Launch Control

I was talking to a friend here in SF, she's from France, let's call her Claudine. Anyways Claudine is in the process of buying a car, and the conversation turned to how cars personify their owner. Anyways the we subsequently meandered to the topic of Launch Control. LC is Formula 1 technology-to provide optimal acceleration off the starting grid- that has emerged in high end street-legal vehicles. I told Claudine about how it works in the Lamborghini Murciélago (4:59 minute mark in the video below):

- Press the 'Sport' button
- Turn off the Traction control
- Rev to 4000 rpm-the clutch kicks in
- Release the brake and launch!

Claudine's response, quite cutely, was: Why Kal?

Why? Sigh. Look the brilliance of Launch Control can't be explained. Just like the Pagani Zonda. Perhaps its charm is rooted in the imagination and wonder of those, who still see the world with child-like curiosity and excitement.



Kobe Bryant's wife Vanessa is the only person in the world to own a converted automatic Murciélago. The car was given to her as a gift by her husband, but upon realizing she could not drive a manual transmission, Kobe Bryant had the car converted to an automatic. The estimated cost of the car after conversion and customization was US$400,000. Ah the sweet fruits of adultery.