Lamborghini Huracán Performante

FIRST DRIVE Stripped-back version of 4WD supercar delivers more thrills than ever.

- Sean Carson

THE standard Lamborghini Huracán doesn’t exactly lack theatre, but in the presence of the Huracán Performante, the regular V10-engined car looks tame.

That’s because this £207,925 Performante version sports myriad tweaks over the standard car to improve its performance. According to Lamborghini’s board member for Research and Development Maurizio Reggiani, there are four key pillars that underpin the Performante’s upgrades.

The first is lightweight material, and it’s dotted throughout the car. The new front spoiler, rear wing, engine cover and rear diffuser are all made of forged composites. While the finish looks a little like a kitchen worktop, it’s actually chopped carbon fibres embedded in a matrix of resins. These parts help save 40kg over the standard car.

The second pillar is the engine. While many performance cars are turning to turbocharging, Lamborghini is sticking with its naturally aspirated 5.2-litre V10, and thanks to a new intake manifold, revised exhaust and new titanium valves, power is up to 631bhp (from 602bhp) while torque stands at 600Nm (the standard car produces 560Nm).