Sticking to its half-a-century old
tradition, the Huracan is blistering fast, powerful, and continues to move with
the times. But this technically advanced supercar can now also transform into a
grand tourer…
The picturesque Ascari Race Resort,
beautifully nestled between the mountains and forests in the south of Spain,
brings back what Maurizio Reggiani, Research & Development Director at
Automobili Lamborghini, had said about the Huracan. He said, “We wanted to make
a car slightly different from the usual, we can say it’s a bit more of a grand
tourer.” These words, unfortunately, fell on deaf ears, as we were too busy
trying to figure out what technological advances the Huracan brings to the
table. Later on we realised that what Reggiani was trying to say was that this
supercar is a versatile one. Sure, it comes with the burden of expectation, as
it’s the successor of the best-selling Lamborghini of all time – a record
14,022 Gallardo’s have been sold – but then there is more to the Huracan than
being a ferocious and outrageous creature from Ferruccio’s stable.
The
Huracan is the successor to the Lamborghini Gallardo
This new rocket-ship remains true to the
Lamborghini DNA, with its exquisite looks and mindboggling sound, but it gets
some new and improved touches for immaculate performance – like its new
aluminium and carbon fibre frame, electronically adjustable suspension,
seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, and four-wheel drive system, which now
operates with a multi-plate clutch.
When it comes to the matters of the heart,
the 5.2-litre V10 engine remains naturally aspirated, and churns out 602bhp and
560Nm of torque. The new gearbox makes sure the Huracan does 0-100km/h in a
mere 3.2 seconds. So, chances are, you blink and you miss it. More than speed,
it loves to play its V10 symphony very loudly – which is simply music to your
ears. The engine and the gearbox are like a match made in heaven. The
transmission is as smooth as silk, and even in Race mode the gearshifts can
barely be felt at all.
The
interior designers have created a luxurious, spacious cabin that dresses
advanced acoustic and electronic technologies
With a lightweight body, the Huracan tames
the tightest corners with ease at high speed, and the secret behind this is its
ability to transfer weight. Based on throttle position, the steering weight and
power distribution is adjusted, and the transmission is spot on.
This new Lambo gives you the opportunity to
choose your style and mode of driving. Depending purely on how you play with
the brakes and the accelerator, you can opt for rear stability or agility –
it’s entirely up to you if you want to steer this car with the front wheels or
the rear. All told, though, it’s a lot less ruthless than you might expect. On
the other hand, though the steering is precise, it lacks feedback. The
all-wheel drive system, in normal conditions, pushes 30% of its power to the
front. Amidst this, however, there are times when the Huracan doesn’t do
justice to the potential that it has. But, then, we do have to keep in mind
that the LP 610-4 is just the beginning, and the more hardcore models will come
in due course.
Power
for the Huracan comes from a 5.2-litre V10 engine
At ease, always
When we leave the racetrack, the other
avatars of the Huracan emerge. The Huracan is equipped with a drive mode
selector, called ANIMA – Italian for ‘soul,’ as well as an acronym for Adaptive
Network Intelligent Management. I guess it’s time to switch from Race mode to
Sport, or even Street. The V10 is very comfortable galloping at just 2,500rpm,
and this is when we realize that this Lambo goes from being a direct competitor
of the Ferrari 458 to a rival of the iconic Porsche 911 as well – as it offers
similar levels of comfort, with the ability to be driven everyday without
complaint. Due credit must go to its comfortable interior, driving position,
and good visibility.
The
Huracan’s rear end is plenty dramatic thanks to ginormous exhaust tips
Like the Aventador, the instrumentation is
virtual, and is displayed on a highly configurable 12.3-inch LCD panel. You can
choose between a huge tachometer and a handy map of the full-screen browser.
Like the Ferrari 458, the steering wheel comes with quite a few buttons – such
as the controls for the indicators and wipers. The start button is in typical
Lambo-style, and is situated on the centre console. It gets a red flap,
reminiscent of the thruster switch from an F-14 Tomcat. It may not be very
practical, but it sure looks awesome!
