Whether watching a round of the WRC, cooking, designing clothes or building cars, Italians are passionate and like to display that passion for all to see. They are the ones who whip their shirts off, stand stupidly close to the road and wave on the flame spitting rally cars as they blast past at impossible speed. They can even get overly excited while churning out some fresh pasta and thankfully for most of us who grew up in the eighties, designed cars that looked at home in two dimensions on our bedroom walls and gave Magnum P.I. the coolest set of wheels to snare wrong doers. Sure there was Kit, the talking Transam but that was a poor attempt at a sports car and really just a rip-hoff.

Italian car manufacturers, and more specifically Ferrari and Lamborghini, are almost certainly solely responsible for enticing the masses into an excitement for motorcars.

Both manufacturers have faced adversity and gone through rough patches but have managed to keep manufacturing dreams for the motoring enthusiast and the latest soft-top editions to their respective families is testament that the pair have outgrown their stoned washed jeans and teased hair and evolved into a civilized yet spine tingling benchmark.

I was a little wary as we approached the Ferrari 430 Spyder and Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder as I have grown up thinking that super cars should have a roof in order to remove them from the "hairdresser" stigma, but closer inspection of the athletic details and the crisp exhaust notes echoing around the Kyalami racetrack quickly put this unsporting thought to bed.

Ferrari come to the party with curvaceous bodywork that not only looks the part but also plays a function in how the car performs. Two air intakes channel air into the radiators as well as being linked at their lower edge by a spoiler that directs the air towards the car's flat underbody. Large air vents ahead of the front wheel arches channel the air out of the radiators and along the car's flanks while the scoops on top of the rear wheel arches channel air into the engine. Gallardo designers appear to have paid homage to the ground breaking '80s Countach with hard edged body lines, even so the design operates as impressively as the Ferrari and splitting the pair comes down to personal taste.

However compared against the coupe versions both the Spyders lose out in the aesthetic scoring system as both rag-tops seem to break the flow of the bodies' profile and give the cars a somewhat cab-forward appearance. As the modern market dictates, both Ferrari and Lambo have both managed to squeeze in electronically operated roof mechanisms.

Lamborghini have opted to power the Spyder with a 5-litre Audi V10, the unit develops around 390kW at 8000rpm and pushes the 1470 kilogram beast from 0 to 100km/h in 4.3 seconds while the Ferrari reaches the same mark in 4.1 seconds and makes use of a Ferrari V8 for its propulsion. The Ferrari weighs in on the scales at 1520 kilograms and develops 365kW from the 4.3-litre lump.

Ferrari has maintained a traditional rear-wheel drive layout but incorporated their unique electronic differential which offers dynamic control adjustment with a dial located on the steering wheel. The system, governs vehicle dynamics through a series of adjustments to suspension settings, transmission shift speed and the F430 Spider's electronic stability control system. The Gallardo employs four-wheel drive to transfer the power to road via a 6-speed paddle shift controlled gearbox which will also double as a usable automatic. Ferrari has also opted to go the paddle shift route and thanks to F1 development have put together an excellent package. In either of the cars opting for the "manual" changes rewards with a harsh and meaningful gear changes at the top of the rev range but equally impressive in both vehicles are the auto modes, making trundling along the William Nicol during peak hour traffic no sweat and effortless. Auto gear selection is good, picking the correct gear, and impressively smooth.

It is this versatility that raises eyebrows for both these Italian icons, no longer does a super car have to be unreliable and uncomfortable but rather a car that is at home belting in and out of hairpins on a mountain pass, wringing the last drop of performance on a track or cruising the streets of Camps Bay.

As one would expect, handling on both of these models is inspiring, with inputs to the steering wheel resulting in swift direction changes and surprisingly, the usual trade-off between ride comfort and handling is virtually non-existent as the thoroughbreds seem infinitely comfortable on most road surfaces. Double wishbone with anti-roll bar front and rear couple with an anti-dive and anti-squat function keep the Lambo's four corners planted firmly on the ground.

On the dime stopping power comes courtesy of some Brembo 8-pot calipers at the front and massive 335mm rear discs on the Gallardo and as is the tradition the Modena machine also adorns some Brembo brakes coming either as a cast-iron ventilated disc option or F1 style ceramic discs. ABS comes standard on both and, in case of the unthinkable, it is pleasing to see that the both meet stringent safety requirements with the like of front seatbelt tensioners, drivers, passenger and side airbags. Structural integrity is also a key factor in the design of both cars.

Lamborghini makes use of an aluminum and thermoplastic body over an aluminum spaceframe that not only creates a safe cocoon but also aids handling by keeping the structure extremely rigid and Ferrari make us of aluminium foam inserts to strengthen the sills and increase rigidity. Even though soft-tops, both are impressive in this department and other than the wind in your hair and the glorious exhaust notes being broadcast one would not realise you were in a Spyder. The interiors are both magnificent but have been handled in a different way. The Ferrari is definitely more "boy racer" with a mix of white leather large red buttons, yellow dials, aluminium trim and drilled aluminium pedals as well as F430 badges reminding you that you are in one, in case you forgot. The Gallardo on the other hand is more subdued and makes use of black suede and tasteful leather with just a hint of aluminium and yellow stitching. Lamborghini also feel the need to remind one that you are in such a car and stick a neat badge in front of the passenger. Interestingly, the interior of the Lamborghini is also the place where you see the most obvious link to their new owners Audi.

Not only does this mean that the Lambo gets an Audi derived satellite system, but it also benefits from the extraordinary fine finishing and attention to detail accustomed to the German giant. However whatever your taste, both cars offer reasonable amounts of comfort and perform brilliantly in terms of keeping you upright and in the optimum driving position. It is however mentionable that both cars come with an almost infinite amount of interior finish options so customising one to suit specific needs is no problem.

The Ferrari F430 Spyder and the Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder are awe inspiring, both offer mind blowing performance, reasonable practicality a sense of style, the ability to draw more attention than a bad dress on Oscar night and perhaps most important of all offer a proud heritage.

It is almost impossible to choose a favourite, both brands were started by strong characters and both are all out attemps to be the best in the world - Mr Ferrari used the track as a measuring stick while Mr Lamborghini aimed to build better cars than his Maranello counterpart.

So much pride, so much passion and such exhilarating performance comes at a price. The Gallardo Spyder sells for R2.65-million and F430 Spyder R2.5-million. But does that really matter?

Thanks to the car owners, Kyalami Racetrack and the designers at the respective manufacturers for making dreams come true.

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