. Plus, there's the hydrogen issue, which not everyone is into. It's nice to emit only water vapor from the tailpipe, but the upstream issues are a bit more complicated.
Still, in our little scenario, you're now forced to pick one of these for your daily driver. Which one will it be?
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
downtoearth 3:26PM (7/07/2009)
I picked the hydrogen Nissan. It tests new, efficient propulsion technologies.
There is nothing special in the Farting Bull and I don't get attacked to such blatant conspicuous consumption that cannot be unleashed on public roads at all.
There is more to it. In fact, the Farting Bull is technically very primitive and backward. Rationale?
Top gear test track results:
1:19.0 - Lamborghini Murciélago LP670-4 SuperVeloce
1:19.7 - Nissan GT-R
1:19.8 - Lamborghini Murciélago LP640
1:23.7 - Lamborghini Murciélago
1:29.0 - Lamborghini Murciélago (partly damp)
The almighty GT-R can carry four, has a big boot, an AWD, 480HP 3.8 V6 and a lot of weight (some 1700kg/ 3 747lbs).
Variants of the inferior Farting Bull have 580-670HP 6.2-6.5 V12, 1,650 kg (3,638 lb), can carry only two, also have an AWD, are much wider and flatter.
And yet, despite all of that and much lower power-to-weight ratio, the mighty Nissan GT-R simply mops the floor with the Murcielago. It humiliates them.
Add to this the GT-R price of 80k vs the Farting Bull going for 300k and the Lamborghini becomes a relict of the past. A nice name. They should really go to Nissan for some lessons how cars of XXI century have to be made.
That's why my voice goes for the X-Trail FCV.
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Neil41487 3:55PM (7/07/2009)
"Farting Bull"
You're not biased or anything though, right?
downtoearth 5:14PM (7/07/2009)
Neil41487:
> "Farting Bull"
> You're not biased or anything though, right?
Yes. I'm biased against glorification of nonsense.
Irrelevant aspects like Lamborghinis get by orders of magnitude too much attention, from media and from Average Joes.
Times is likely British the most prominent newspaper, right? What was the most popular article on Sunday?
Clarkson's selling useless dreams about the new Farting Bull Something Voloce or whatever irrelevant.
Britons didn't want to educate themselves about their country scary imbalance of trade, debt to GDP ratio far exceeding what U.S comes up with, ghastly economic outlook for them and what can be done about it, recent and predicted developments in Asia and what can be done about them, fossil resources consumption outlook with cleaner, partially renewable alternatives and what processes and sacrifices need to be undertaken to deploy them.
They wanted commercial carefully branded and badged dreams about something as useless and snobby as it gets.
cm 5:10AM (7/09/2009)
@burieddownonearth
Tthe Shitan is gay - there, everyone's entitled to his share of bias - for everyone else (who still has a brain):
http://www.cato.org/special/climatechange/ClimateAd_ChicagoTrib_Rev.pdf
http://www.nipccreport.org/
http://www.phdcomics.com/comics/archive.php?comicid=1174
paulwesterberg 3:27PM (7/07/2009)
This quiz is like asking "what kind of poo would you rather eat?"
I would pick the lambo, it is cheaper, has style and would be a sweet eco ride if converted to electric. The x-trail will always be a lame SUV even if you junked the hydrogen powertrain.
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Sebastian 3:40PM (7/07/2009)
sort of, but it seemed like a fun diversion on a pretty slow news day.
GoodCheer 7:06PM (7/07/2009)
Funny, I was thinking just about the same thing:
With a pretty low profile and decent cD (probably), and a pretty light stiff chassis (stiff for its weight at least), it wouldn't make a bad EV donner. I wonder how much you could get on eBay for the V12 and tranny? Enough to cover a pretty nice set of batteries and a PEU I'll bet.
Tyler Durden 3:48PM (7/07/2009)
The 76% of the pollsters who voted for the Lamborghini should be ashamed of themselves.
Full Disclosure: I voted for the Lamborghini.
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zamafir 1:45PM (7/09/2009)
Lol, as did i.
Full disclosure, I've experienced both of the choices, there's no way in hell i'd choose the FCV.
Gary 4:17PM (7/07/2009)
I'd take the Lambo... Then I could put my name on the Tesla waiting list and most likely be able to unload the Lambo on some sucker (er, um, sophisticated buyer), pay off the Tesla and still have a nice chunk left over.
