Lamborghini Huracán LP 610-4 Thread
02-18-14, 05:10 PM
#31
Lamborghini has already pre-sold 700 Huracans
Lamborghini has already pre-sold 700 Huracans
Official Press
LAMBORGHINI HURACÁN AN IMMEDIATE SUCCESS: 700 ORDERS IN A MONTH
Candidate for 'star of the show' at Geneva Motor Show
Sant'Agata Bolognese, Italy, 12 February 2014 - The Lamborghini Huracán has already obtained 700 orders during a, as yet unfinished, month-long private preview tour worldwide for VIP clients. An excellent start for the heir to the best selling Lamborghini to date, the Gallardo.
The Lamborghini Huracán LP 610-4 is powered by a 610-horsepower 5.2-litre normally-aspirated V10 engine, which allows it to reach a top speed of 325 km/h and accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.2 seconds, placing it at the top of its segment.
A candidate for 'star of the show' at Geneva Motor Show, it will be the first vehicle to be revealed at the exhibition, during a press conference given by President and CEO Stephan Winkelmann, scheduled for 8 a.m. on Tuesday March 4th, 2014.
The presentation will contain innovative elements -- not just the video of the supercar shot over the last few days in Los Angeles, but also the reveal.
Candidate for 'star of the show' at Geneva Motor Show
Sant'Agata Bolognese, Italy, 12 February 2014 - The Lamborghini Huracán has already obtained 700 orders during a, as yet unfinished, month-long private preview tour worldwide for VIP clients. An excellent start for the heir to the best selling Lamborghini to date, the Gallardo.
The Lamborghini Huracán LP 610-4 is powered by a 610-horsepower 5.2-litre normally-aspirated V10 engine, which allows it to reach a top speed of 325 km/h and accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.2 seconds, placing it at the top of its segment.
A candidate for 'star of the show' at Geneva Motor Show, it will be the first vehicle to be revealed at the exhibition, during a press conference given by President and CEO Stephan Winkelmann, scheduled for 8 a.m. on Tuesday March 4th, 2014.
The presentation will contain innovative elements -- not just the video of the supercar shot over the last few days in Los Angeles, but also the reveal.
02-27-14, 03:50 PM
#36
Deep Dive: 2015 Lamborghini Huracán LP 610-4
We're fresh from the heart of the Lamborghini headquarters in Sant'Agata Bolognese, Italy, where Italian and German executives have been beaming like proud papas in front of their soon-to-debut Huracán LP 610-4. The successor to the ultra-successful Lamborghini Gallardo will have its coming out party at the Geneva Motor Show next week, but there's no need to wait any longer for the details of this hotly anticipated model.
We, like many of you, have of course seen the Huracán in photos and videos before now, but it's safe to say the that the car makes a far stronger impact in the metal than it does in pixels. While the bodywork doesn't lack for the kind of metal origami that made the Gallardo so attractive, the Huracán contrasts areas of soft curvature against hard lines to great effect. We're comfortable ranking the new Lambo with a score of "Monica Bellucci" on the scale of Italian hotness (for those grading at home, that's just one below "Sophia Loren").
Designer Filippo Perini described the overarching hexagonal theme to the design details, pointing out that even the shape of the bodywork around the windows (which he referred to as the "Egyptian Eye") was penned with six sides. Continue to look at images of the Huracán and you'll see hexagons inside and out, with the interior especially bedecked with similarly shaped accents. The bodywork functions as well as it attracts, too, with a three-percent reduction of drag versus Gallardo and a whopping fifty-percent increase in downforce – all without using active aerodynamics, we should point out.
We're compelled to mention that the Huracán interior is simply one of the nicest that we've yet had the chance to sit in, full stop. Material quality is absolutely impeccable based on sight and touch, with a remarkably subtle mix of brushed and satin surfaces serving as backdrop for the drama of bits like the starter switch and the sexy new steering wheel. Lamborghini is especially proud of that wheel, which integrates controls for the new "ANIMA" drive mode switch, wiper and indicator controls, and more. With the resultant loss of traditional stalks behind the wheel, new, larger shift paddles are easy to reach for and a joy to behold.
We might all "eat with the eyes" first, but Lamborghini fans and potential customers are likely to be primarily concerned with the motivating force that lies underneath that louvered rear window. For the Huracán, that engine is a new, naturally aspirated 5.2-liter V10 that sounds like the hammer of the gods based on the few blats we were treated to. Lamborghini has a new tech called Iniezione Diretta Stratificata (IDS) that combines traditional fuel injection with direct injection, yielding gains in both output and economy compared with the Gallardo's mill. That all means the new powerplant is good for an impressive 610 horsepower at 8,250 rpm and 413 pound-feet of torque at 6,500 rpm, with an expected fuel economy average of about 19 miles per gallon.
The new engine is mated to an equally new, seven-speed dual-clutch transmission that the Italians have dubbed Lamborgini Doppia Frizione (LDF). Designed to serve as the perfect companion for driving styles ranging from passive to racing, we're told the overriding characteristic of the LDF trans is "smooth shifting without any kind of torque interruption." When set in Corsa mode, the LDF will also preselect gears for ultra-quick downshifts, and offer launch control.
With the new engine and transmission, Lamborghini was more than happy to quote some very impressive initial performance figures: 0-62 miles per hour in 3.2 seconds, 0-124 mph in 9.9 seconds and a top speed of "more than 325 kilometers per hour" which means better than 202 mph. If you like your Lamborghinis fast, this one'll do.
On the other end of that equation, the supercar company hasn't forgotten that a quick car must stop well. Brake rotors are carbon ceramic all around, with 15-inch (380mm) diameter units in front and 14.2-inchers (360mm) out back. Accordingly, the stopping distance from 62-0 mph is said to be a remarkable 31.9 meters (104.7 feet), or 1.1 meters better than the Gallardo.
The lighter-weight construction also nets gains in handling for the Huracán, as well. The car uses a fully electronic all-wheel-drive system, with a default toque split of 30/70 front/rear, and the ability to send up to 50-percent of twist to the front wheels, or 100 percent to the rears. Lamborghini has also partnered with Pirelli to create a unique set of P-Zero tires designed to offer a near-perfect balance of grip and comfort for Huracán drivers. Should something more aggressive be required, we're told that Pirelli will be happy to sell you a stickier set of P-Zero Corsa slippers for what is likely to be a rather obscene amount of money. Rubber wins races, don't forget.
