While some high-profile customers are being shown the soon to be released Lamborghini Huracan Performante during VIP events, the journalists from Automobili Magazine were offered the chance of actually driving a prototype of this new lightweight V10 edition on the famous Imola race track last December.
Lamborghini’s chief of Research and Development, Maurizio Reggiani was present for this event, and he could give some amazing information on just about how special the new Huracan Performante actually is … a street legal Super Trofeo racecar that has been modified extensively compared to the regular Huracan V10 model.
The official public introduction of the Lamborghini Huracan Performante is foreseen for the 2017 Geneva Motor Show next March, and while in the Gallardo series the Superleggera and Performante labels were used for a lighter model with a slight increase in power … with the Huracan Performante we are looking at an almost completely different car altogether.
The Huracan Performante will be the first Lamborghini to bring us ALA, short for Active Lamborghini Aerodynamics, while driving the aerodynamics of this V10 can be modified to offer better cornering, handling, and high-speed stability … most of this smart system is hidden on this Raging Bull.
First up some figures on power for this new V10 model … maximum power output has been increased from 610hp to 670hp (a 10% increase) while torque went from 580Nm to 630Nm, and that extra power coupled to the active aerodynamic system makes all the difference when it comes to driving at the limit.
While cornering at high speed the aero vectoring system will shift load onto the inner wheel by changing the position of flaps at the front, axle lift is effectively countered by closing these front flaps using a fast, single electric motor.
The rear wing is another masterpiece of aerodynamic design, consisting of a hollow profile with two separate sections and narrow slots running the full width of this aerofoil … the struts are an intricate part of this system … at speed the air entering the rear wing gets compressed before it exits, creating more downforce … in the Sport setting the air flaps open to increase downforce up to 180 Km/h (112 Mph) while above 310 Km/h (193 Mph) the rear flap opens to reduce drag and offer a higher top speed.
In the Strada setting these flaps open at 70 Km/h (45 Mph) and when going faster than 310 Km/h the fins in at the front close for a reduction in lift … however, in the impressive Corsa mode the front to rear and left to right setting of the angle on these fins is constantly monitored and altered to get the optimum performance during acceleration, both lateral and longitudinal.
The Lamborghini Huracan Performante is also about 40 Kg (88 lbs) lighter compared to the standard LP610-4 model and comes with bespoke Pirelli P-Zero Corsa tires … still four-wheel drive but with a recalibrated setting for both AWD and ESP, a new, more open exhaust system, firmer suspension and an even quicker 7-speed transmission … all this results in a rumored top speed of no less than 340 Km/h (210 Mph) while acceleration from 0 to 100 Km/h will only take 2.90 seconds (compared to 325 Km/h (202 Mph) and 3.20 seconds on the Huracan LP610-4.
