Lamborghini Gallardo news - Lamborghini, thrashed - 2011 - BBC Top Gear

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avert your eyes.

Finally! I get my hands on a Chevy Volt!!

I am a car nerd, I admit this.. I have been going to the Detroit Auto show every year for the past I guess 20 years at this point. And I love cars with wierd engines, Rotaries, DISI, etc and I really want an electric vehicle.. In fact I have placed a deposit for a Volt, Leaf and a Brammo Empulse.

So the Volt is one of the cars that I am most excited about over the next 24 months.. and up until now I have only been able to see a Volt from the outside. Somestimes far away sometimes up close.. but every where I have seen one they have been locked up tight. So when I had the slightest chance to see on up close and personal I got really excited.

See I had a chance a few weeks back to drive a Nissan Leaf, which means of all of the cars I want to drive and see up close.. the Volt is like the only one that I had not been able to connect with.

So when a friend of mine posted on FB that they had "turn back in thier Volt tomorrow"

I posted back something like "please please please please can I see it"

See and download the full gallery on posterous

I didn't see a response but I did see him the next morning driving around after I dropped off my kids for school. and then I forced him off the road with my Jeep and took the keys  talked to him and arrainged to meet around lunch time.

I have to say I was really impressed. I looks really good in person, with the exception of the large blacked out areas, which I wasn't crazy about. But considering I ordered a Black one.. that should not be a problem on mine, should it ever be confirmed for delivery.. and should it ever arrive.. and should I be able to actually buy it without being gouged..

(Side note: in the leaf buying process, you lock in the price up front,and the dealers have to compete with each other to get your order, not so for GM, although preventing dealers from gouging people that preorder seems like that was something they should have renegotiated when they went bankrupt doesnt it?).

inside the car, the rear quarters seemed a little more cramped than the leaf, and obviously with one less seat in the middle to make room for the T shaped battery. However it was a much higher quality interior. The leaf by comparison felt like the cheap base model compact rental car in the interior. The Volt was decked out in leather, and seemed to be much more firmly padded. The dash was the dark grey (what I chose on mine) and that looked really nice. The steering wheel felt chunky and the doors all had a solid "thunk" when shut. I don't recall thinking that the Leaf was as substantial of a peice of metal.

I pushed the cars "on button" and the instruments came on..The gauges all were clear and didnt distract too much. I clicked it into reverese and it was totally silent. The steering was weighted well and the rolls and bumps seemed to be well controlled. The lower part of the front facia seemed to be lower than most cars and made a few complaints over sharp dips, but other than that it drove really well.

I didnt get a chance to hammer the car, or get into the gasoline "charge sustain" mode. but I can tell you I walked away really impressed.

Now if they can only find a way to make one and sell it to me.. I am crossing my fingers.