Driving The Lamborghini Huracán - Fifth Gear

**Lamborghini Huracán: A Test of Power, Performance, and Legacy**

The name "Huracán" is not just a Spanish word for hurricane; it also refers to a legendary fighting bull known for its courage and ferocity. Now, this name has been bestowed upon a car that carries the legacy of Lamborghini—a marque synonymous with power, luxury, and innovation. The Huracán or Huracán LP 610-4, as it is officially called, is the successor to the iconic Gallardo, which was in production for an impressive 13 years and sold over 14,000 units—more than any other Lamborghini model. With so much riding on its name, the Huracán has a lot to live up to. In this article, we will take you through a detailed exploration of the car's performance, design, and driving dynamics, based on the full transcription of our test drive in the scenic surroundings of Cape Town, South Africa.

### A Day with theHuracán LP 610-4: Power and Performance

The Huracán’s powertrain is a beastly 5.2-liter naturally aspirated V10 engine, which has been carried over from its predecessor but extensively modified for enhanced performance. The result? An impressive 610 horsepower, enabling the car to accelerate from 0 to 62 mph in just 3.2 seconds and reach a top speed of 202 mph. Compared to its biggest rival, the Ferrari 458 Italia, the Huracán holds its own—boasting 40 more horsepower and being two-tenths quicker off the line, while matching the Ferrari's top speed. Priced at £180,000, the Huracán is only £2,000 more expensive than its Italian rival, making it a compelling choice for those seeking raw power and performance.

### Design and Features: A Blend of Functionality and Style

Inside the cockpit, the Huracán offers an enveloping sports seat experience, clad in quality leather with hexagonal design cues that add to the car’s aesthetic appeal. The driving environment is further enhanced by a jet fighter-style startup sequence, which adds a touch of theater to the驾驶体验. The car’s exterior design, while not dramatically different from its predecessor, features a more aggressive front end treatment, which, in certain colors like Italian orange or green, could make it stand out even more. However, in our test model, painted in matte black, it blended seamlessly with the stunning South African scenery.

The Huracán’s lightweight construction, thanks to liberal use of carbon fiber and aluminum, keeps its weight at 1422 kilograms, resulting in a power-to-weight ratio of an impressive 29 horsepower per ton. This not only aids performance but also contributes to improved fuel efficiency, which is 10% better than the Gallardo.

### Handling and Dynamics: A Balance of Excitement and Predictability

On the road, the Huracán impresses with its handling characteristics. The car’s permanent four-wheel drive ensures excellent traction, even when pushing it to the limit. However, a slight understeer tendency at higher speeds can be felt, which, while not dangerous, might disappoint purist drivers expecting more edgy behavior from a supercar. The Huracán’s predictability and safety features make it a refined choice for those who prioritize reliability over raw excitement.

The car’s ride quality is smooth, even on the winding roads of the Kogelberg Nature Reserve, where we tested it. The suspension setup allows for adaptability through various driving modes—Strada (street), Sport, and Corsa (race). While the Sport mode is suitable for public roads, theCorsa setting offers a stiffer ride for those seeking a more aggressive driving experience.

### Technical Enhancements: A Step Forward

One of the most notable improvements over the Gallardo is the Huracán’s new 7-speed dual-clutch gearbox, which replaces the clunky single-clutch system of its predecessor. The paddle shifters, while functional, are fixed to the steering column, a feature that could be improved by allowing them to move with the steering wheel for better ergonomics.

The car also features carbon ceramic brakes as standard—a significant upgrade from competitors who often charge extra for this feature. These brakes provide excellent stopping power and add to the Huracán’s overall confidence-inspiring performance.

### Aesthetic Considerations: Subtle Evolution

While the Huracán’s design is evolutionary rather than revolutionary, it does introduce some intriguing creases and details that set it apart from its predecessor. However, in our test model painted in matte black, the car didn’t quite stand out as much as it could have with brighter or more vibrant colors.

### Final Thoughts: A Supercar for the Masses?

At the end of the day, the Huracán is a refined supercar that delivers on performance and luxury while maintaining a balance between excitement and predictability. While purists might crave a wilder ride, theHuracán’s more tempered approach to driving dynamics is likely to appeal to a broader audience. Lamborghini has clearly aimed to create a car that is as practical as it is powerful, which could contribute to its success in the market.

