SWIFT JUSTICE; Life as an Italian lawman in a one-of-a-kind Lamborghini cop car.(News)

Byline: MATT DAVIS

When the news came out about a Lamborghini police cruiser, we put in our request with Italy's Interior Ministry to drive the car.

The Lamborghini Gallardo Polizia was donated to Italy's police force on the 152nd anniversary of the country's state police. Officially, the white-on-blue supercar will rocket emergency organ transplants all over central Italy, and it has a cooler in the front cargo hold to prove it. In reality, the Gallardo Polizia spends much of its time near the entrance of the Polizia di Stato car museum south of downtown Rome, publicizing just how cool it is to sign up for the police force.

That's where we met patrolmen Giuseppe "Bino'' Di Coste and Franco Iacomini, the lucky Romans in charge of the Gallardo Polizia. Di Coste and Iacomini emerged from the cop car dressed in Armani uniforms. This was a totally Italian experience, far removed from anything we might see on any U.S. interstate.

First order of business was to head to the nearest bar for a shot of coffee and a brioche (Krispy Kreme has yet to infiltrate Rome). Public reaction made the stop priceless-like we were Elvis at a McDonald's. Italians have a unique combination of car knowledge coupled with a child's snob-free enthusiasm to appreciate great car moments. Absolutely everyone pulled out a cell phone to snap digital photos. By the time we left, extricating the Gallardo from the thrall was nearly impossible.

Mechanically, this is no different from a standard two-passenger Gallardo with a 5.0-liter, 500-hp V10 engine, 19-inch company wheels wrapped in Pirelli PZero Rosso tires, full-time Audi-style awd and full aluminum chassis and body. The car uses the standard six-speed manual as opposed to the clutchless E-gear sequential gearbox. The manual is excellent, and flicking it through the metal gate onto the autostrada was a great feeling. The challenge was keeping kids in Rover 25s and Peugeot 206s from killing themselves trying to catch us for more phone pix. We gladly used all 500 horses.

Inside patrol car No. 372 everything is familiar ...