There's something about your typical Lamborghini that would escape pretty much everyone who has never had the good fortune to drive one on A track. The average Lamborghini is an all-wheel drive vehicle and, despite the brand's racy image, all-wheel drive vehicles are not often the most fun to drive on a closed circuit.
All-wheel drive systems do have a role to play in the supercar segment. They bring a measure of control and everyday functionality in all driving conditions, including snow and ice. And they allow a car with higher horsepower and torque numbers to be something other than the proverbial suicide machine.
But the classic real-wheel drive configuration, common to performance cars of old, still has a place in the grand scheme of things. This is one reason why Lamborghini, the Italian manufacturer that specializes in AWD rides, has just introduced the 2016 Huracan LP 580-2.
It's less powerful than the Huracan LP 610-4 introduced in 2014 (610 horsepower versus 580), not a great start as far as the typical enthusiast is concerned. Yet, the LP 580-2 is also lighter by 33 kilograms, has a more rear-biased weight distribution (40 per cent at the front; 60 at the back) and its naturally aspirated 5.2-litre V-10 sends power exclusively to the rear wheels.
On public roads, at legal speeds, the differences between the two versions of the Huracan would be negligible — the 610-4 hits 100 km/h from a dead start in 3.2 seconds, while the 580-2 consumes just two-tenths more in the same test. But unleash both versions on the track and the driving experiences will be like night and ... deeper into that same night.
"(All-wheel drive) will be, every time, faster than two-wheel drive," says Maurizio Reggiani, director of R&D for Lamborghini. "But to drift (an all-wheel drive), you must be a very good driver. With this car, everything is done to arrive at this condition (fully sideways) without being at the limit."
On a track in the middle of the desert made slick with sand and discarded slices of Pirelli rubber, this proved to be true. Early power coming out of the corners produced long, lurid and languid slides, as well as enough tire smoke to provoke concern from environmentalists. (In the LP 610-4, this same approach produces, mainly, just frustrating understeer and, ultimately, slower exit speed.)
The Huracan LP 580-2 is aimed at the enthusiast, the purist and, perhaps, at the driver who may not previously have considered a Lamborghini for weekend warrior duties at the nearest motorplex.
You'll like this car if ... You live your life one quarter-mile and 360 degrees at a time.
TECH SPECS
- Base price: $219,500
- Engine: 5.2-litre V-10
- Transmission/drive: seven-speed dual-clutch automatic/rear-wheel drive
- Fuel economy (litres/100 km): 17.2 city; 8.9 highway (EU cycle)
- Alternatives: Chevrolet Corvette Z06, Dodge Viper, McLaren 650S, Porsche 911 Carrera S
RATINGS
- Looks: The shape of the Huracan leaves no doubt as to its ultimate purpose – outright speed. This version features different air intakes and taillights, but the design is otherwise identical. Designer Filippo Perini proudly noted that the car needs no moveable aerodynamic devices to ensure a slippery and ultra-efficient silhouette.
- Interior: Plenty of manufacturers claim to have interiors inspired by aeronautics; Lamborghini makes them all look like posers. The TFT instrument panel and screen above the centre console display a dizzying amount of driver-selectable information in bright graphics. The centre console features a row of war machine-like toggle switches and an engine start button covered by a bomber-style flip-up bracket.
- Performance: This supercar is not about straight-line speed (although it has that, too), it’s about speed in the corners. The drive configuration and weight distribution, combined with a softer suspension set-up and revised steering, give this Huracan more bite into the corners. Plus, more drift-readiness.
- Technology: The genius here may well be an onboard gyroscope that traces car movements in 3D to inform the suspension, steering and stability control as to what’s transpiring at any given moment. The result: higher levels of control and more moments spent right at the car’s limits.
- Cargo: No time to check; too busy drifting.
The Verdict
9
To be sure, a pure supercar driving experience.
The writer was a guest of the auto maker. Content was not subject to approval.