Lamborghini Huracan review - can the baby Lambo compete with new age rivals? - Engine and gearbox
Exciting, exotic and eccentric, the Huracan appeals on character as much as talent
Engine and gearbox
Like it’s Gallardo predecessor, the Huracán’s drivetrain is centred around a V10 engine co-developed by parent company Audi. This 5.2-litre V10 is the second major development of this engine and is shared with the Audi R8. Despite boasting similar figures, the Huracán has been developed to feel edgier and angrier, with Lamborghini specific engine mapping, intake and exhaust systems.
Thanks to the lack of a turbo, the Huracán’s main point of difference in its class is the near 9000rpm redline and the corresponding exhaust note. One of the industry’s great sounds, the V10 rips through its rev range with real urge and clarity. Throttle response is sharp and linear, and despite the higher revs required to extract the engine’s considerable performance, it’s never a chore to do so.
The dual-clutch gearbox is also a first for Lamborghini, shared with the R8 it represents a massive leap over the previous single-clutch units Lamborghini used to offer. In automatic mode, the box is a world away from the jerky old unit, and slips up and down the gears with the refinement of any other VAG group dual-clutch gearbox. This is complemented by fast and sharp shifts when in sports and manual modes, almost feeling like it has finished changing gears before you have pulled the paddle.
