Lamborghinis live long in a market segment that sees quick turnover of models. When the Huracán was launched in 2014, its most obvious competitors were the Ferrari 458 Italia and the equally fresh McLaren 650S. That Ferrari has been replaced twice since then, first with the 488GTB and later with the F8 Tributo; McLaren moved on to the 720S era in 2017. Despite being in late middle age by junior-supercar standards, the Huracán is still going strong. The Tecnica model covered here isn’t even its final variant, as an additional model rumored to be a based on the safari-spec Sterrato off-road concept is expected to follow next year.
But like an aging rocker still selling out stadiums, the Tecnica doesn’t feel off the pace. Lamborghini has updated the Huracán intelligently and consistently throughout its long life, with the list of iterative upgrades including the rear-wheel-drive LP580-2, the Nürburgring-honed Performante, the subtly evolved Evo and Evo Spyder, and finally last year’s scintillating track-focused STO.
The Tecnica sits below the STO in the lineup. In essence, it is a more road-focused version of the same basic package, doing without the savage aerodynamic addenda but maintaining the core virtues of a naturally aspirated V-10, rear drive, and a combination of fixed-ratio steering and a steerable rear axle. Exact pricing hasn’t been confirmed, but the Tecnica should be relatively cheaper than the $334,695 STO when it reaches the U.S. later this year.
While the engine is the most familiar part of the Tecnica, making the same 631 horsepower it does in the STO, it is also the star of the show. This 5.2-liter V-10 was an experiential highlight even when the Huracán was new, but now that almost every other non-Lamborghini supercar has adopted turbochargers, if not electric motors, its near-instant response, lofty 8500-rpm redline, and unadulterated soundtrack make it truly special. Yes, Audi still offers a closely related V-10 in its R8, but that version feels about as rowdy as a chamber orchestra next to the Huracán’s Wagnerian fury.
While the upper reaches of the Tecnica’s rev range can seem otherworldly, its sound and feel are exhilarating even at a casual pace. In the car’s gentlest Strada drive mode, the active exhaust stays quiet until about 4500 rpm before quickly finding its voice. Sport and Corsa settings allow into the arrangement some guttural low-frequency harmonics that contrast with the V-10’s top-end wail. Driven gently in its aggressive modes, the Tecnica rumbles like distant thunder and crackles sharply when you suddenly lift off the accelerator. A case can be made for the Tecnica being the best-sounding current production car.
It quickly becomes apparent that the Tecnica is much softer in tune than the uncompromised STO, though its chassis settings were still plenty firm over the bumps on the Spanish roads we drove it on. Strada mode felt well suited for normal use, lending a somewhat lazy action to the seven-speed dual-clutch automatic, but countering that is easy enough with a tug of the steering-wheel-mounted shift paddles. Sport mode cranks up the volume and sharpens the transmission’s programming to a degree that feels natural for such an extroverted machine. Corsa is just as loud, but it’s designed for maximum attack on the racetrack, so it keeps the chassis under tighter control.
As in other Huracáns, the weight of the steering builds as lock is applied, yet it never gives much meaningful resistance at road speeds. And while the Tecnica’s lack of a variable-ratio rack makes for more linear front-end responses, it also means that noticeably more steering lock is required to shepherd it through acutely angled bends. The Bridgestone Potenza summer tires on the car we drove generated massive amounts of grip, and despite the relative lack of driven wheels compared with its all-wheel-drive predecessors, the Tecnica still found impressive traction even in slow, tight turns.
Sport mode eases off the stability control’s threshold, allowing for a bit of power oversteer. Lamborghini says the Tecnica’s chassis computers are smarter and act more quickly than the regular Huracán’s, but their intervention still isn’t quite as seamless as Ferrari’s latest driver-flattering systems. However, this Lambo’s cornering line can be influenced more accurately by using weight transfer to adjust the balance of grip between both axles. Our main gripe on the road is the lack of resistance in its brake pedal under gentle pressures, a common Huracán trait, but the standard carbon-ceramic brakes provided steady and unfading deceleration once we pushed through the initial mushiness.
Lapping the 2.5-mile Circuit Ricardo Tormo in Valencia revealed that the Tecnica is happy to be pushed to (and even beyond) its limits. The car we drove on track sat on the optional Potenza Race tires, which are still street legal despite their name. Although these stickier shoes provided greater grip and endurance for prolonged track work, the Tecnica’s chassis remained almost as friendly as it was on the street. Likely the biggest decision for owners planning to attend track days will be choosing between Sport mode for a more flamboyant comportment and Corsa for quicker and less dramatic laps.
While the Huracán STO feels like a track-honed special that merely tolerates being driven on road, the Tecnica reverses that equation. It is huge fun on a circuit but feels more at home in the real world than its motorsports-inspired sibling. Buyers will be able to spec their Tecnica according to how they plan to use it, such as opting for naked carbon-fiber door skins and race seats for a competition vibe or a plusher interior with less aggressive seats for a bit more day-to-day livability. Sadly, as with all Huracáns, the Tecnica remains short of headroom for taller occupants, especially when helmets are involved. But as an elder figure in the supercar universe, the Tecnica is indeed a highlight of the Huracán’s long-lived dynasty.
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Source: www.caranddriver.com