© Perry Stern
Lamborghini Huracan
There’s something about seeing a Lamborghini on the road — the response it elicits is different than any other supercar. Almost 30 years ago, Morley Safer on the TV newsmagazine 60 Minutes attempted to explain how seeing a Lamborghini of that time — the Countach — anywhere in the world was an event. Following in its predecessor’s footsteps (or rather tire tracks), the newest Lamborghini seems to have the same effect.
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Big Tracks to Follow
The Huracan replaces the Gallardo, which was the best-selling Lamborghini of all time. An all-new model for the company, the Huracan has that exotic look one would expect from the Italian car company. And while the Huracan can hold its own at the track, as we discovered at Ascari racetrack in Ronda, Spain, like its predecessors it is designed as a road car. The Huracan is comfortable and easy to drive, but that doesn’t mean the company’s gone soft.
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Very Fast
This extreme-looking sports car will hit 60 mph in just over 3 seconds and can exceed 200 mph. Or you can easily drive through town to the grocery store, and there’s even a bit of trunk space for a few packages. As Lamborghini CEO Stefan Winkelmann told us, this is the “car that is going to make a difference for Lamborghini.”
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No Bull
In keeping with Lamborghini tradition, the Huracan is a 2-seat sports car with the engine located behind the driver. As with its predecessors, the car’s name comes from the world of bullfighting. The Huracan was a fighting bull of the Spanish Conte de la Patilla breed, which fought in August 1879 in Alicante, Spain — in case you wanted to know.
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LP 610-4
The Huracan will be available exclusively as the LP 610-4 at launch. LP refers to the layout of the engine — in this case the V10 is mounted longitudinally (“longitudinale posteriore”). The number 610 refers to the horsepower, while the “-4” indicates that the Huracan is driven by all four wheels. Pricing starts at $237,250, but after available options are tacked on, most will be closer to $300,000 before they leave the showroom.
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Powerful V10
The Huracan may get most of its attention because of its sleek, angled styling, but the heart of this supercar is its 5.2-liter normally aspirated (Lamborghini doesn’t use turbos) V10 engine producing 610 horsepower and 413 lb-ft of torque at 6500 rpm. For Lamborghini, manual transmissions are now a thing of the past — the only transmission available for the Huracan is the 7-speed dual-clutch gearbox, which is shifted via steering-column-mounted paddles. If left alone, the transmission will shift automatically, but for the best performance, you’ll want to use the paddle shifters.
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All-Wheel Drive
All that power is sent to the pavement via a new electronic all-wheel-drive system. Under normal conditions, 30% of the power is sent to the front wheels; however, when needed power can be split evenly front to back. No more than 50% power will ever go to the front wheels. With the quick-shifting gearbox and excellent traction of the new all-wheel-drive system, the Huracan can hit 62 mph in just 3.2 seconds — 124 mph arrives under 10 seconds.
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Inner Space
The Huracan interior isn’t luxurious per se, but does possess a comfortable, high-tech feel. The raised center console is covered with toggle switches and dials — the gear-selector buttons (Park, reverse, neutral) are located at the bottom, directly between the two seats. Of note is a red cover over the start button — it mimics the actions of firing a missile rather than starting an engine, and pushing it rewards with a massive roar of the V10 coming to life.
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ANIMA
Many of the controls are located on the steering wheel, including a unique turn-signal switch — rather than the typical stalk, a switch on the left side of the wheel activates the turn signals. At the bottom of the wheel, easily found with a bright red switch is what Lamborghini calls the ANIMA – “Adaptive Network Intelligent Management. (ANIMA also means soul in Italian.) The ANIMA switch adjusts the Huracan’s dynamic drive modes and can be set to Strada for everyday driving, Sport for more spirited driving or Corsa for a day at the track. Each setting affects the throttle valves, exhaust note, transmission, all-wheel drive, stability control and suspension to set up the car properly for the mode chosen.
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Seats
Sport seats are firm as expected, providing great support when driving on the track, but for everyday driving the power-adjustable leather seats are preferable. They’re much more comfortable, especially if you plan to spend a lot of time in your new Huracan. (Who wouldn’t?) Seats, as well as the rest of the interior, can be crafted to match the exterior color, which creates a bright ambience if you’re driving an orange car.
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Fun at the Track
Even though Huracan was built as a road car, that doesn’t mean it isn’t great fun on the track. We had the opportunity to see what the newest Lamborghini was capable of on the track and the performance is impressive. As expected, acceleration is strong off the line and given enough space, the Huracan will continue to keep you pinned in your seat well into triple digits. The paddle shifters move through the gears very quickly — downshifts are seamless, rewarding with a burst of speed and angry sound from the exhaust.
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Drive Like a Pro
Referred to as “instinctive technology,” the Huracan is fitted with several onboard sensors measuring vehicle movement, yaw, steering input, acceleration and more. The Huracan can instantly make adjustments to the AWD system, power, steering and stability control to keep you on track — literally. With the stability systems, all-wheel drive and impressive grip, the Huracan can make a mediocre driver feel like a pro.
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On the Road
The Huracan presents some challenges in everyday driving situations, but then again most Lamborghinis do. While visibility out the rear window is almost nonexistent, side mirrors are very large so overall visibility is pretty good. Passing slow vehicles is a breeze with so much power on tap, and the car feels incredibly stable at high speeds on twisty roads. Driving on track is fun, but the Huracan’s great cornering and acceleration make it more of a marvel on twisty highways and byways.
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Everyday Driving
Eventually our driving group caught up with slower traffic. Selecting Strada mode and leaving the transmission in automatic allowed the Huracan to easily handle such conditions. Ultimately, this car is just as pleasurable driving to the track as it is flying around the track.
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Don’t Be Shy
The Huracan is not a car for the introverted. Lamborghini pilots get noticed wherever they go, and honestly that’s part of the mystique. As if the cars we drove weren’t noticeable on their own, Lamborghini put an exclamation point on our group with Huracans swathed in orange, green and yellow.
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Everyday Supercar
But aside from the eye-catching looks, the Huracan is a supercar that you can use every day. It’s comfortable with all the expected amenities, and you don’t have to be professional driver to take full advantage of how fast and fun this car is to drive. We’ll take one in Verde Mantis — to go.
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Bye Gallardo welcome Huracan, I like it so much because it makes between elegance and muscle love it.