What's all this about?
Lamborghini is going to do a rear-wheel drive version of the Huracan. And it has been revealed at... no, not at Los Angeles, but at a private reveal event ahead of the show.
Superb - does it have the same horsepower as the four-wheel drive Huracan?
No, not quite, and the clue's in the name. The new vehicle is the LP 580-2, whereas the existing Huracan is the 610-4, and that means the normally aspirated V10 is 'detuned' to 580hp and 540Nm. There are some benefits, though.
Such as?
Such as it's 33kg lighter than the 610-4, at 1,389kg, and it's, er... easier on fuel. Only marginally, mind, as 23.7mpg and 278g/km CO2 (290g/km for the 610) are hardly the stuff of legend.
How's the performance?
Blistering. Equipped with the same seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox as the all-wheel drive model, it's just 0.2 seconds down on the LP 610-4 for 0-62mph and 3mph slower flat out, the 580's stats pegged at 3.4 seconds and 199mph. Weight is distributed 40:60 front-to-rear and Lambo says it has engineered the car to oversteer if provoked. Which is nice.
Can you spot one externally?
If you look very closely at an LP 580-2 next to a 610-4, you might; different front air intakes, 19-inch 'Kari' alloys in bespoke Pirelli P Zero rubber and a subtly revised rear end are all part of a package that is designed to both push as much downforce on the rear axle as possible, and give the car plenty of grip.
Have we got an indication of price yet?
It should cost significantly less than the £180,000 required for an LP 610-4. Let's hope for something around £130- to £140k, then, when it goes on sale next year.
Matt Robinson - 17 Nov 2015
