Replacing the Gallardo is the toughest job Lamborghini has faced in decades; almost 15,000 Gallardos were produced making it comfortably the most successful Lamborghini ever made, so clearly that recipe was spot on.
But the bigger Aventador showed that it could keep the Lamborghini soul while increasing the amount of Audi elements within.
That means the Huracan is new, inside and out. The spectacular exterior is all-new, underneath it’s a new mix of carbon-fibre and aluminium and the engine is an updated take on the V10 naturally aspirated theme. More importantly the example tested was right-hand drive and driven on UK roads.
The Gallardo was a beautiful machine and the Aventador a jaw-slackening full-fat supercar, the Huracan shows the influence of both.
It is dramatic from nose to tail, with an almost uninterrupted line running from front to rear. It’s also peppered with hexagonal details which has become something of a motif.
It wouldn’t be a Lamborghini without stopping traffic and the Huracan does just that; it’s the poster on your bedroom wall made real.
Modern supercars are far better than their predecessors for swallowing your chattels but the Huracan is still a car mostly filled with engine and some room for passengers. Driver and passenger are ensconced by the large transmission tunnel, but it’s snug rather than cramped. There’s 100 litres of space in the boot and if you’re really keen you can squeeze small items behind the seats, but this is a car for the right occasion.
Summer in northern Italy is one thing but how does the Huracan cope with winter in the UK? Firstly it’s not intimidating; yes it’s wide, and you’re also particularly aware of how low it is but there’s no histrionics. The V10 is tractable, the four-wheel-drive is reassuring and the steering is accurate. You can even specify a lifting kit to raise the nose to avoid speed humps.
Head out of the city and the Huracan is always willing to flex its muscles. Giving the V10 a chance to sing is a special experience, and is a reminder why naturally aspirated engines will always trump turbos when it comes to stirring the soul.
No surprise either that it is terrifically fast – 0-62mph is blitzed in 3.2 seconds and it will pass 200mph flat out.
The speed is incredible but this is a Lamborghini tamed. Whether you’re in Strada or the more aggressive Sport mode you feel the Huracan is on your side. Slippery British roads hold no fear and performance can be exploited in a variety of conditions; few cars could cover the ground so quickly.
The price tag of circa £180,000 is par for the course at this performance level. This is a car made of exotic materials, capable of more than 200mph and also of stopping traffic with its looks.
The standard specification is as generous as you might expect too, with the only significant options worth worrying about being that lifter kit and the highest level of theft protection.
There’s a piece of pub wisdom that suggests Lamborghinis are supercars for poseurs rather than drivers, but that’s not only incorrect it also does a great disservice to the breed.
If anything the Huracan, and the Aventador, are supercars for the child in you; the unbridled enthusiasm and wonder that made you fall for them in the first place. It’s a shame that you probably have to be nudging 40 to have the cash to buy one, but that’s just the price of making your dreams come true.
THE FACTS
Model: Lamborghini Huracan LP 610-4
Price: £180,720
Engine: 5.2-litre petrol unit producing 602bhp and 413lb/ft of torque
Performance: Top speed 202mph, 0-62mph in 3.2 seconds
Economy: 22.6mpg combined
CO2 rating: 290g/km