As we alluded to earlier, the Huracán is also set to make use of Lambo's new ANIMA management software. The Italian word for "soul" is also an acronym for Adaptive Network Intelligent MAnagement (future trivia question), and offers driver selectable modes that alter steering effort and response, transmission and engine mapping, all-wheel-drive systems and the magnetorheological dampers. Set to the race-ready Corsa mode, ANIMA helped the Huracán lap the Nardo circuit some two seconds quicker than a Gallardo LP 560-4 (and Lamborghini's test driver considers that gap to be very conservative).
The Gallardo may be the most successful Lamborghini of all times in terms of sales figures, but the company fully believes Huracán will eclipse it on that front. With over 700 cars pre-sold already, Lamborghini seems confident that it could best the Gallardo's one-year sales record of 1,844 deliveries in 2008. Execs see more than 1,000 units in 2014 as an easy target, with first shipments starting just after June in all markets. We still don't know what the starting price of the car will be in North America, but European buyers will be looking at a base cost of 201,000 euros – around $275,000 USD – which ought to add a whole lot of cheddar for Lamborghini and the Audi group.
http://www.autoblog.com/2014/02/27/l...0-4-deep-dive/
03-04-14, 01:58 AM
#37
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Welcome to the new Lamborghini Huracán LP 610-4.
A new era is beginning in the luxury supersports car segment.
The new Lamborghini Huracán, with its pure and unique design, an innovative technology package and outstanding dynamics, debuts at 2014 Geneva International Motor Show.
The new Lamborghini Huracán, with its pure and unique design, an innovative technology package and outstanding dynamics, debuts at 2014 Geneva International Motor Show.
03-12-14, 09:44 AM
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Interview with Filippo Perini, Head of Design at Automobili Lamborghini, about the LB 724 concept a.k.a. Lamborghini Huracán: a car with a clear and extreme design but at the same time daily usable.
05-02-14, 10:13 AM
#40
Lamborghini Huracán LP610-4 in Verde Mantis in Pictures and on Video at the Ascari Track
http://www.carscoops.com/2014/05/lam...-in-verde.html
Some of us are quite pleased that Lamborghini has brought back some of the bolder exterior colors of the 1970s (but less thrilled about the green interior) to its new Huracán LP610-4, like the "Verde Mantis" that translates to "Green (Praying) Mantis" seen on this example that was photographed in Marbella, Spain.
If you're wondering how the Huracán ended up in southern Spain, the guys over at Pistonheads have the answer, as the same car was featured in their test drive that included a few laps around the nearby Ascari racetrack (about an hour's drive from Marbella). Evidently, Lamborghini hosted the press event in the region.
The new Huracán that replaces the 10-year old Gallardo will try to steal the thunder from supercars like the McLaren 650S (see Chris Harris' Ascari track drive here) and Ferrari 458. Behind the passenger compartment, you'll find a naturally aspirated 602hp (610PS) 5.2-liter V10 engine driving all four wheels through a newly designed seven-speed dual-clutch transmission.
If you're wondering how the Huracán ended up in southern Spain, the guys over at Pistonheads have the answer, as the same car was featured in their test drive that included a few laps around the nearby Ascari racetrack (about an hour's drive from Marbella). Evidently, Lamborghini hosted the press event in the region.
The new Huracán that replaces the 10-year old Gallardo will try to steal the thunder from supercars like the McLaren 650S (see Chris Harris' Ascari track drive here) and Ferrari 458. Behind the passenger compartment, you'll find a naturally aspirated 602hp (610PS) 5.2-liter V10 engine driving all four wheels through a newly designed seven-speed dual-clutch transmission.
05-04-14, 04:08 PM
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Lamborghini Huracan first drive review
http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-review/...lusive-new-pic
Lamborghini Huracan LP 610-4 2014 review
http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/lamborg...-4-2014-review
Lamborghini Huracan LP610-4 (2014) CAR review
http://www.carmagazine.co.uk/Drives/...14-CAR-review/
First drive: Lamborghini Huracan
http://www.topgear.com/uk/car-news/l...iew-2014-05-01
http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-review/...lusive-new-pic
The successor to Lamborghini's Gallardo is a more grown-up supercar, and that suits us down to the ground
What is it like?
Great, albeit in a new wave, old school kind of way. When you thumb the starter button and the V10 engine catches, for example, there is still the same sense of theatre in evidence as there was with the Gallardo.
Like it or not, there's an almighty burst of revs at start-up, and even once the V10 settles to its idle speed of just under 1000rpm there’s still an old fashioned supercar kind of racket to be heard from behind your head. And the Huracán wouldn’t be a Lamborghini were this not so.
On the move the car instantly feels more refined but also more comfortable than the Gallardo. There's a sense of maturity to the ride, steering response (no kickback whatsoever detectable), throttle weighting and even the exhaust note that elevates it well beyond its predecessor. But beneath the sheen of extra smoothness and civility there is still the raging heart of a conventional V10 supercar, thumping away, itching to let loose.
This time, though, you get the distinct impression that the car's numerous electronic systems are very much there to help out, if and when things go wrong. The car feels so much less edgy and rounded in its resolve, you probably don't need the digital safety net to be anywhere near as great ironically.
But that's the way Lamborghini knows it needs to play things in 2014. Nowadays, the vast majority customers aren't in the slightest bit interested in scaring themselves every now and again.
Instead they want a car that looks beautiful (tick), sounds amazing (tick), that is easy enough to drive and that they could use it everyday if necessary (tick) and which won't bite their arms off if they make a mistake in it (tick).
The compromise is that the Huracán probably understeers a touch more than a die-hard purist would want it to, and the engine note does sound more Ingolstadt than Sant Agata on occasions; particularly on overrun in Corsa mode when you get a digitally perfected crackle that sounds neither natural nor spine-tingling.
But in just about all other respects, the Huracán represents a huge leap forwards for Lamborghini. And I personally happen to think it looks close to drop-dead gorgeous, too.
Should I buy one?