In conclusion, the Huracán LP 610-4 is a worthy successor to the Gallardo, offering improvements in performance, technology, and efficiency while maintaining the essence of what makes a Lamborghini. Whether you’re seeking thrills on the road or simply want to turn heads with its iconic design, theHuracán delivers in spades.

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enthis is the Spanish word for hurricane which is fitting because the car that bears its name goes like the wind but more importantly it's also the name of a famous fighting bull revered for its courage and ferocity that can only mean one thing this is a Lamborghini there's a huge amount riding on the Huracan or Huracan LP 610 4 to give its full name as it replaces the Gerardo a model that was in production for some 13 years which Lamborghini sold 14,000 models more than any other Lambo so I've got a day to tell you whether they've got the Huracan right and whether it deserves the same success as its predecessor and I've got the perfect road to test it on a smooth ribbon of tarmac southeast of Cape Town the borders the Atlantic Ocean and takes me through the kögel Berg Nature Reserve supercars don't exist to be practical or economical or easy to park they exist to excite there's plenty to inspire you inside this quality cockpit with these enveloping sport seats clad in quality leather there's some lovely hexagonal design cues from the mirror on this row of toggle switches leads you down to the jet fighter style start up now that wasn't me blipping the throttle and the engine started it's what it does automatically unfortunately when the revs dropped down a tick over on the inside it does sound a bit like a sewing machine the Hurricanes power is provided by a normally aspirated 5.2 liter v10 engine that's carried over from the Guyardo but with considerable modifications to the cylinder head and exhaust the result 610 horsepower the launch due to 62 in just 3.2 seconds and if you so wish take you on to 202 miles an hour and now a few ribs on the clock that sounds more like a veto should so how does that compare with the card biggest rival the Ferrari four five eight Italia well pretty favorably because the Lambo has 40 more horsepower and is 2/10 quicker to 62 miles an hour top speeds are the same and with a price tag of 180,000 pounds Huracan costs just two thousand more whilst the Ferrari has his little manatee nose switch to change the cars setup the Lamborghini has an anima yes I did say a number about in Italian it means soul but that does the same thing also the car's engine mapping those suspension the gearbox the steering and the traction control the softer setting is strana means street in the middle we got sport which means sport on the hardest setting Corsa which means race but to be honest the most public post the course are setting is premature stiff dr. Dorian deep damage or liberal use of carbon fibre and aluminium keeps the Hurricanes weight down to 1422 kilograms and that adds up to a power-to-weight ratio a full twenty nine horsepower per tonne so here you ask how does it handle well on these public roads in South Africa pushy right the limit if I do turn it a little bit quick I can feel that front just washing out with a tendency to understeer the car won't frighten you to death and with permanent four-wheel drive there's no shortage of traction but for me that's slight disappointment very safe very predictable that's not exciting enough for the purist driver and if a modest I'm not that excited about the cars looks neither styling wise or plenty of it intriguing creases wherever you look and some another neat touch is inspired by the mirror but overall it doesn't look dramatically different to the guy I'd replaces apart perhaps for more aggressive front end treatment if it was in Italian orange or green I might be more taken by it but in matte black it doesn't really do justice to the stunning scenery behind it the hurricane comes with carbon ceramic brakes fitted and standard something which is often at five to ten thousand an option in some super girls and they really do provide a reassuring strong brake pedal and for those who care fuel economy is ten percent better than the old car there's even stop stark system stop-start system in a Lamborghini one change that's definitely for the better is that like mckinney of finally drop their clunky single clutch gear flappy pedal system and install the power is excellent 7-speed dual-clutch full throttle up chips flipping down ships and you don't feel a single one of them unfortunately they've still left the paddles stuck the steering column and beautiful there they are I want them to move with the steering wheel so does the Huracan excite me the way a supercar should at the end of the day much as I'm enjoying driving this new baby Lamborghini it's been Anita sighs this new Huracan doesn't look wild enough it doesn't sound loud enough it doesn't feel edgy enough but that's exactly what Lamborghini