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Chris M 4:17PM (7/07/2009)
Considering that I don't do a lot of driving, the abysmally low fuel economy of the Lambo still won't use that much gas. I'd probably take a few short joyrides, just to see the expression on peoples faces, then either do an EV conversion (if I had the bucks) or sell it and buy something less expensive and a lot more efficient, like a Tesla.
Or I could store it safely as as a reminder of a bygone era, as a museum piece.
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jeff 4:22PM (7/07/2009)
I was all set to say Lambo, but when i saw daily driver, immediately changed my mind. I would have fun taking a Lambo out every once in a while, but I would not want to be caught dead in one of those on a daily basis. I'd take the X-Trail and swap out the fuel cell for a battery pack if i can't find a H2 station nearby.
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mike 4:32PM (7/07/2009)
sounds like alot of people have a greego (green ego) now adays.... id take the lambo anyday of the week, even for daily driving and wouldnt feel ashamed. big deal one more car on the road..... even with 100mpg cars and e-cars the earth is still doomed until people change the way they think; not everybody needs a big house full of stuff with 3 cars in the garage. The earth cant support it now, and it surely wont be able to support it with the emerging billions into the consumerism lifestyle. That said... i still dont want to give up my car, or my motorbike, and i like flying on airplanes when i go on vacation too......
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Mike S 4:34PM (7/07/2009)
Well, when Autoblog presents the the X-trail in a negative way, it's pretty obvious that most readers would pick the Murcielago. I mean when someone presents a plug-in vs. a combustion engine car, would you say that there are limited places to recharge when on a road trip, a finite number of lithium resources, the fact that Li-ion batteries lose use up lithium reactants when in storage, coal fired plants that emit pollution to make the electricity to charge the car, the ship that imports the coal, the energy it takes to fuel the ship that delivers the coal, the energy it takes to make the coal, etc?? When anyone presents something in that manner, you'd clearly pick the other car. Sorry but this article is a little anti-hydrogen biased. And this is coming from a reader who is a huge murcielago fan.
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jake 9:25PM (7/07/2009)
Actually with an EV, it's perfect for a daily driver. You can even add a solar panel in your house and be guilt free, or opt into cleaner electricity from your local power company for a little extra. If you are living in California like me, you can be confident it's going to be relatively clean electricity. For a road trip car, I wouldn't pick an EV, but for a daily driver I would.
A hydrogen car is impossible to use until other people build a fueling network. And so far it looks like no one is willing to do so besides for a few mostly government (state and federal) sponsored projects. This is unlike plug-ins where there are already businesses willing to build charging stations (ie a McDonalds from a few articles back) before there are even much plug-ins on the road, mainly because they are very inexpensive compared to a hydrogen station.
As for the choices, I wouldn't want either as a daily driver, but if someone were to give one to me, I'd pick the Murcielago, sell it and get a Model S or a Karma. The Murielago is fine for a weekend car, but not as a daily driver.
Alan 3:54AM (7/08/2009)
All the negatives people keep spouting about EVs are multiplied for hydrogen and ICE, why can't people understand this, it's not exactly hard to understand? EVs are not perfect, everything will have some impact on the environment, they're not made of pixie and dust and flowers. Of all the powered transport options available to buy today(with plenty more coming by the looks of things) EVs have to be one of the greenest.
Mike S 4:38PM (7/07/2009)
A better approach would've been to just lay down the specifications of each car and then see how the readers respond.
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fuel.shy 9:08AM (7/08/2009)
But people don't buy cars with their brains.
Mike S 5:09PM (7/07/2009)
Also, a better car comparison would've been something like a FCHV vs. plug-in Saturn Vue (both cars are not yet available. Not a sports car vs an SUV. The sports car would always win. That's like saying put up a 2009 Camaro against a PT Cruiser. I think it's safe to say that choice would be a no-brainer.
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BlackbirdHighway 5:57PM (7/07/2009)
There is a gasoline station within two miles of my house. According to the government alternative fuel locator, there is no hydrogen station within 500 miles.
http://www.afdc.energy.gov/afdc/locator/stations/
Without any fuel, the FCV would make a pretty lame lawn ornament. At least the Lambo would actually get me around. Besides, if you can turn the Elise into a rocking electric car, why not a Lambo? Now that would be interesting.
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