'Ring - Track Day with Ryan Ogurek

Lamborghini shocked the motoring world when they released video of a camouflaged Huracán Performante doing an insanely fast 6:52.01 lap time around the Nürburgring Nordschleife. Welcome to the new king of the ‘Ring, the 2017 Lamborghini Huracán Performante.

The Huracán Performante was welcomed into the world with shock, awe, skepticism, and outright controversy. After the Porsche 918 -which is considerably more powerful and faster in a straight line than the Huracán Performante – set a 6:57.00 around the historic German track, the world expected only an equally revolutionary hypercar would beat the time. To see a supercar – let alone a toned-up Huracán coupé, which set a 7:28.00 – beat the German hypercar seemed improbable, if not impossible.

Some stated their case, laying out evidence which might indicate the lap video to be manufactured or otherwise altered. However strong some of the evidence may have appeared, Lamborghini was able to quickly dispel such claims by releasing GPS data, confirming the record breaking lap time as legitimate. Porsche fans and hypercar fans were forced to accept the painful reality that a lightweight bedroom-poster supercar had taken down the almighty hypercar at the almighty Nordschleife.

“[The Huracán Performante] illustrates the pinnacle of Lamborghini V10 producation car performance to date, on both track and road, and is perfectly exemplified by its name.” – Stefano Domenicali, Automobili Lamborghini Chairman and C.E.O.

As expected, the Huracán Performante was finally revealed at the Geneva International Motor Show in full detail… and it certainly begins to explain the, frankly, ridiculous lap time. While other manufacturers in the super-sports car sector may be focused on driver engagement and bringing back manual transmissions or holding to traditions while raising the bar, Lamborghini has gone for maximum technology. The car’s frame is composed of aluminium and carbon fiber, and the body is produced from Lamborghini’s own “Forged Composite.”

The use of these high tech materials make the car extremely light, just 1,382 kg (3,047 lbs) dry. Combine that with the 640 hp 5.2 liter V10, and you get 0 to 62 mph in just 2.9 seconds and a top speed over 202 mph. Not only can it go fast, it stops fast too: 62 mph to 0 in just 31 meters.

The real magic, however, comes from the increasingly common practice of manipulating airflow over and under (and through) the vehicle. Lamborghini’s “Aerodinamica Lamborghini Attiva” creates the ability to have variable downforce and drag through active aerodynamics and electronically controlled air channels. You might think of it as being similar to having a DRS system found in an F1 car, except it works at both front and rear, and uses channels rather than simply stalling the rear wing.

At high throttle, the ALA system is activated to provide maximum acceleration and top speed, reducing drag on the front splitter and the rear spoiler by opening channels directing air under the car and under the rear wing. When the ALA system is deactivated, the channels close, directing air over the wings and splitter to create an amazing 750% more downforce than the Huracán coupé. The ALA system also keeps the driver up to speed on what it is doing through a dedicated display in the dash.

The interior is as you would expect, with alcantara fabric and lightweight materials, however, optional comfort seats are available. The driver displays are configurable “depending on driving mode selected: Strada, Sport or Corsa.” The Huracán Performante also supports Apple CarPlay and the Lamborghini telemetry system.

The first examples of the Huracán Performante will be delivered this summer, with prices starting at $274,390.

What do you think? Are Lamborghini heading in the direction you think they should go?