Lamborghini would certainly like it if you did, although the competition at this level, at this particular moment in time, is so fierce that you do wonder how many Huracán’s Sant Agata will shift in the longer term, certainly in its more traditional markets of the USA and Europe, both of which are continuing to shrink, albeit glacially.
In China, however, the Huracán no doubt will fly like the wind it is loosely named after, and that alone will keep the Raging Bull's accountants happy for the time being.
Crucially, the Huracán is also very competitively priced beside its key rivals from McLaren and Ferrari at £188k, even if the new Audi R8 and current Porsche 911 Turbo will and already do make it seem fairly expensive.
What matters most, though, is the way it drives, which in the most part means: beautifully.
It's a more modern and capable car than the one it replaces but it's also a proper, hairy-chested Lambo at heart. And in this day and age that's really rather refreshing.
What is it like?
Great, albeit in a new wave, old school kind of way. When you thumb the starter button and the V10 engine catches, for example, there is still the same sense of theatre in evidence as there was with the Gallardo.
Like it or not, there's an almighty burst of revs at start-up, and even once the V10 settles to its idle speed of just under 1000rpm there’s still an old fashioned supercar kind of racket to be heard from behind your head. And the Huracán wouldn’t be a Lamborghini were this not so.
On the move the car instantly feels more refined but also more comfortable than the Gallardo. There's a sense of maturity to the ride, steering response (no kickback whatsoever detectable), throttle weighting and even the exhaust note that elevates it well beyond its predecessor. But beneath the sheen of extra smoothness and civility there is still the raging heart of a conventional V10 supercar, thumping away, itching to let loose.
This time, though, you get the distinct impression that the car's numerous electronic systems are very much there to help out, if and when things go wrong. The car feels so much less edgy and rounded in its resolve, you probably don't need the digital safety net to be anywhere near as great ironically.
But that's the way Lamborghini knows it needs to play things in 2014. Nowadays, the vast majority customers aren't in the slightest bit interested in scaring themselves every now and again.
Instead they want a car that looks beautiful (tick), sounds amazing (tick), that is easy enough to drive and that they could use it everyday if necessary (tick) and which won't bite their arms off if they make a mistake in it (tick).
The compromise is that the Huracán probably understeers a touch more than a die-hard purist would want it to, and the engine note does sound more Ingolstadt than Sant Agata on occasions; particularly on overrun in Corsa mode when you get a digitally perfected crackle that sounds neither natural nor spine-tingling.
But in just about all other respects, the Huracán represents a huge leap forwards for Lamborghini. And I personally happen to think it looks close to drop-dead gorgeous, too.
Should I buy one?
Lamborghini would certainly like it if you did, although the competition at this level, at this particular moment in time, is so fierce that you do wonder how many Huracán’s Sant Agata will shift in the longer term, certainly in its more traditional markets of the USA and Europe, both of which are continuing to shrink, albeit glacially.
In China, however, the Huracán no doubt will fly like the wind it is loosely named after, and that alone will keep the Raging Bull's accountants happy for the time being.
Crucially, the Huracán is also very competitively priced beside its key rivals from McLaren and Ferrari at £188k, even if the new Audi R8 and current Porsche 911 Turbo will and already do make it seem fairly expensive.
What matters most, though, is the way it drives, which in the most part means: beautifully.
It's a more modern and capable car than the one it replaces but it's also a proper, hairy-chested Lambo at heart. And in this day and age that's really rather refreshing.
http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/lamborg...-4-2014-review
New Lamborghini Huracan LP 610-4 replaces Gallardo, and Lambo's smallest car is better than ever
Verdict
The Gallardo has grown up and Lamborghini has created a car with all the style and noise its customers expect, but that’s easier to drive everyday and friendlier on the ragged edge. For that reason it’s a huge improvement over its predecessor and will appeal to a wider audience. Whether it’s exciting enough to see off the Ferrari 458 and McLaren 650S though, remains to be seen…
Verdict
The Gallardo has grown up and Lamborghini has created a car with all the style and noise its customers expect, but that’s easier to drive everyday and friendlier on the ragged edge. For that reason it’s a huge improvement over its predecessor and will appeal to a wider audience. Whether it’s exciting enough to see off the Ferrari 458 and McLaren 650S though, remains to be seen…
http://www.carmagazine.co.uk/Drives/...14-CAR-review/
How similar does it feel to a 458?
Nothing like it. The Ferrari shrieks, the Lambo growls. The Ferrari’s ergonomics require spoon-bending levels of concentration to comprehend and the interior doesn’t feel as special as the Huracan’s. Obviously the fact that one is four-wheel drive, the other rear-wheel drive, makes a difference, but the real division is in the philosophy behind them.
For some reason only Ferrari sets its cars up to encourage you to explore the limits, and makes those limits accessible, even to drivers with modest talents.
You really have to be trying hard to find out what’s behind the Huracan’s fun, but efficiency-over-exhuberence, grip-and-go veneer.
In fact, get past the understeer (we’d upgrade the P Zeros to Corsas immediately) and what's there is a nicely balanced car, and easing back on the gas mid corner tightens your line perfectly, allowing you to get back on the throttle and exit in a lovely neutral stance. We can understand that your average Asian millionaire isn’t going to be an F1-star in waiting, but why is even an R8 (from understeer kings, Audi) more oversteery?
Verdict
We knew the Gallardo was lagging behind its rivals in key areas, including the transmission, but driving the new machine really rams it home. This is a far more sophisticated car that's faster, more refined and much easier to drive fast or slow. The mellower but equally punchy engine would be far less tiresome than a 458's on a long trip, and the ergonomics are easier to fathom. The more relaxed steering is more instinctive, too.
We think they both look sensational, but there’s even a good chance that many people will prefer the Lambo’s styling. So why would we still put a 458 in the garage? Because it’s more playful, so much easier to really exploit and because it sounds like it should have a set of numbers on the doors.
The Huracan is great, and Lambo will sell loads. It makes a better daily driver but we’re not convinced it’s more exciting than the Ferrari. And excitement is the point of a supercar, right? Horses for courses, but ours is prancing, at least until the Superleggera arrives.
