LA show: Lamborghini outs rear-drive Huracan

LAMBORGHINI’S Huracan range has grown to three with the unveiling of the rear-wheel-drive version of its coupe, dubbed LP 580-2, on the eve of the Los Angeles motor show.

Arriving hard on the heels of the Huracan Spyder that materialised at the Frankfurt motor show in September, the two-wheel-drive Huracan coupe will become the new entry point to the Italian super sportscar range when it hits showrooms in 2016.

The exact arrival date in Australia is yet to be advised, but the pricing has already been set at $378,900 plus on-road costs, making it $49,100 cheaper than the $428,000 all-wheel-drive LP 610-4 coupe.

Together with the drop-top Huracan Spyder that will be priced at $470,800 when deliveries of that variant start in the second quarter of next year, the rear-drive LP 580-2 looks set to help Lamborghini Australia to continue its record-breaking sales run into 2016.

So far this year, the company has sold 84 Huracans and Aventadors – up 250 per cent on the 24 sold in the same period last year.

Compared with all-wheel-drive Huracans, the rear-wheel-drive Huracan LP 580-2 gets a slightly detuned version of the mid-mounted 5.2-litre V10 engine, producing 426kW of power and 540Nm of torque. This represents a cut of 23kW and 20Nm over the all-paw LP 610-4 coupe.

However, at 1389kg in dry weight form, it is 33kg lighter than the AWD coupe, mainly thanks to fewer driveline parts, and just 0.2 seconds slower from standstill to 100km/h, at 3.4 seconds. Top speed is 320km/h.

Like all other Huracans, the LP 580-2 gets a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission as standard fare. No manual gearbox is available.

Lamborghini promises the new variant will deliver a highly involving driving experience.

Automobili Lamborghini president and CEO Stephan Winkelmann said the latest Huracan continued the Lamborghini tradition of pure, visionary and technology-driven models”.

“The rear-wheel drive model fits perfectly into our Huracan family, appealing to those wanting an even more intense driving experience, or who currently drive other rear-wheel-drive marques and aspire to driving a Lamborghini,” he said.

“This is the purest expression of a Lamborghini to date, with class-leading technological refinements. It is a serious car for serious drivers: it is maximum driving fun.”The LP 580-2 is lighter than other Huracans over the front wheels, resulting in a 40-60 weight distribution.

To offset the lighter front end, the front fascia has been redesigned to provide move downforce.

At the rear, a lip spoiler and underbody diffuser help to keep the rear wheels planted without the need for a raised spoiler.

Apart from the engine recalibration, the suspension, steering, traction control and stability control systems have all been modified to suit the new layout.

As well, the three-mode driving control system, offering Strada (street), Sport and Corsa (track) settings, have been tuned “to provide oversteering characteristics, emphasising authentic rear-wheel drive behavior”.

New 19-inch alloy wheels with specially developed Pirelli P-Zero tyres provide contact with the tarmac, while steel brake discs with lightweight aluminium callipers with eight pistons on the front and four on the rear put a halt to proceedings.

Because of its low mass, the LP 580-2 is the most fuel efficient Lamborghini yet launched, sucking 11.9 litres per 100km on the European combined test scale – a sizeable 0.6L/100km less than its all-wheel-drive coupe sibling.

Like other Huracans, the rear-drive version has a body fashioned from a hybrid of carbon-fibre and aluminium for maximum strength and minimum weight.

The options list includes magnetic ride control suspension. A full list of body colour choices will be available, including bespoke colours at extra cost.

Ultimately, a two-wheel-drive version of the Spyder should appear too, but Lamborghini is not saying when that might be.