Simply Abu Dhabi XXVII

Add to this the rear-drive bias of its all-wheel drive system and its direct steering, especially with the variable ratio option that returns more feel than the standard electric unit, and the Performante is one of the most rewarding cars to drive for fast directional changes whether through chicanes on a track or along small country lanes. The Huracan is the last of a breed, the last of the analogue supercars with no hybrid powertrain like the Porsche 918, McLaren P1 or LaFerrari, so the rawness you feel, knowing that 100% of the power comes from the gorgeous mid-mounted V10, is something to savour. It’s fast, but it’s also immensely fun – something that doesn’t always go hand-in- hand with the others. It feels light and agile and full of character as you can still slide the nose when pushed, causing some understeer, then entice the rear to come round in the tighter corners using the correct amount of throttle. Like the aero and engine tweaks, the seven-speed dual-clutch transmission has also been updated with faster changes for the sports settings and smoother cog swaps around town. It’s now a full second faster from zero to 200km/h – but did I say that it was loud? This is a Lamborghini after all, so there has to be some mention of the aural delights – and my goodness this bad boy does not disappoint, especially in the track-focused Corsa mode. You may love it (and you will), but I guarantee that with those eye-level straight pipes protruding out the back, after a few weeks your neighbours may not. It delivers nothing short of a deafening roar in full track Corsa mode with large bangs and raw fuel explosions through the rev range up to its 9000rpm red line. For such a large engine that’s stupidly high and I don’t even want to think of the centrifugal stresses passing through its ten cylinders at such eye-watering revolutions. Thankfully, in street Strada mode it’s marginally quieter – marginally. You have to remind yourself that this is the track-focused version of the conventional Huracan, so you have to cut it some slack in the comfort department and expect it to be a bit stiff and awkward when covering long distances, but it’s not too bad. 2 1 4 S I M P LY A B U DH A B I