Nothing like it. The Ferrari shrieks, the Lambo growls. The Ferrari’s ergonomics require spoon-bending levels of concentration to comprehend and the interior doesn’t feel as special as the Huracan’s. Obviously the fact that one is four-wheel drive, the other rear-wheel drive, makes a difference, but the real division is in the philosophy behind them.
For some reason only Ferrari sets its cars up to encourage you to explore the limits, and makes those limits accessible, even to drivers with modest talents.
You really have to be trying hard to find out what’s behind the Huracan’s fun, but efficiency-over-exhuberence, grip-and-go veneer.
In fact, get past the understeer (we’d upgrade the P Zeros to Corsas immediately) and what's there is a nicely balanced car, and easing back on the gas mid corner tightens your line perfectly, allowing you to get back on the throttle and exit in a lovely neutral stance. We can understand that your average Asian millionaire isn’t going to be an F1-star in waiting, but why is even an R8 (from understeer kings, Audi) more oversteery?
Verdict
We knew the Gallardo was lagging behind its rivals in key areas, including the transmission, but driving the new machine really rams it home. This is a far more sophisticated car that's faster, more refined and much easier to drive fast or slow. The mellower but equally punchy engine would be far less tiresome than a 458's on a long trip, and the ergonomics are easier to fathom. The more relaxed steering is more instinctive, too.
We think they both look sensational, but there’s even a good chance that many people will prefer the Lambo’s styling. So why would we still put a 458 in the garage? Because it’s more playful, so much easier to really exploit and because it sounds like it should have a set of numbers on the doors.
The Huracan is great, and Lambo will sell loads. It makes a better daily driver but we’re not convinced it’s more exciting than the Ferrari. And excitement is the point of a supercar, right? Horses for courses, but ours is prancing, at least until the Superleggera arrives.
http://www.topgear.com/uk/car-news/l...iew-2014-05-01
The Gallardo’s replacement is here. Can it outgun the Ferrari 458 and McLaren 650S? Over to Charlie Turner
So how does it drive?
Our first shot in the Huracan is at the Ascari track under the baking glare of the Spanish sun. I'm led out by a Lamborghini test drivers in a lime green Aventador Roadster. After a sighting lap the pace builds, and as I uncoil the Huracan, two things become immediately clear. First, that the Huracan has traded in none of the Gallardo’s trademark Lamborghini DNA. The V10 is a fabulous accompaniment to proceedings and the perfect advert for the purity of a naturally aspirated engine, snarling its way to the 8500rpm with relish.
Secondly, the Huracan has a suppleness to its suspension that distinguishes it from the opposition. As the laps accumulate and the speed builds, it’s a suppleness that inspires real confidence, helping TG to stay pinned to the back of that Aventador in all but Ascari’s longest straight. This is a seriously rapid car.
The instant response of the new gearbox is fabulous, and a quantum leap forwards from the Gallardo’s thunky transmission. As are the stability systems, which Lambo says utilise the same technology that keeps complex fighter jets aloft, a fiendish combination of three accelerometers and three gyros. Well, if it's good enough for the EuroFighter...
Confident in the fact that there's a 4WD safety net in place, it’s easy to dig into the Huracan’s chassis capabilities. Dive into a corner too deep and initially the front end will wash wide, but counter that on the throttle and the nose nips back into line as the four-wheel drive system juggles torque between front and rear, dragging you out of the bend and down to the next braking zone. The carbon ceramic brakes are fabulously strong, too, hauling the Huracan down from triple-figure speeds time and time again without fading.
The car we drove featured Lamborghini’s new active electric steering, which varies in rate depending upon ‘Anima’ setting, and can make minor adjustments to steering angle at the limit if necessary. Thankfully the active element is unobtrusive, and for 99 per cent of the time, 99 per cent of Huracan owners will merely be aware of a nicely weighted lightness to the steering in all types of driving.
After four track sessions it's clear the Huracan is a huge leap forward from its predecessor. This is a car that positively encourages you investigate the depths of its talents, and flatters you throughout the process. It's a car that knows its audience: those who want a car with huge potential, but enough of a buffer to encourage them closer to the limit.
What about on the road?
Just as impressive. The Huracan is as cheery pottering about at low revs in seventh as it is blistering down a mountain pass with a speed and surety that few can rival. It’s a car that’d destroy a trans-continental trek before eking every micron of grip from your favourite back road. It is, in other words, a supercar for the real world, if such a thing exists.
It was bone-dry during our time with the Huracan, but soon enough we'll find out how it handles a damp British B-road. I have no doubt it will shine. The pliancy of its ride, combined with the grip served through the 4WD and traction systems, could make this the supercar of choice for the UK. Time will tell. On the downside, those on-wheel indicator buttons are fiddly and annoying.
How does it compare to the Ferrari and McLaren?
According to the official numbers, the Huracan will split the 458 and 650S (on P-Zero Corsa tyres) on a 0-62mph dash, getting there a tenth of a second ahead of the Ferrari but two-tenths behind the McLaren. The Huracan’s top speed is identical to the Ferrari at 202mph, though the Lambo can’t match the McLaren’s 207mph max.
So if pub stats are all you care about, the 650S is a marginally faster braggin’ wagon. But supercars are about more than pure maths. They’re about drama, too, and Lamborghinis have been delivering high theatre since the 350GT first turned a wheel. The Huracan delivers more of the same.
Its uncluttered exterior might disappoint those who hoped the Huracan would be a production version of the Sesto Elemento. But the more time I spent with the shape, the more I loved it, and that sophisticated simplicity masks a car that oozes adrenaline from every pore.
By spurning the trend towards turbochargers, Lamborghini ran the risk of being outclassed in the performance credentials. No chance of that. The V10 is a masterpiece, not only dishing more than enough power to keep the 458 and 650S honest, but also delivering the life and soul of the Lamborghini experience. Chuck in that sublime new transmission, four-wheel drive, stability systems that can not only keep fighter jets in the air but subtly convince you of your own Driving God status, and it’s clear the Huracan is a mighty thorn in the side of the opposition.
The Gallardo was once described to me by one of Lamborghini's legendary test drivers as ‘the bull with no bulls**t’. A decade on, the Huracan more than lives up to that brief.
So how does it drive?
