Lamborghini Huracan Performante races into Geneva

Updated: 07 March 2017

► New super-Huracan revealed at Geneva
► Fastest and most focused version yet
► 631bhp and 0-62mph in 2.9sec

Hot off the back of its storming record-breaking debut at the Nurburgring, the Lamborghini Huracan Performante has now been fully revealed at the 2017 Geneva motor show

Described as a Super Trofeo (Lambo’s one-make race series) car for the road, the Huracan’s design has been tweaked to make the Performante look even more focused.

Upgrades include a sharper front end with cooling ducts in the bonnet, high mounted exhausts at the rear and plenty of carbonfibre – contributing to the car’s light weight and aerodynamic build.

It’s all about the ALA

That’s Aerodinamica Lamborghini Attiva – or Active Lamborghini Aerodynamics to you and I. It’s been developed specially for the Huracan Performante and adds active wings and flaps to boost downforce while also reducing drag.

Lamborghini Huracan Performante at Geneva 2017

The new tech – the acronym of which neatly mean ‘wing’ in Italian – is integrated into the electronic brain that already governs the Huracan’s dynamic behaviour, the Lamborghini Piattaforma Inerziale (LPI).

LPI’s activation of the ALA takes just 500 milliseconds, and it’s designed to sculpt the Performante’s shape from moment to moment. Without going into too much detail, this means maximum downforce in the turns but reduced drag on the straights. It sounds incredibly sophisticated.

Suddenly that 6min 52sec ‘ring time starts to make a little more sense. According to Lamborghini, during full braking the active rear wing delivers as much as 750% more ‘vertical downforce’ than the regular Huracan coupe.

How fast is the Performante?

With the most powerful 5.2-litre V10 Lamborghini has ever produced sitting amidships, the Performante spits out 631bhp at a whaling 8000rpm, and peaks at 442lb.ft of torque at 6500rpm – though 70% of that muscle is available from 1000rpm.

Lamborghini Huracan Performante at Geneva 2017

This mighty engine tickles the tarmac via a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox and Haldex permanent four-wheel drive system, complete with mechanical limited slip differential at the rear.

The raw numbers are 0-62mph in just 2.9sec and a theoretical top speed of 202mph.

What’s it like for the driver inside?

There’s plenty of Alcantara and Forged Composite trim, with a newly-developed set of graphics in the digital display to show the driver what the trick aerodynamics are up to.

Lamborghini Huracan Performante at Geneva 2017 - interior

Obviously, Lamborghini’s personalisation programme will happily line it in whatever fabric you desire.

How much does the Huracan Performante cost?

It’s a snip at £173,271.

Seriously, our Huracan long-termer was specced up way higher than that, and didn’t have any fancy aerodynamics at all.

First customer deliveries will come in summer 2017.

Click here to view the CAR magazine Geneva homepage

By Tom Goodlad

Bauer Automotive's former continuity editor and CAR contributor

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