Got a need for speed and about a quarter-million dollars to burn? Well, Lamborghini has you covered with the attention-grabbing, hard-charging Huracán. While it’s smaller and more affordable than the aging Aventador and trendy Urus, the littlest Lambo still costs six figures. However, that buys a glorious V-10 that pairs with rear- or all-wheel drive to deliver delirious acceleration times.
Likewise, the sounds its engine makes are enough to drown out a rock concert. Surprisingly, the mid-engined Italian is easy to drive in traffic and doesn’t punish passengers. Now if only American speed limits were uncapped and everyone could afford one, we could officially proclaim the 2020 Huracán as the high-performance messiah.
The rear-drive Huracán Evo is the most intriguing model, especially with its significant discount and encouragement of tail-out antics. The sheer variety of paint options means the odds are better that few models will look the same, and we’d recommend the added presence that either of the optional 20-inch wheels provide.
Inside, we’d go with the Carbon Skin package that makes the cabin look sportier, and we’d choose the more supportive sport seats. Finally, we’d select Life Style and Driver Pack that includes a useful lifting system to help avoid front-end damage, smartphone integration, a cupholder, carbon-ceramic brakes, and adaptive dampers—among other things.
A naturally aspirated 5.2-liter V-10 is nestled behind the Huracán’s cabin, and it exudes a devilish sound whenever it revs towards its 8500-rpm redline. The engine develops 602 horsepower on rear-drive models and 631 ponies on all-wheel-drive versions. It pairs with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic that snaps off shifts on its own volition or via a set of paddle shifters.
The all-wheel-drive Evo coupe we tested ripped from zero to 60 mph in 2.5 seconds and cleared the quarter-mile in 10.4 seconds at 135 mph. We also enjoyed a test drive in the convertible Evo Spyder, which proved high performance is always more enjoyable with a bit of theater. Huracáns with all-wheel drive benefit from rear-wheel steering that improves agility. Plus, it has a predictive system (called LDVI) that adapts to driver inputs on the fly.
While we were mightily impressed with its communicative chassis, the disappointing steering feedback diminished our excitement. Instead, it proved to be a forgiving machine—even when driven around town—that required us to push the limits to be truly fulfilled.
