Taurean thunder: The new Lamborghini Huracán LP 610-4

It’s official: the long-awaited Lamborghini Gallardo successor will be named the ‘Huracán’, and retains V10 power to take the fight to the likes of Ferrari, Porsche and McLaren…

The Huracán bull was apparently known for 'outstanding courage and a strong sense of attack'

With more than 14,000 examples sold over a 10-year production period, the Gallardo is easily the most successful model in the brand’s illustrious past. However, the calls for it to retire on a high have been building for some time now, and this is its replacement: the Lamborghini Huracán LP 610-4. After 130 private preview events for VIP customers taking place in the New Year, the Huracán will be revealed to the world at the Geneva Motor Show in March 2014.

True to form, the company has named its newest-born after a breed of fighting bull. Fighting in Alicante in 1879, the Huracán was apparently known for 'outstanding courage and a strong sense of attack, showing his unrelenting character and remaining defiant and invincible' – qualities which also happen to be useful when locking horns with the finest sports cars from England, Germany and Italy.

A familiar format

Like its predecessor, the Huracán is propelled by a 5.2-litre V10 with power distributed through all four wheels – only this time, a stronger focus has been placed on frugality. Stop/start technology is now present, while a combination of direct and indirect fuel injection is claimed to reduce consumption while offering performance benefits over the Gallardo. Thanks to the namechecked 610HP, the Huracán will reach 62mph from standstill in 3.2 seconds, with the 0-124mph sprint dispatched in 9.9 seconds. The latter is of more relevance as a performance indicator by today’s standards – and, by comparison, an Enzo takes 10.3 seconds.

Chasing Ferraris into the storm

Central to the Huracán’s 'systematic lightweight design' is a carbon and aluminium hybrid cell, which provides enhanced torsional stiffness while helping to keep the dry weight pegged at 1,422kg. Dynamic set-ups, including settings for gearbox, engine response, sound, drive distribution and stability control (variable ratio steering and magnetorheological dampers too, should they be specified), can all be modified by the Ferrari Manettino-style switch mounted on the wheel, which toggles between Strada, Sport and Corsa. All other settings – including navigation and infotainment – are managed via a 12.3-inch TFT monitor residing in the driver's instrument binnacle.

Thankfully, the exterior design seems to draw inspiration from its wild yet well-resolved bigger brother, rather than the toy-like lines of the more recent Veneno and Egoista ‘specials’. The Huracán certainly has some successful tyre tracks in which to follow. Yet in not straying too far from a successful formula, while bringing each aspect in line with the cream of current supercars, the Italians certainly seem ready to cause a storm.

Photos: Lamborghini

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