Lamborghini has unveiled a “mid-cycle refresh” of the Huracan. The new entry-level supercar from the Italian manufacturer will be called the Huracan Evo. Although it shares the basic structure and drivetrain with the standard car, the differences between them are worlds apart as we shall discuss later.
The original Huracan (LP 610-4) launched back in 2014 as a replacement for the outgoing Lamborghini Gallardo. It featured a completely new design and a reworked 5.2-litre N/A V10 producing 610bhp. Then came a rear-wheel-drive version called the LP 580-2 in 2016. It had a slight decrease in power (580) but saved 73 lbs over the standard car.
Then, in 2017, came the track-focused version called the Huracan Performanté (LP 640-4). It had the same V10 engine as the other variants except that it now made 640bhp. It also introduced Lamborghini’s Active Aerodynamics called Aerodinamica Lamborghini Attiva (ALA), which allowed it to set a production car lap record at the Nürburgring at that time.
Now, in 2019, we get the Evo. It features the same engine found in the Performanté and makes the same amount of power. The gearbox is the same 7-speed dual-clutch automatic found in all other Huracan models and it powers all 4 wheels. 0-60 happens in 2.9 seconds and flat-out, it achieves a top speed of 202 mph. That’s all impressive but it looks like its no different from the previous Huracans, except that it is. Let’s have a look at what’s new.
Exterior
The front and back ends of the Evo have been changed for better aerodynamics. It has a redesigned front fascia with a new front splitter and air intakes. Apart from giving the Evo a fresh look, it is functional as well. The splitter has an integrated wing which, along with the new underbody will provide additional front-end downforce.
Same goes for the rear where the Evo only maintains the same mid-mounted exhausts from the Performanté. The rest is all new. Now there’s a fixed ducktail spoiler which works with the new rear diffuser to create a Venturi Effect for minimal drag. It also creates more downforce at the same time which is always better for grip during high-speed cornering.
Interior
There isn’t much change in the interior. It has the same great cabin found in the original Huracan except for an 8.4-inch touchscreen in the centre console. It controls all your infotainment features including the climate control. For added convenience, it also comes with Apple CarPlay as well as multi-touch gesture support. Gestures allow you to, say, change the media volume by a double-finger swipe up or down for increasing or decreasing audio respectively.
Performance
Ah now to the part which really matters. I’ve mentioned earlier that the Evo has the same engine as all the other Huracans. It makes the same power output as the Performanté but doesn’t have its clever active aerodynamics. The gearbox is the same 7-speed unit as well. So does that mean it’s the same car with some minor changes? No.
The Evo comes with some tricks of its own which help it stand out and even possibly outperform all the previous Huracan models. The most significant one being the rear-wheel steering. Lamborghini debuted this technology in their Aventador S, which came out back in 2016 and now the Huracan has inherited it. It helps a lot in both high-speed cornering and low-speed manoeuvring making an already daily-drivable supercar even more versatile.
That’s not all. All new in the Evo is a series of computers called the Lamborghini Dinamica Veicolo Integrata (LDVI), which monitor and actuate all handling characteristics of the car. From the traction control to the all-wheel-drive system and even the all-wheel steering. LDVI has got you covered. It also monitors the user inputs and adapts to particular circumstances to an extent that it can even predict what’s going to happen before it has happened.
This makes the Huracan Evo quite a track weapon. In fact, Lamborghini has even claimed it to be 3 seconds faster than the original LP 610-4 around the Nardo Test Track. However, this does not make the Evo undrivable on the road. In Strada (street) mode, it’s much more tamed and comfortable than the Performanté.
Price
The base price before taxes and options is just over $260,000. This places the Huracan Evo in the same ballpark as the Ferrari 488 GTB and the McLaren 720S. That is one tough competition to beat especially in terms of performance. However, the Evo is no slouch and will surely give the other two a run for their money, primarily on the track.