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First Look 2016 Lamborghini Huracán LP580-2 By Henny Hemmes FIA Champion


PHOTO (select to view enlarged photo)


PHOTO (select to view enlarged photo)

By Henny Hemmes
Senior European Editor
The Hague Bureau
The Auto Channel


LOS ANGELES - November 18, 2015: On the eve of the Los Angeles Auto Show, Lamborghini organized a small event; to unveil the latest addition to their model range. With the Huracán LP580-2 the Italian brand will offer the two-wheel drive version of the super sports car that so far has only been available with all-wheel drive.

The Huracám LP580-2 is following the strategy that was originated with the cration of the Gallardo LP550-2. Indeed, the 2 marks rear wheel drive. Six years ago, Lambo developed a special edition Gallardo named Valentino Balboni, after the companies long time test driver.

It must have been in the second half of the nineties, that I rode shotgun with Valentino. It was a remarkable experience! We left the plant in Sant’Agata Bolognese, as if he was at the start of an Indy car race. Full speed. Along the roads of the little village, people had simply stopped moving and looked appraising at the mean Lambo on the go.

We drove through the fields around Sant’Agata and Balboni chatted as if he were driving a mainstream high volume model. We passed some local Italians, sitting on a bench and waving at the car flying past.

Balboni: “When people in this area hear the sound of an engine starting leaving our plant, they know we will be out testing and the will not be on the roads here until we are – safely – back in the garage. “ Valentino was a master with the Lambo’s and hugely enjoyed his work. So to me it was no surprise that the company created a special edition to honor him.

The Huracán now is the second model with rear wheel drive, offering another choice for a broader group of customers, They may be right doing so, as survey company Polk expects the market share of rear-wheel drive super sports cars to grow to 55 per cent in 2022.

The US has been the brand’s number one market where 2015 marks a reacord year already. Sales here grew from 290 units in 2010 to 736 units last year and according to CEO Stephan Winkelmann may end with between 800 and 900 units sold by its network of 31 dealers.

With the 2WD Huracán, Lamborghini aims to add even more pizzazz to the brand of which the sales increased considerably over the past year and will grow even more when the Urus SUV will be ready to hit the markets. For the extension of the model range, Lambroghini needed to expand its plant from 860 thousand to 1,615 million sq.ft. for a new assembly line, the enlargement of the R&D department end a new warehouse. Back to the new Huracán, that has a different front and rear end that immediately separates it from the 580-4. And also looks very good! But that is not the only reason: Lamborghini removed the front differential of the all-wheel drive Huracán including the attached hardware, shedding 73 pounds of curb weight. The total output is slightly reduced from 602 hp to 572 hp and maximum torque fell from 398 lb-ft to 413 lb-ft. To make up for the weight loss at the front, the nose has been redesigned with additional down force, while the spring rates also have been adjusted to accommodated the 40/60 weight distribution.

The two-wheel drive version only comes with the 7-speed dual-clutch transmission of the 580-4 and stands on 19-inch wheels with Pirelli P Zero tires that have been especially developed for the new model. I am sure the new Lamborghini will offer a lot of sports car-fun. Like myself, there will be many people lining up for a test drive.

Details

Top speed 199 mph (320 kph)

Acceleration 0-62 mph in 3.4 sec

Braking 62 mph-zero 105 ft (31.9 m)

Dry weight 3,062 lbs. (1,389 kg).

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