Lamborghini unveiled the Huracán LP 580-2 this week in Culver City, Calif. The “580” denotes that the new Huracán generates 580 (or 571 in American measurement) horsepower, and 398 pound-feet of torque from its naturally aspirated 5.2-liter V10. The “2” signifies that power is sent exclusively to the rear wheels, making this something of a purists’ special.
“The Lamborghini Huracán LP 580-2 continues the Lamborghini tradition of pure, visionary, and technology-driven models,” said Stephan Winkelmann, chief executive of Automobili Lamborghini. “The rear-wheel drive model fits perfectly into our Huracán family, appealing to those wanting an even more intense driving experience, or who currently drive other rear-wheel drive marques and aspire to driving a Lamborghini. This is the purest expression of a Lamborghini to date, with class-leading technological refinements. It is a serious car for serious drivers.”
The LP 580-2 drops weight by ditching the mechanical bits and pieces needed to route power to all four wheels. It’s 73 pounds lighter than its all-wheel drive stable mate, the LP 610-4. Weight distribution shifts further back in the car—resulting in a 40 percent front and 60 percent rear weight bias. Losing weight up front also benefits handling in the new model by reducing inertia on the front axle, which in turn makes this model less prone to understeer. It should also be more lively at the limit.
To encourage those characteristics without turning the new model into a widow-maker, Lamborghini made changes to the handling components, which includes a stiffer suspension setup, along with recalibrated steering, and revised stability and traction control algorithms. The latter are “tuned to provide over-steering characteristics, emphasizing authentic rear-wheel drive behavior,” according to Lamborghini.
The mission of the LP 580-2 has less to do with lap times than it does with providing an engaging experience behind the wheel. As such, its quoted 0-62 mph time of 3.4 seconds, along with its 199 mile per hour top speed are slower than the LP 610-4 by .2 seconds and 3 miles per hour respectively. Winkelmann believes those figures are conservative.
If potential customers need a consolation prize for not having the fastest Lambo on the block, there’s good news. The price of the LP 580-2 was confirmed at €150,000 Europe, equating to somewhere below $200,000 in the US. That’s a discount of €53,000 (or perhaps $40,000 or more versus the LP 610-4)—putting this car toe to toe with the likes of the new McLaren 570S. Lamborghini has yet to announce pricing in the US, but it’s reasonable to expect a price drop of similar value versus the AWD model in the US as well. And if you’re wondering when the new LP 580-2 will be available for purchase, we have more good news: Lamborghini said the new LP 580-2 is available at dealerships starting this week.
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