Our first shot in the Huracan is at the Ascari track under the baking glare of the Spanish sun. I'm led out by a Lamborghini test drivers in a lime green Aventador Roadster. After a sighting lap the pace builds, and as I uncoil the Huracan, two things become immediately clear. First, that the Huracan has traded in none of the Gallardo’s trademark Lamborghini DNA. The V10 is a fabulous accompaniment to proceedings and the perfect advert for the purity of a naturally aspirated engine, snarling its way to the 8500rpm with relish.
Secondly, the Huracan has a suppleness to its suspension that distinguishes it from the opposition. As the laps accumulate and the speed builds, it’s a suppleness that inspires real confidence, helping TG to stay pinned to the back of that Aventador in all but Ascari’s longest straight. This is a seriously rapid car.
The instant response of the new gearbox is fabulous, and a quantum leap forwards from the Gallardo’s thunky transmission. As are the stability systems, which Lambo says utilise the same technology that keeps complex fighter jets aloft, a fiendish combination of three accelerometers and three gyros. Well, if it's good enough for the EuroFighter...
Confident in the fact that there's a 4WD safety net in place, it’s easy to dig into the Huracan’s chassis capabilities. Dive into a corner too deep and initially the front end will wash wide, but counter that on the throttle and the nose nips back into line as the four-wheel drive system juggles torque between front and rear, dragging you out of the bend and down to the next braking zone. The carbon ceramic brakes are fabulously strong, too, hauling the Huracan down from triple-figure speeds time and time again without fading.
The car we drove featured Lamborghini’s new active electric steering, which varies in rate depending upon ‘Anima’ setting, and can make minor adjustments to steering angle at the limit if necessary. Thankfully the active element is unobtrusive, and for 99 per cent of the time, 99 per cent of Huracan owners will merely be aware of a nicely weighted lightness to the steering in all types of driving.
After four track sessions it's clear the Huracan is a huge leap forward from its predecessor. This is a car that positively encourages you investigate the depths of its talents, and flatters you throughout the process. It's a car that knows its audience: those who want a car with huge potential, but enough of a buffer to encourage them closer to the limit.
What about on the road?
Just as impressive. The Huracan is as cheery pottering about at low revs in seventh as it is blistering down a mountain pass with a speed and surety that few can rival. It’s a car that’d destroy a trans-continental trek before eking every micron of grip from your favourite back road. It is, in other words, a supercar for the real world, if such a thing exists.
It was bone-dry during our time with the Huracan, but soon enough we'll find out how it handles a damp British B-road. I have no doubt it will shine. The pliancy of its ride, combined with the grip served through the 4WD and traction systems, could make this the supercar of choice for the UK. Time will tell. On the downside, those on-wheel indicator buttons are fiddly and annoying.
How does it compare to the Ferrari and McLaren?
According to the official numbers, the Huracan will split the 458 and 650S (on P-Zero Corsa tyres) on a 0-62mph dash, getting there a tenth of a second ahead of the Ferrari but two-tenths behind the McLaren. The Huracan’s top speed is identical to the Ferrari at 202mph, though the Lambo can’t match the McLaren’s 207mph max.
So if pub stats are all you care about, the 650S is a marginally faster braggin’ wagon. But supercars are about more than pure maths. They’re about drama, too, and Lamborghinis have been delivering high theatre since the 350GT first turned a wheel. The Huracan delivers more of the same.
Its uncluttered exterior might disappoint those who hoped the Huracan would be a production version of the Sesto Elemento. But the more time I spent with the shape, the more I loved it, and that sophisticated simplicity masks a car that oozes adrenaline from every pore.
By spurning the trend towards turbochargers, Lamborghini ran the risk of being outclassed in the performance credentials. No chance of that. The V10 is a masterpiece, not only dishing more than enough power to keep the 458 and 650S honest, but also delivering the life and soul of the Lamborghini experience. Chuck in that sublime new transmission, four-wheel drive, stability systems that can not only keep fighter jets in the air but subtly convince you of your own Driving God status, and it’s clear the Huracan is a mighty thorn in the side of the opposition.
The Gallardo was once described to me by one of Lamborghini's legendary test drivers as ‘the bull with no bulls**t’. A decade on, the Huracan more than lives up to that brief.
05-05-14, 05:39 PM
#44
First Drive: 2015 Lamborghini Huracán LP 610-4
Gallery:
http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2015-...photo-2600717/
Engine: 5.2L V10
Power: 610 BHP / 413 LB-FT
Transmission: 7-Speed DCT
0-60 Time: 3.2 Seconds (62 mph)
Top Speed: 202 MPH
Drivetrain: All-Wheel Drive
Curb Weight: 3,135 LBS
Seating: 2
Cargo: 5.3 CU-FT
MPG: 13 City / 25 HWY (est. on Euro cycle)
Base Price: $237,250
Power: 610 BHP / 413 LB-FT
Transmission: 7-Speed DCT
0-60 Time: 3.2 Seconds (62 mph)
Top Speed: 202 MPH
Drivetrain: All-Wheel Drive
Curb Weight: 3,135 LBS
Seating: 2
Cargo: 5.3 CU-FT
MPG: 13 City / 25 HWY (est. on Euro cycle)
Base Price: $237,250
It was probably the best headache I've ever had in my life. A spicy combination of Lamborghini's superlative new 2015 Huracán LP 610-4, fast-as-you-can-drive laps of the tricky Ascari race circuit, 80 kilometers of the Ronda Road and a healthy dose of southern Spanish sun had left me with a bit of a pounder. That cocktail of speed and noise had also granted me one of the best days of driving in my life.
As an encore to Gallardo, the single most successful Lamborghini model in history, and following on the heels of the most profitable era the company has ever known, the stakes for this Huracán could hardly be higher. What's more, considering that stablemate Avendator hasn't exactly come in for universal praise (despite its unquestionable commercial success), I flew to Spain with a small pit of doubt in my generally buoyant heart. Could Huracán possibly let me down?
It could, maybe. But it didn't. This is a car that most assuredly lives up to the hype, and is fully worthy of wearing the crown won for it by the outgoing Gallardo. Sorry for the spoiler.
A couple of aspirin, rehydration and a few minibar cervezas later, my headache was more or less forgotten. But the drive of this heartthrob Huracán is something that I'd keep with me for a lot longer.
