2017 Geneva Motor Show: Lamborghini Huracan Performante unleashed

LAMBORGHINI has revealed the Huracan Perfomante special edition in all its glory at the 2017 Geneva Motor Show, a week since a test version controversially claimed the Nürburgring Nordschleife production car lap record.

The track-focused Huracan Performante has most powerful V10 ever used in a Lamborghini, with the mid-mounted 5.2-litre engine tweaked to produce 470kW/600Nm.

That’s 20kW/40Nm more than the LP610-4 Huracan coupe, and enough to drop its 0-100km/h time to 2.9sec, which is 0.3sec quicker than the regular Huracan and matches the 544kW/690Nm V12 Lamborghini Aventador S.

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A revised engine tune optimises the Performante’s torque curve to deliver 70 percent of total torque from just 1000rpm. That force is transferred to all four wheels via a recalibrated seven-speed dual clutch automatic transmission.

Further improving acceleration is a 40kg weight reduction, thanks to liberal doses of carbonfibre, and an active aerodynamics package – or “Aerodinamica Lamborghini Attiva” (ALA) – specifically engineered for the Performante model.

Aero development for Performante included lightweight engineering for the bodywork, using a hybrid aluminium-carbonfibre, and an ultra-lightweight forged carbonfibre for key ‘ALA’ aerodynamic components.

Body parts unique to the high performance model include the front spoiler and huge one-piece rear wing that house air ducts and flaps that can close for maximum downforce and open for maximum cooling.

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When the ALA system is activated (via an electro-actuator system that’s 80 percent lighter than a hydraulic set up) drag is drastically reduced for maximum acceleration and top speed. When it’s off the rear flaps close, turning the rear wing into a conventional spoiler that provides 750 percent more downforce than the standard Lamborghini Huracan coupe.

Performante’s suspension is 10 percent stiffer than the normal Huracan coupe, via both springs and swaybars. Roll stiffness is improved by 15 percent.

Lamborghini also says it has significantly retuned the standard electromechanical power steering and optional variable ratio Lamborghini Dynamic Steering (LDS) to provide highly responsive steering with maximum driver feedback in all three driver modes.

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The Huracán Performante sits on specifically designed 20-inch Narvi forged rims in bronze colour, wrapped by specifically developed Pirelli P Zero Corsa tyres designed to optimise road holding with ALA on or off.

Interior refinements includenew digital displays that change depending on driving mode, with a display dedicated to the ALA system detailing data on downforce and drag.

If anyone somehow tires of the engine note, the infortainment system supports Apple CarPlay and iPhone apps including the Lamborghini telemetry system, which allows the driver to record, replay and study his own performance.

Huracán Performante is more than just a sprinter, as demonstrated in a video last week showing a camouflaged model tearing up the Nürburgring in a claimed 6:52.01min – 5.0sec faster than the Porsche 918 Spyder, which had held the record since 2013.

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Doubts have been raised about the legitimacy of that Green Hell time by some critics, though Automobili Lamborghini has reinforced its claim to the record, saying the time is owed to “the convergence of technological developments to produce a car delivering perfect performance”.

The Lamborghini Huracan Performante will be available in Australia mid-year priced from $483,866 excluding taxes and on roads.

While it’s the most expensive Huracan it is still around $300,000 cheaper than the Aventador S and should be almost as thrilling.