2018 Lamborghini Huracan Performante

The Performante is the most hardcore, track-oriented variant of the Lamborghini Huracan. Offered as a coupe and as a roadster, it receives mechanical upgrades, more carbon fiber to shed weight, and trick active aerodynamic technology that keeps it glued to the ground.

Overview

The Huracan's naturally-aspirated, 5.2-liter V10 engine now makes 640 horsepower at 8,000 rpm and 443 pound-feet of torque at 6,000 rpm. It stands out as Lamborghini's most powerful 10-cylinder engine ever. The brand extracted the additional power by using titanium exhaust valves and fitting a new intake manifold, among other tweaks.

The cavalry reaches the pavement through a seven-speed automatic transmission and an performance-tuned all-wheel drive system. Three driving modes called Strada, Sport, and Corsa, respectively, help the driver make the most of the drivetrain.

Lamborghini leveraged a material named Forged Composites to make the Performante lighter than the Huracan it's based on. Developed in-house, Forged Composites is a smarter type of carbon fiber that's easier to shape and faster to cure. It also takes on a different, more high tech-looking appearance. It's the future of composites material, according to brand officials. You can find it on both ends, on the gigantic rear spoiler, on the center console, and around the air vents. It's also used in lieu of metal to make the shift paddles behind the steering wheel. All told, the Performante weighs about 88 pounds less than the standard Huracan.

Finally, the third ingredient in the Performante recipe is named Aerodinamica Lamborghini Attiva (ALA). It modifies the Huracan's aerodynamic profile to adjust the balance between drag and downforce. Flaps in the rear wing open and close automatically to create an effect called aero-vectoring. In simple terms, air pushes down the side of the car placed on the inside corner of a bend to create a pivot-like effect that makes the Performante much faster around a track.

The comprehensive upgrades helped the Performante lap the Nürburgring track in 6:52.01, a time which makes it one of the fastest cars currently in production. The Porsche 911 GT2 RS later beat it, but six minutes and 52 seconds remains an impressive statistic.

Key competitors

Few cars at this price point put such a big focus on track driving. The coupe and roadster variants of the Lamborghini Huracan Performante square off against the Porsche 911 GT2 RS, which is a limited-edition model. Buyers can also look at the McLaren 720S, though it's more of an all-around supercar than a track toy.