As an encore to Gallardo, the single most successful Lamborghini model in history, and following on the heels of the most profitable era the company has ever known, the stakes for this Huracán could hardly be higher. What's more, considering that stablemate Avendator hasn't exactly come in for universal praise (despite its unquestionable commercial success), I flew to Spain with a small pit of doubt in my generally buoyant heart. Could Huracán possibly let me down?
It could, maybe. But it didn't. This is a car that most assuredly lives up to the hype, and is fully worthy of wearing the crown won for it by the outgoing Gallardo. Sorry for the spoiler.
A couple of aspirin, rehydration and a few minibar cervezas later, my headache was more or less forgotten. But the drive of this heartthrob Huracán is something that I'd keep with me for a lot longer.
In nearly every instantiation since the Countach, Lamborghini design has tickled sensational far more often than sensuous. That is to say the brand isn't afraid of taking chances with the sheetmetal of its super sports cars. Still, there's been a huge gulf between relatively simple shapes like that of the Gallardo and the crazy origami of unsubtle Aventador, or the truly outrageous Veneno. This blade-sharp family aesthetic has been attractively blunted with Huracán, however, with hard creases and razor edges discarded in favor of the softest wedge Sant'Agata has produced since the idiom's inception.
Lamborghini President and CEO Stephan Winkelmann (himself somewhat of a style icon for the tight trousers set), told us his brief for the design was that it be "clear[ly] a classic Lamborghini." And head of design Filippo Perini delivered on this in my view, shaping Huracán to be "a little bit more female than male" in his words, while still being, "very simple, but very, very aggressive."
Considered in the context of all Lamborghini design history, I think the Huracán's visage is almost subtle, though it'll still drop jaws in whichever public places it's driven. I'm especially fond of the taut rear of the car, where Perini and team worked to clean up the aero drastically versus the Gallardo, achieving 50-percent more downforce and lowering drag without resorting to the use of active aerodynamic aids. But walk around the Huracán and you'll be pressed to find a single design element that doesn't enhance the message that this is a wide, low and powerful object that has been shaped by the fast-moving wind.
Lamborghini President and CEO Stephan Winkelmann (himself somewhat of a style icon for the tight trousers set), told us his brief for the design was that it be "clear[ly] a classic Lamborghini." And head of design Filippo Perini delivered on this in my view, shaping Huracán to be "a little bit more female than male" in his words, while still being, "very simple, but very, very aggressive."
Considered in the context of all Lamborghini design history, I think the Huracán's visage is almost subtle, though it'll still drop jaws in whichever public places it's driven. I'm especially fond of the taut rear of the car, where Perini and team worked to clean up the aero drastically versus the Gallardo, achieving 50-percent more downforce and lowering drag without resorting to the use of active aerodynamic aids. But walk around the Huracán and you'll be pressed to find a single design element that doesn't enhance the message that this is a wide, low and powerful object that has been shaped by the fast-moving wind.
At six-foot five, there's nothing remotely natural about my getting in and out of that very low slung door. But when I did fold up and bend myself inside, the confines I found were unquestionably more aggressive of design than the exterior. I had heard plenty of mumbled nitpicking about the Huracán interior from my journalist colleagues (most focused on the "tacked on" appearance of the hexagonal air vents), but to me it seems like a video-game-car cockpit made real. The center stack pulls off the 'fighter jet' motif better than most sports cars with similar aspirations – a row of metal toggle switches impressively crowning a few choice buttons from the desirable Audi parts bin.
Alcantara and leather has been attractively stretched over carbon-fiber bucket seats (lighter, firmer optional chairs that are manually adjustable and very low set), and similar buttery hides have been contrast-stitched into place over nearly every other surface in the intimate cabin. Even on a hot track, with rubber being fragrantly atomized just yards away, my first dip into the Huracán driver's seat smelled a lot like walking into a Salvatore Ferragamo flagship store.
Still, the most attractive piece in the whole cabin has got to be the hexagonal, red, flip-up panel that guards the ignition's start/stop button. The item is straight from Hollywood central casting for an advanced military weapon; appropriate, as kicking to life the Huracán's 5.2-liter V10 is the automotive equivalent of prepping a missile launch.
Alcantara and leather has been attractively stretched over carbon-fiber bucket seats (lighter, firmer optional chairs that are manually adjustable and very low set), and similar buttery hides have been contrast-stitched into place over nearly every other surface in the intimate cabin. Even on a hot track, with rubber being fragrantly atomized just yards away, my first dip into the Huracán driver's seat smelled a lot like walking into a Salvatore Ferragamo flagship store.
Still, the most attractive piece in the whole cabin has got to be the hexagonal, red, flip-up panel that guards the ignition's start/stop button. The item is straight from Hollywood central casting for an advanced military weapon; appropriate, as kicking to life the Huracán's 5.2-liter V10 is the automotive equivalent of prepping a missile launch.
Slotted into my perfect driving position (with only millimeters to spare in every dimension), my first go with the V10 "power unit" was on a full-chat lead-follow run around the meandering Ascari racetrack. Even having driven many machines with similar power, and countless laps of circuits all over the world, keeping pace by the grace of this quick-revving engine was every bit as intimidating as it was enthralling, at least for the first session.
Lamborghini has improved the throttle tip-in speed vis-à-vis Gallardo, with the result being instant response from even the most tender of right-foot flexes. Coming out of pit lane and into the first complex of turns, I was immediately aware of how quickly the rpms would spin-up the digital tachometer. It took but an eye blink before I found myself pulling the right paddle for an upshift; quick enough that I'll admit to hitting the rev limiter (just over the 8,250 rpm power peak) on a few occasions.
As those revs piled on, the bucolic Spanish surroundings went blurry in my periphery, with the V10 monster behind my head delivering gobs of energy to four boiling contact patches. Coming through a left-hander and onto Ascari's back straight, with my size-13 Puma mashing the throttle to the carpet, acceleration from about 60 miles per hour, up to 120 or so, was maniacal. Lamborghini quotes a time of 9.9 seconds to reach 200 kilometers per hour (124 mph) from a standstill, but the sensation made in one's chest when calling up full power makes those numbers seem irrelevant.
