If Lamborghini’s latest 602bhp supercar car was a typical cartoon character, it would probably be Popeye… quiet and relaxed, but also the neighbourhood hard-man.
The Lamborghini Huracán is the super-fast Gallardo’s even faster and more exciting replacement. Everything from the engine internals to the processes used to manufacture this magnificent supercar is different and better.
At its heart is a more powerful V10 engine with 602bhp, and that’s quite a lot.
Under the skin, a complex new carbon and aluminium ‘hybrid’ chassis helps keep weight down as well as strength up. It’s a serious performance machine with all the muscle you’d ever want. Feed it spinach and you’ll probably see its biceps inflate.
Looks and image
Normally, a Lamborghini is just an exercise in appealing to grown men’s inner 10-year-old, but there’s more to this junior Lambo than a paint shade Jaffa would be proud of. There’s an elegance in the single-volume shape that belies its baffling performance, and the more you look at it, the clearer you see both the wow factor and the reserved balance.
As for the image, nothing but a Lamborghini fires jaws floorward in such a spectacular and effective fashion. Imagine it scything through an expanse of grey motorway rep-mobiles and you get the picture.
Space and practicality
There’s space for four adults to stretch out, and you get a really big boot, too. Actually, we’re lying! You get just two seats, albeit with a decent range of fore/aft adjustment, and then a little storage bay under the bonnet. Think of it less like a boot and more like a pocket.
Behind the wheel
Imagine how good a private evening with Scarlett Johansen would be if she was wearing nothing but a dress made of cling film. That’s approaching how good the Huracán is to drive in anger. But to start with, relax, dial back the Anima (Italian for soul) driving mode selector to the Strada street mode and it’s as civilised as a dinner with Belgians.
Click down to Sport and then Corsa, if you dare, and in two steps the full fury of the razor-sharp V10 thunders onto the tarmac like a Tasmanian devil with a grudge. Only Corsa mode allows you to hit the rev limiter, and it also allows a little more chassis movement – although the massive mechanical grip on offer means you’ve got to be mad to get to that stage. Fortunately, with a small race track on hand, you can drive the Huracán right up to its limits and beyond, savouring an epic exhaust soundtrack that’s youthful, multi-layered and addictively sonorous. Tunnels will become a road trip essential.
Worth noting is the new dual-clutch gearbox. If it sounds boring, try saying it in Italian: doppio frizzione. Doppy-oh frizzy-oh-nay. Beautiful. Anyway, it’s a faster, smoother and more energising way to smash between the gears than any Lambo has ever known.
Value for money
Sadly, this bundle of wonderment doesn’t come cheap. It’s a bargain next to Lamborghini’s own Aventador, but if your planned budget extends to posh Golfs, you’d better forget about it. It offers a lot of raw excitement and adrenaline for your money, but you can also comfortably do the daily driving thing.
Who would buy one?
This will be right up the street of a well-off car nut who’s more interested in sheer fun than performance stats, lap times or mechanical engineering. The Huracán delivers all those things, but at its core, it’s uncomplicated and needs no explaining, unlike some of its rivals. Someone notable once said that simplicity was beauty, and he or she would clearly have liked this car.
At a glance
Top speed
Over 202mph
0-62mph
3.2 seconds
Economy
22.6mpg combined
C02
290g/km
Engine
5.2-litre V10 petrol
Transmission
Seven-speed dual-clutch automatic driving all four wheels
Power
602bhp
Maximum torque
412lb/ft
Price
From €250,000