The Lamborghini Huracan Performante is the ultimate combination of soul and searing performance

What’s new

The Performante is based on the already super-quick Huracan supercar, but in order to make it capable of astonishing lap times – it recently broke the production car record at the Nurburgring in Germany – the Raging Bull brand has gone to town.

As is often the case with such machines, there’s been plenty of weight saving. The Performante is down 40kg on the standard car, with the redesigned exhaust system contributing a large chunk of that.

However, the real headline is Lamborghini’s next-level active aerodynamic package. Dubbed ALA – Aerodinamica Lamborghini Attive – it manipulates the air flowing over, under and through the car to stick it to the road. In high speed corners you can genuinely feel it at work.

Looks and image

The standard Huracan is no shrinking violet, but beside the Performante it almost looks subdued. Even standing still it looks ready to race. The prominent rear wing perched behind the engine hatch, the pointed front nose with its chunky front splitter and the angular cab-forward design combine to give the impression it’s ready to pounce.

Inside, the VW Group influence is immediately apparent. The switchgear feels solid and even the more intricate hexagonal flourishes have clearly been built to last. This car has not been put together with comfort in mind, but the standard seats are supportive without being so solid your back will throw in the towel on a long trip.

Space and practicality

In its role as a track-focused supercar, the Huracan Performante gives little regard to space and practicality – almost everything that doesn’t contribute to the act of going quickly is removed.

However, in defence of this 21st Century engineering marvel, it’s not as impractical as you might think. Lift the bonnet and there’s the same 100-litre ‘frunk’ that’s in the garden variety Huracan, which will fit a few shopping bags or luggage for a weekend away.

Meanwhile, the cabin’s excellent ergonomics mean the balance between feeling snugly enclosed in a race car doesn’t come at the expense of adjustability. The driving position is excellent and the reach and rake adjustments on the steering wheel make it easy to get comfortable.

Behind the wheel

We tested the car at the famous Imola circuit in Italy before taking it out in to the hills surrounding the circuit. On track, the Huracan Performante feels at home, especially at such a high-speed circuit where the aero work can really be appreciated – in quick curves you can sense the car is being pushed into the road by the air it’s punching a hole through, rewarding commitment with near-endless grip.

When cornering, the active aerodynamics are altered so that there’s high downforce over the wheels inside the corner and low downforce on the outside to improve turn-in. It can also increase downforce under braking to help slow the car, and reduce it when accelerating on the straight to improve top speed. The car’s brain is constantly making calculations and adjustments – it’s quite remarkable.

Despite the race car-like looks and violent performance, it’s surprisingly forgiving on road and track and has the ability to make you look like a hero behind the wheel. And yet it still takes concentration to get the most out of it. When you finally reach the upper echelons of its performance it’s a genuinely emotional experience.

Value for money

It’s hard to consider any car that costs in excess of £200,000 being good value for money, especially when a Porsche 911 GT3 costs nearly £100,000 less and is utterly brilliant. But if you’re able to put such a vast sum of money down on a car, value almost becomes irrelevant – and you honestly can’t put a price on the way the Performante makes you feel.

So, what do you get for your money? Inside, there’s plenty of soft Alcantara and racey bucket seats as standard, though ‘comfort’ seats can be used instead. The digital instrument binnacle is a delight, switching the information it shows depending on which drive mode you’re in, and incorporating the sat nav seamlessly.

For those who really want to splash the cash, the company’s Ad Personum personalisation programme allows near-infinite customisation.

Wealthy car enthusiasts will naturally be drawn to the Performante thanks to its 10-cylinder, naturally aspirated engine and frankly astonishing aerodynamic technology. Lamborghini says that because the car represents such a huge step for the market segment, it has seen a lot of customers that have traditionally bought from the company’s rivals putting down deposits.

Facts at a glance

Model: Lamborghini Huracan Performante
Base price: £207,925
Engine: 5.2-litre V10 petrol
Power: 631bhp
Torque: 600Nm
Max speed: 200mph+
0-60mph: 2.7 seconds
Economy: 21mpg
Emissions: 314g/km