Lamborghini Huracan Test Drive

Huracan . A wind that blows you away?

Lamborghini have launched their new ‘baby’ car being the replacement for the Gallardo. The tech specs for the car are interesting but as always don’t tell you what a car is like to drive in the real world on UK roads. 

The car is probably the best looking that Lamborghini has produced in a long time. It looks beautiful from every angle. Quite rare in a car. It is also relatively small for cars of this type, as was the Gallardo, which makes it easier to use an everyday car or normal use and parking. The Aventador looks too big beside it making it more of a special occasion car, which you couldn’t easily park or leave on a street. 

Inside the quality has improved over the early pre production cars which I sat in. The fit and finish is excellent. The digital dashboard works really well and is clear, obvious and informative without being OTT or minimalist. The view forward is perhaps more ‘letterbox’ than say a 458, and the rear view through the slatted engine cover restricted by design. The car however is easy to place and use in country roads without worrying over width as you would do in an Aventador or a 458. That makes a big difference in ordinary driving, in much the same way a threading say a Fiat Panda through a city compared to a 5 series. 

The car comes with the new dual clutch 7 speed gearbox, compared to the old single clunk in the Gallardo. It is superb. Seamless shifts and instantly able to do up or down shifts with no perceptible lag. Down shifts are accompanied by blips and popping , which can be a bit too much when going through town and probably unnecessary in all but hard driving. I am not sure if that can be toned down or switched to ‘normal’ down shifts. 
The performance is very much in the ‘ blow you away’ category, hence the name Huracan seems very apt. It is simply, any speed, any time, anywhere it explodes away from depressing the pedal. Down changes are instantaneous. Such is the power even going through four wheels, that you feel the electronic safety gizmos switching in as you get mild slides at the back on cambered roads. It feels significantly faster than the Garrado and in reality just as fast as the Aventador in most normal usage up to 130 mph. Clearly the big beast with near 700 bhp is faster overall, but for 95% of the time, in particular, on public roads you will never know! Unless you want to spend long periods of time in prison, such is our courts attitude to speed as opposed to the awful standards of driving. 

To try and put this into context. Let’s assume most of us have experience driving or being in powerful 250bhp hatches or saloons. It is not just doubling that experience, but rather tripling it in sensation terms. This is a car ONLY designed to go ridiculously fast. Not a car designed for shopping in family transport that someone warmed up, with the inherent compromises. One could rationally argue it is as fast as anyone needs to have for road use. It’s faster than that! 

Many hot hatches have significant compromises in ride to facilitate the handling. The late great motoring journalist LJK Setright used to bemoan the use of anti roll bars as a mechanism for restricting the suspensions actions. He was right. Too often ‘ fast’ cars have tied down suspension to achieve cornering prowess at the expense of finesses. Modern electronic dampers appear to meet these concerns. The Huracan has a tied down feeling to the suspension, but with an acceptable ride. It isn’t as accomplished as the 458 or McLaren both of which have sublime rides for such skinny tyres, but it is very good. Defiantly an ‘every day’ ride quality. The main difference from its key rivals is the 4wd. Whilst every 4wd will usually understeer, the reality here is that the limits are so far from what you need on a public road that largely it is irrelevant. Whilst the electronics trickery of the rivals will keep you as safe as 4wd in most situations, the redundant capability and safety of 4wd, in wet and slippery conditions makes this much more an ‘ everyday’ car than the others. Electronic trickery is fine but capability matters more. 
The chances of most people ever finding the limits on a public road are remote. However, when you need capability, it is there. Looking at the number of crashed Gallardos and other super cars, some think them invincible. Frankly it’s rubbish. Nothing is impervious to the laws of physics. In most of these cars you just are breaking those laws at higher velocity! If you really want to drive that hard then go to a track. This isn’t a track car, nor should it be. 
The overall balance is safe, consistent and competent for the performance. That in itself is an achievement, such is the performance envelope. 

How can I sum this car up for you?

Beauty with Staggering performance, with the capability and ability to exploit it. If you need more, buy an 918 or a fighter plane! 

Would I buy one? Yes!