Driving the 610-hp Lamborghini Huracán, love at first sting

Ten years, 14,022 cars later, the Lamborghini Gallardo's time has run out. And its successor, the Huracán, arrives as Lamborghini’s key weapon in the escalating battle for supercar dominance. Its path to this point has been troubled, with some suggesting it looks too safe, too subdued. “Where’s the madness?” a famous British journalist on the verge of unemployment recently said.

While I drove the new Huracán through the sleepy mountain roads of southern Spain last week, with fellow motorists skirting sheer cliff faces in an attempt to capture that brief, glorious Instagram flick, it was clear to me that the madness was alive and well. The Huracán is good for more than just theatrics.

This includes immense speed, thanks to 610 hp deriving from a 5.2-liter naturally-aspirated V-10. In a world of engines losing size and cylinders while adding turbochargers the size of Eric Cartman’s head, it’s refreshing to hear a ten-cylinder howl. Statisticians will notice a 58-hp gain over the Gallardo, while simpletons like myself determine the increased punch via the perceived neck strain – and the 3.2-second 0-62 mph time.
 
Ultimately surpassing 200 mph, the Huracán, named after a fighting bull from 1879, could be described as eye-meltingly fast, but its other attributes are what grab your attention most:

Like the first time you barrel into the sweeping turns five and six at the Ascari racetrack, balancing the supercar via both feet like a fighter pilot, sensing the car’s inherent grip and its fine balance. The all-wheel drive system equates to understeer, but not to the degree one might expect. During the bend, the torque does vary minutely between the front and rear axle, which can add some unpredictability to the mix. But the rear wheels are so planted you don’t care. You just attack the next turn harder, because you can, and because the car dares you to.

Lamborghinis of old, and their accompanying single-clutch gearbox, ripped your head off with every shift. It was brutal, and yet engineers claimed it increased driver engagement. Finally, the folks at Sant'Agata listened to the cries from chiropractor clinics, and granted the Huracán a new dual-clutch 7-speed transmission. While it might not match Porsche's PDK for speed, it's not far behind. And you can change gear while cornering without locking the rear wheels and reversing into a tire barrier. It still features a kick, only one that doesn't invite migraines. If there's one aspect of this car that stands tall among the various improvements, it's this gearbox.