There was time during the Silverstone Blancpain Endurance Series meeting for David Lord and I to take a brief spin (not literally, honest guv!) in the new Lamborghini Huracan.
40 minutes or so on the byways around Silverstone revealed a number of things about the new ‘baby’ Lambo.
Firstly (and OK the bright green paintwork helped!) this thing draws looks like nothing else I have ever experienced. Bystanders no doubt confused me with a ‘new money’ playboy rather than the portly and impoverished motorsport hack that was actually pedalling the V10 engined beast.
Secondly this car, despite sharing much with the Audi R8 V10 (a car for which this writer has massive respect), is an altogether different animal, and I DO mean animal.
Make no mistake, this car may have a 7 speed automatic dual clutch transmission as standard (no manual option is offered) but this is ALL sportscar!
Massive power (602 bhp) and astounding acceleration (to exactly 70 mph obviously!) make the Huracan feel like an R8 switched up to Bonkers. Straight line performance is simply astonishing, and the car has grip to spare too.
Ultimate handling wasn’t a test that was on the agenda but it was clear even from our brief blast that the Huracan delivers all that you’d hope for and expect from a real world supercar.
This is a stiff and wieldy sportscar so quality of ride is always going to be a compromise, you may not feel quite every ridge and bump, and when you do it isn’t jarring, but it is no magic carpet. Then again this is a Lamborghini not a Citroen, and the former does have its compensations!
The interior is stunning, fabulously supportive seats, switchgear that looks jet fighter purposeful (though I did struggle to find the window switches at first!) and some little touches that raise a smile, including the start button, styled along the lines of a missile firing button!
Some of the interior is recognisably Audi-derived but that’s no bad thing, Audi interiors are amongst the very, very best, and sufficient trouble has been taken to sprinkle some additional sparkle to get the Lamborghini from the lamp.
All in all this is a VERY impressive piece of engineering, add in the automotive sculpture that it is wrapped in and there’s little doubt that the Huracan is destined for a billion bedroom walls in exactly the same way as the Countach was back in my pre-teen day, the difference though is simple. I no longer want a Countach, but I REALLY want a Huracan!
GG
