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I haven’t had a spirited drive in a Lamborghini on the road in a very long time.
In fact it was so long ago, the cars I got to blast around Germany in were the then-new Gallardo and the somewhat older Murcielago.
Since then, thanks to the new custodians of the Lamborghini brand in South Africa, which are the same people behind the successful Porsche and Bentley operations locally, I got to sample the Huracan and the Aventador on a race track last year.
And now I can finally say that I have once again been given a proper drive on the road, this time in and around the Western Cape, in the hugely impressive Huracan Performnate Coupe, and what a drive it was! Over 100 years ago, on April 28, 1916 to be exact, Ferruccio Lamborghini was born in Italy.
After World War II, Lamborghini founded a business making tractors from reconfigured surplus military machines, near Bologna, Italy. He later expanded into other ventures, including manufacturing air-conditioning and heating systems and grew rich. Lamborghini’s success enabled him to purchase a variety of luxury sports cars, including a Ferrari, considered one of the top cars of the time.
After experiencing mechanical difficulties with his Ferrari, Lamborghini decided to start his own rival sports car company, even hiring a former top Ferrari engineer.
Automobili Lamborghini was officially established in 1963 in Sant’Agata Bolognese, Italy and the same year debuted its first car, the Lamborghini 350 GTV, a two-seater coupe with a V12 engine.
The company’s logo featured a bull, a reference to Ferruccio Lamborghini’s zodiac sign, Taurus the bull. It is almost impossible to believe that a little car company that started out building tractors evolved into the same company that today builds such sought-after high-tech machines that are as home on the track as they are on the road. So, what sets the Peformante apart from its standard Huracan sibling?
First up, the Performante makes use of forged composites, which is chopped carbon fibres embedded in a resin matrix that allows the creation of complex design parts all within a light weight structure.
The weight reduction of doing things this way comes in at 21%, compared with traditional carbon fibre construction of the same part while maintaining the same stiffness. This technology is unique in the automotive industry and in 2016 Lamborghini received an award for automotive innovation thanks to this patented new material. The front and rear spoiler, the engine cover and the rear bumper, including the aerodynamic diffuser, make extensive use of this material and it’s not just for looks, but mostly for function and a 40kg drop in weight.
Anybody who knows anything about making a car fast and nimble knows that you need less weight, proper aerodynamics, useable power and a way to get that to the ground. And this has been achieved by the Lamborghini Huracan Performante in no uncertain terms.
This car has lapped the Nurburgring in a time of 6:52.01, a time that has only been improved on by Porsche’s GT2 RS and the Lamborghini Aventador SVJ, making it the third quickest production car around this benchmark setting track.
Aerodynamics like you see in F1 racing is one of the most important keys to getting around a track fast and also from A to B should you be in that kind of hurry. Lamborghini have used another patent in their active aerodynamic system to allow you to be as fast as possible and as stable as possible no matter where you are using the car.
This very clever system that does its job without you being able to notice its transition from off to on and back again is known as Aerodinamica Lamborghini Attiva (ALA). I could spend a page or two giving you the details of exactly how this works, but I think it best for me to just say that the air flow is controlled by electro-actuated flaps and channeled in and around the front and rear spoilers.
And this in turn creates down force or reduces the down force as required on the front and back of the car. The numbers read as follows: there is an increase of 750% of vertical downforce being applied at the back when compared to car with no rear wing configuration, a decrease of 80% in weight when compared to a traditional aero system that is activated by hydraulic actuators and it can be actuated in less than 500ms.
The retuned suspension is 10% stiffer in terms of vertical movement and 15% stiffer when it comes to body roll. The lateral control of the car has been increased by 50%, while the electronic power steering has been recalibrated, which in turn can be further dialed in to meet your specific needs via the three driving modes, Strada, Sport & Corsa. And as a result, these three driving modes all offer a unique feel with Strada being the one you want for town.
Not only has the traction and stability been optimised here, the car’s suspension is also in its most complaint mode. But make no mistake, this car is firm regardless. Then Sport lets the power shift more readily
to the rear wheels and allow for a bit more oversteer, so you can hang the tail and behave like a hooligan if you have the cash to replace your car should you get it wrong. I don’t have the R6 095 000 that it would require to do this, so I chose the Corsa track focused and proper firm mode for most of my spirited type driving, as I really enjoyed the ridiculous amount of mechanical grip the Huracan Performante had on offer when set up in all-wheel drive like this.
Not once, even when pushing hard, did I even see the traction control light flash or the Pirelli PZero Corsa tyres squeal The only thing better than the handling, is the experience of the heart of this beast pounding your eardrums. Throw the radio away. We never even switched it on, as this car growls and snarls in ways that would simply not be considered acceptable in polite company.
But who buys a raging bull to appease the snowflakes out there? Nobody, that’s who, and I loved every moment of it. The 470 kW/600Nm naturally aspirated 5.2-litre V10, which also happens to be the most powerful V10 ever used by Lamborghini doesn’t just bark, it bites too with a claimed 0 to 100km/h time of just 2.9 seconds and a 325km/h top speed.
If you really care how economical it is, I can say “them horses need to be fed lots at 9000 rpm” and if this concerns you, then an electric car should be in your future plans rather. I haven’t forgotten the interior of the car, other than to say the experience is all about the driver and driving.
There isn’t a million things going on terms of electronic distractions. You don’t want to be talking to this car and asking it to check your email. You want to drive it without distractions. What is worth mentioning is the fact that Italians being Italians means that not much in terms of how the switchgear, or the starting procedure, or the indicators, or pretty much anything else happens like you would expect.
Up is down, and down is up, but that is one of those little idiosyncrasies that you get for free when you own a car like this. Lamborhini probably sum this Huracan Performante up best when they say: “When we speak about the performance of a car, data sheets alone are not enough.
Weight, power, acceleration, top speed and braking are important of course, but not enough. A Lamborghini must deliver driving emotion and absolute performance, every system: powertrain, chassis, braking – every single innovation has to interact in a seamless way, like a symphony orchestra, to deliver perfect performance for the car.
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