Lamborghini has improved the throttle tip-in speed vis-à-vis Gallardo, with the result being instant response from even the most tender of right-foot flexes. Coming out of pit lane and into the first complex of turns, I was immediately aware of how quickly the rpms would spin-up the digital tachometer. It took but an eye blink before I found myself pulling the right paddle for an upshift; quick enough that I'll admit to hitting the rev limiter (just over the 8,250 rpm power peak) on a few occasions.
As those revs piled on, the bucolic Spanish surroundings went blurry in my periphery, with the V10 monster behind my head delivering gobs of energy to four boiling contact patches. Coming through a left-hander and onto Ascari's back straight, with my size-13 Puma mashing the throttle to the carpet, acceleration from about 60 miles per hour, up to 120 or so, was maniacal. Lamborghini quotes a time of 9.9 seconds to reach 200 kilometers per hour (124 mph) from a standstill, but the sensation made in one's chest when calling up full power makes those numbers seem irrelevant.
It's fair to mention here that though the V10 is the outright star of the mechanical show, Huracán's new seven-speed dual clutch gearbox is excellent. Lamborghini Doppia Frizione, or "LDF" in company parlance, allows for exceptionally speedy up and down shifts in manual mode, and offers excellent shift logic in automatic mode, as well. It took me a bit of fiddling around before the procedure for engaging gears started to feel natural – foot on brake, pull right paddle to engage first, pull both paddles to find neutral, or grab the tunnel-mounted lever to find reverse – but it's not rocket science.
LDF response and shift programming changes dramatically, too, depending on which of three drive modes you've selected by way of Huracán's new ANIMA system. ANIMA is both the Italian word for "soul" and an acronym for Adaptive Network Intelligent MAnagement. It not only regulates shift logic, it also calibrates engine response, steering speed, all-wheel-drive settings, and the stiffness of the magnetorheological dampers. That's a lot of systems to configure with the flick of a central switch on the steering wheel, and the good news is that Lamborghini engineers have done a masterful job of calibrating them for a wide swath of driving types and skill levels (though drivers preferring personalization of settings might be miffed).
Strada, Sport and Corsa comprise the three ANIMA modes, with Strada being the tamest and Corsa the most aggressive. Now, multi-mode systems are nothing new, but Lamborghini's latest take on the genre may offer the most diversity of experience over just three ranges. I'm used to swapping modes and hearing and exhaust note pick up, or feeling a traction control system loosen, but the gulf between ANIMA modes is far more dramatic than most.
LDF response and shift programming changes dramatically, too, depending on which of three drive modes you've selected by way of Huracán's new ANIMA system. ANIMA is both the Italian word for "soul" and an acronym for Adaptive Network Intelligent MAnagement. It not only regulates shift logic, it also calibrates engine response, steering speed, all-wheel-drive settings, and the stiffness of the magnetorheological dampers. That's a lot of systems to configure with the flick of a central switch on the steering wheel, and the good news is that Lamborghini engineers have done a masterful job of calibrating them for a wide swath of driving types and skill levels (though drivers preferring personalization of settings might be miffed).
Strada, Sport and Corsa comprise the three ANIMA modes, with Strada being the tamest and Corsa the most aggressive. Now, multi-mode systems are nothing new, but Lamborghini's latest take on the genre may offer the most diversity of experience over just three ranges. I'm used to swapping modes and hearing and exhaust note pick up, or feeling a traction control system loosen, but the gulf between ANIMA modes is far more dramatic than most.
After taking a few laps to catch my bearings on Ascari's 13 right-hand turns and 13 lefts, I started to toggle between driving modes to see what sort of change would be wrought. Strada means "street," so it's appropriate that I found it a bit out of whack for hard track lapping. The transmission shifts up too quickly, the traction control kills too much power, and the driving experience on a circuit is generally a bit tamped down. One can still drive fast and smoothly in Strada mode, but you'll feel the Huracán doing a lot of the work for you.
Switching into Corsa essentially creates the feeling of driving a completely new car. The hardest-core mode immediately caused the suspension to stiffen under me, and for the traction programming to care a lot less about saving my bacon after overcooking things into a fast turn. With a louder exhaust and much more sensitive go pedal, too, I got in over my head on more than a few occasions with Corsa engaged. I loved it. One gets a real sense of the balance and mechanical grip inherent in the Huracán here, along with a better appreciation for just how much power is being deployed to the ground. The all-wheel-drive system will work amazingly well to power you through a corner exit, but drivers will have to be smart enough not to overwork the system (and the front tires) with unchecked entrance speed. Where Strada cossets you around the track, like a billionaire baby in a howling, green bassinette, Corsa treats you like a grown-*** man.
With that said, all of my quickest laps came with the aid of Lamborghini's happy middle mode. Sport allows for the ultra stiff chassis (with a rigid carbon-fiber central section) to shine, and for the rear of the Huracán to feel fairly loose and progressive through corners, but with just enough intervention to clean up my sloppy moments. As an added bonus, when driving on a world-class public road like I did on my run back from Ascari to Marbella, Sport seemed to offer the best calibrations for real-world fast driving.
Switching into Corsa essentially creates the feeling of driving a completely new car. The hardest-core mode immediately caused the suspension to stiffen under me, and for the traction programming to care a lot less about saving my bacon after overcooking things into a fast turn. With a louder exhaust and much more sensitive go pedal, too, I got in over my head on more than a few occasions with Corsa engaged. I loved it. One gets a real sense of the balance and mechanical grip inherent in the Huracán here, along with a better appreciation for just how much power is being deployed to the ground. The all-wheel-drive system will work amazingly well to power you through a corner exit, but drivers will have to be smart enough not to overwork the system (and the front tires) with unchecked entrance speed. Where Strada cossets you around the track, like a billionaire baby in a howling, green bassinette, Corsa treats you like a grown-*** man.
With that said, all of my quickest laps came with the aid of Lamborghini's happy middle mode. Sport allows for the ultra stiff chassis (with a rigid carbon-fiber central section) to shine, and for the rear of the Huracán to feel fairly loose and progressive through corners, but with just enough intervention to clean up my sloppy moments. As an added bonus, when driving on a world-class public road like I did on my run back from Ascari to Marbella, Sport seemed to offer the best calibrations for real-world fast driving.
And, let's face it, Lamborghini may sell most Huracán examples to preening owners with little taste for track time. But most buyers will be interested in quickly dispatching a curvy section of their weekend drive.
