If the track initially exposed the Huracán
and then slowly succumbed to its capabilities, the road seems easily and
immediately at its mercy. Once again, the ferocious engine and punchy ’box are
the stars of the show, backed up by the excellent damping, fantastic ceramic
brakes and the sheer grip and composure of the chassis. Even here on the road
the Corsa setting has become my default. I like the engineered-in but
authentic-feeling snap of the gearchange, the fact that it allows total control
of the ratios, the extra heft of the steering and that the ride never descends
into harshness despite being on its stiffest setting. I’d say the Huracán is a
little stiffer in ride quality than the light-footed 458 Italia and the smooth
12C (I haven’t tried the 650S as yet), but it’s a great compromise and dials in
the edge that I feared might be missing.
A
digital instrument cluster features inside the Huracán
The Huracán rips through the landscape and
if you’re prepared to push hard, the rewards in terms of pure speed are fairly
surreal. Traction in particular is freakish, almost undefeatable, and that
means that as soon as the car is turned in you can give the V10 everything and
you’ll exit with just a hint of understeer and a whole heap of speed. For a
while the feeling of invincibility it exudes is reward in itself. It doesn’t
matter that you’re not hustling the Huracán like you would a Speciale.
And then, it does matter. Slowly you become
acclimatised to the speed and crave more interaction, a front end of greater
resilience and the feeling of the car dancing to your tune. And like on those
first laps of Ascari, it starts to feel a little reluctant, a little
disappointing. It takes a while to even recognise you’re feeling that way. It’s
a wildly fast, bright yellow Lamborghini and the sun is shining on a road that
seems to exist solely for our enjoyment…How can it be anything other than
spectacular?
The
front end gets an extra dose of aggression with a full-width lower grille and
slim horizontal headlights
Never in one day have my feelings about a
car changed so drastically. At first I hated the steering and was frustrated
with the understeer on track, but quite soon I felt like I’d unlocked the car’s
secrets and started to really enjoy its precise adjustability. A different
flavour to the scalpel-sharp and always oversteery Speciale, but one with
unique rewards. On the road I initially loved that it seemed to capture and
surpass the drama and sheer point -to-point speed of the hardcore Gallardos,
but soon after I had a creeping sense of disappointment.
Then it happened: the mad half-hour you get
on any of these smash-and-grab launches where caution is dispensed with and you
finally learn what a car is all about. The Huracán peeled back its layers in
revelatory style, sheddin g the cloying understeer and serving up a breathless
mix of brutal grip and ever-changing balance. As on track, the chassis gets
better the harder you push and soon it’s right in the sweet spot. The Huracán
is not an entirely natural car at its limits but it is fascinating. Turn in on the
brakes to kill the understeer, feel the rear edge wide, pin the throttle and
the torque first hits the rear axle and then migrates to the front until the
car is perfectly balanced under power, four wheels driving and slipping in
perfect unison. It’s an elusive sensation but that makes it all the more
exciting and satisfying when it comes.
Ancillary
gauges relay important information to the driver
My last miles in the Huracán are superb.
How will we feel about it on familiar roads and in the company of its fiercest
rivals? It’s tricky to say. But the Huracán has a rare depth of character and
ability, and although it takes time to feel like you’re intrinsic to the
experience, once it lets you in you’ll have a proper party. It’s a Lamborghini
and no mistake.
