The Huracán RWD Spyder Gave Purists a V10 Convertible That Rewards Skill Over Grip
Lamborghini debuted a rear-drive V10 convertible at the 2016 Los Angeles Auto Show.
Lamborghini pulled the cover off the Huracán Rear-Wheel Drive Spyder at the Los Angeles Auto Show on November 15, 2016, giving buyers a naturally aspirated V10 convertible sending all of its power exclusively to the rear axle.
The philosophical pivot to rear-wheel drive
Rear-wheel-drive Huracáns, starting with the LP 580-2 coupé, represented a philosophical pivot for a brand long defined by all-wheel drive, and the Spyder sharpened that pivot by stripping away the roof along with the front driveshaft.
Channeling the V10 into the cabin
Lamborghini designed the rear window to open electronically: raised, it functions as a wind deflector, but lowered, it channels the V10's intake howl directly into the cabin.
Chassis and tire engineering for rear-drive precision
Pirelli developed PZero tires exclusively for the rear-wheel-drive Huracán, mounted on 19-inch Kari rims, while the braking system uses specially contoured steel discs with aluminum brake disc pots to reduce unsprung mass.
The defining trait: connection over speed
The Huracán RWD Spyder's defining trait was not its power figure or its sprint time but the unmediated connection between driver input and vehicle response, amplified by the absence of a roof and ten cylinders breathing without restriction.
Open-air V10 drama without the front-axle safety net
Lamborghini positioned the RWD Spyder squarely at buyers who wanted the sensory drama of open-air V10 motoring without the electronic safety net of a front axle pulling them through corners.
Steering freed from torque delivery duties
Removing the front differential means the front tires handle only one job — turning — whereas in the AWD car, they also manage torque delivery, which dilutes the feedback loop between road surface and steering wheel.
580 horsepower, naturally aspirated
The 5.2-liter naturally aspirated V10 produces 580 horsepower at 8,000 rpm and 540 Nm of torque at 6,500 rpm, with 75 percent of that torque accessible from just 1,000 rpm.
Cylinder deactivation hidden in plain sight
Cylinder deactivation shuts down five of the ten cylinders when full power is unnecessary, a feature that works so seamlessly most drivers will never notice the transition.
A naturally aspirated argument against turbocharging
The naturally aspirated V10 stood apart from turbocharged mid-engine convertibles offered by rival manufacturers, delivering linear throttle response and a top-end scream that forced-induction engines filter out.