After the adrenaline-stoked morning at Ascari, it was the all-too-short return route along the Ronda road that revealed just how subtle and joyful Huracán can be. For all that this is a serious weapon in a competition setting, I found it to be a fun, not intimidating way to charge down a mountain road, too.
One big reason for that sense of amusement is the high level of tactility available through the all-new steering wheel. Whereas my previous experience with Gallardos had left me a little cold on the steering feel front, Huracán was impressive in terms of providing great feedback to go along with precise control at all speeds. Snaking switchbacks and compound curves called out the quickness of turn-in and a great ability to change direction nippily, things that don't always go hand in hand with a thickly tired sports car. I was somewhat shocked at how lithe and nimble the Huracán felt during the over-the-road portion of my experience, and repeatedly thrilled with sensation coming through the flat-bottomed steering wheel in my hands.
After the adrenaline-stoked morning at Ascari, it was the all-too-short return route along the Ronda road that revealed just how subtle and joyful Huracán can be. For all that this is a serious weapon in a competition setting, I found it to be a fun, not intimidating way to charge down a mountain road, too.
One big reason for that sense of amusement is the high level of tactility available through the all-new steering wheel. Whereas my previous experience with Gallardos had left me a little cold on the steering feel front, Huracán was impressive in terms of providing great feedback to go along with precise control at all speeds. Snaking switchbacks and compound curves called out the quickness of turn-in and a great ability to change direction nippily, things that don't always go hand in hand with a thickly tired sports car. I was somewhat shocked at how lithe and nimble the Huracán felt during the over-the-road portion of my experience, and repeatedly thrilled with sensation coming through the flat-bottomed steering wheel in my hands.
If you look closely at that wheel, you'll notice that Lamborghini has gone a long ways towards putting all of the highest-use controls right there at your fingertips. That means high beams, windshield wipers, turn signals and (soon) cruise control are all available to activate within the span of a thumb. In other words: Lamborghini would like to make sure drivers have no excuse to take their hands off the steering wheel.
On the road and moving through traffic, I found the wheel-based system fairly easy to adjust to in short order, but am not completely sold that this re-invention is quite necessary. Sure, not having a wiper or blinker stalk does a great job of uncluttering the view of Huracán's 12.3-inch, massively configurable TFT display, but it's more finicky than using the same kinds of controls we've all become used to over years of driving.
The mild annoyance of finding the turn signal switch was all but forgotten for most of my time on Ronda road, however, as it was largely drowned out in the flat, stunning bellow of the Huracán engine and exhaust. With the cascading surfaces of mountain ledges and quickly passed cars to bounce off of, the throaty song of one of the world's greatest naturally aspirated engines provided fleeting evidence that life can be truly beautiful. Fast cars and perfect roads – this is why we drive.
On the road and moving through traffic, I found the wheel-based system fairly easy to adjust to in short order, but am not completely sold that this re-invention is quite necessary. Sure, not having a wiper or blinker stalk does a great job of uncluttering the view of Huracán's 12.3-inch, massively configurable TFT display, but it's more finicky than using the same kinds of controls we've all become used to over years of driving.
The mild annoyance of finding the turn signal switch was all but forgotten for most of my time on Ronda road, however, as it was largely drowned out in the flat, stunning bellow of the Huracán engine and exhaust. With the cascading surfaces of mountain ledges and quickly passed cars to bounce off of, the throaty song of one of the world's greatest naturally aspirated engines provided fleeting evidence that life can be truly beautiful. Fast cars and perfect roads – this is why we drive.
Some guys have their switches flipped by the all-out attack of track driving in a supercar like this, but I've always found the rhythms of fully focused street driving to be more satisfying. In this Lamborghini, with the afternoon sunlight casting mythic shadows over Andalusian valleys, I think I touched the core of the experience that Huracán is passionately selling. The company knows it has something special on its hands with this one.
That swagger came to the fore when Winkelmann was asked to describe the competition for Huracán, and responded simply: "ourselves." Hell, I'd be cocky if this was the car I was charged with selling, too. Lamborghini will get a minimum of $237,250 for each example sold in the US, which opens the model up to competition from exotics on all fronts, while also narrowing the list of buyers to one-percenters that love fast things. Ferrari's 458 Italia is still the closest thing to a blood rival for Huracán, while McLaren, Porsche and Bentley all make super-fast coupes that compete in the same rare price and performance space. Let's face it, you can't make a terrible choice if you're willing to spend a quarter of a million dollars in the 600-horsepower-plus 'niche'. Still, I'd argue that the Lamborghini badge delivers something no other exotic can offer; a concoction of tech, machismo and motive art.
And, of course, there's nothing at all like a Lamborghini once you've driven one. Nothing so evocative, so sexual or so unrepentant in the way it devours the road. Huracán captures all of this, and seems a mortal lock to become the new best-selling Lamborghini as a result of it. It's not only a worthy Gallardo successor; it's a magnificent one. I'll trade time behind the wheel for a cracking headache any time Lamborghini is offering up the keys.
That swagger came to the fore when Winkelmann was asked to describe the competition for Huracán, and responded simply: "ourselves." Hell, I'd be cocky if this was the car I was charged with selling, too. Lamborghini will get a minimum of $237,250 for each example sold in the US, which opens the model up to competition from exotics on all fronts, while also narrowing the list of buyers to one-percenters that love fast things. Ferrari's 458 Italia is still the closest thing to a blood rival for Huracán, while McLaren, Porsche and Bentley all make super-fast coupes that compete in the same rare price and performance space. Let's face it, you can't make a terrible choice if you're willing to spend a quarter of a million dollars in the 600-horsepower-plus 'niche'. Still, I'd argue that the Lamborghini badge delivers something no other exotic can offer; a concoction of tech, machismo and motive art.
And, of course, there's nothing at all like a Lamborghini once you've driven one. Nothing so evocative, so sexual or so unrepentant in the way it devours the road. Huracán captures all of this, and seems a mortal lock to become the new best-selling Lamborghini as a result of it. It's not only a worthy Gallardo successor; it's a magnificent one. I'll trade time behind the wheel for a cracking headache any time Lamborghini is offering up the keys.