intended because the less edge it is the more hurricanes they'll sell I'm not normally a fan of v10 engines that don't normally sound as good as a v8 my view but this one sounds pretty goodthis is the Spanish word for hurricane which is fitting because the car that bears its name goes like the wind but more importantly it's also the name of a famous fighting bull revered for its courage and ferocity that can only mean one thing this is a Lamborghini there's a huge amount riding on the Huracan or Huracan LP 610 4 to give its full name as it replaces the Gerardo a model that was in production for some 13 years which Lamborghini sold 14,000 models more than any other Lambo so I've got a day to tell you whether they've got the Huracan right and whether it deserves the same success as its predecessor and I've got the perfect road to test it on a smooth ribbon of tarmac southeast of Cape Town the borders the Atlantic Ocean and takes me through the kögel Berg Nature Reserve supercars don't exist to be practical or economical or easy to park they exist to excite there's plenty to inspire you inside this quality cockpit with these enveloping sport seats clad in quality leather there's some lovely hexagonal design cues from the mirror on this row of toggle switches leads you down to the jet fighter style start up now that wasn't me blipping the throttle and the engine started it's what it does automatically unfortunately when the revs dropped down a tick over on the inside it does sound a bit like a sewing machine the Hurricanes power is provided by a normally aspirated 5.2 liter v10 engine that's carried over from the Guyardo but with considerable modifications to the cylinder head and exhaust the result 610 horsepower the launch due to 62 in just 3.2 seconds and if you so wish take you on to 202 miles an hour and now a few ribs on the clock that sounds more like a veto should so how does that compare with the card biggest rival the Ferrari four five eight Italia well pretty favorably because the Lambo has 40 more horsepower and is 2/10 quicker to 62 miles an hour top speeds are the same and with a price tag of 180,000 pounds Huracan costs just two thousand more whilst the Ferrari has his little manatee nose switch to change the cars setup the Lamborghini has an anima yes I did say a number about in Italian it means soul but that does the same thing also the car's engine mapping those suspension the gearbox the steering and the traction control the softer setting is strana means street in the middle we got sport which means sport on the hardest setting Corsa which means race but to be honest the most public post the course are setting is premature stiff dr. Dorian deep damage or liberal use of carbon fibre and aluminium keeps the Hurricanes weight down to 1422 kilograms and that adds up to a power-to-weight ratio a full twenty nine horsepower per tonne so here you ask how does it handle well on these public roads in South Africa pushy right the limit if I do turn it a little bit quick I can feel that front just washing out with a tendency to understeer the car won't frighten you to death and with permanent four-wheel drive there's no shortage of traction but for me that's slight disappointment very safe very predictable that's not exciting enough for the purist driver and if a modest I'm not that excited about the cars looks neither styling wise or plenty of it intriguing creases wherever you look and some another neat touch is inspired by the mirror but overall it doesn't look dramatically different to the guy I'd replaces apart perhaps for more aggressive front end treatment if it was in Italian orange or green I might be more taken by it but in matte black it doesn't really do justice to the stunning scenery behind it the hurricane comes with carbon ceramic brakes fitted and standard something which is often at five to ten thousand an option in some super girls and they really do provide a reassuring strong brake pedal and for those who care fuel economy is ten percent better than the old car there's even stop stark system stop-start system in a Lamborghini one change that's definitely for the better is that like mckinney of finally drop their clunky single clutch gear flappy pedal system and install the power is excellent 7-speed dual-clutch full throttle up chips flipping down ships and you don't feel a single one of them unfortunately they've still left the paddles stuck the steering column and beautiful there they are I want them to move with the steering wheel so does the Huracan excite me the way a supercar should at the end of the day much as I'm enjoying driving this new baby Lamborghini it's been Anita sighs this new Huracan doesn't look wild enough it doesn't sound loud enough it doesn't feel edgy enough but that's exactly what Lamborghini intended because the less edge it is the more hurricanes they'll sell I'm not normally a fan of v10 engines that don't normally sound as good as a v8 my view but this one sounds pretty good\n"