A wild ride into political incorrectness
Political correctness emphasizes the importance of being nice over being accurate. Disabled becomes differently abled, deaf goes hearing impaired, slob turns into demotivated, poor is financially challenged and stupid transforms into “holding alternative views”. It has been a growing trend over the last few years, interestingly coinciding with the mass adoption of social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter. It has shaped the way that we talk and conduct ourselves, acting as a kind of unwritten rulebook for what’s appropriate and inappropriate.
So has the car market. Our beloved and culture influencing machines must comply with the woke culture; they need to be accepted by everyone, cuddle both men and women, accessible to beginners as well as racing champions. They have to be comfortable, big, fast, safe, economical and stylish. And they have to be suited for all occasions. Dressed all the same. Drink all the same. Fart all the same. They have to be decent in everything they do. All with the same “correct” personality. Which is gray, dull, anodyne. Zero.
Some however, are not. Some embrace the bohemian motto of the individualistic. The carefree acceptance of the self over the general tide of pedestrian opinion. Some are like Kurt Cobain at an elegant party, the one that gets drunk in the wrong place and makes rude jokes about someone’s wife. That’s who graces us today with his impertinent presence. The Huracan Evo doesn’t care. They tried making it a tad more educated than the Aventador (the bigger 12 Cylinder sister), but it remains rude, incorrect, wrong, individual, brutal, and magnificent. Yes, they have made it adaptable to many skills, thanks to the incredible electronics, but it’s as wild as a Lamborghini should be.
The new Huracan EVO can make you smile, giggle and purr but bite more than you can chew and it will, remorselessly, kill you.
We have spent the longest time we ever have with any supercar. We drove it on track in Abu Dhabi and Kuwait, and we spent a week on the road, and we have found our incorrect soul coming back to life.
Looks & Interiors
The front is far sexier than the rear. The nose goes down to the ground gracefully; the air intakes nearly disappear in the whole design, the nerves on the bonnet help the skinny shape to appear muscular, the wheel arches are robust. And those lights are mean. The back is missing something though. The exhausts are a piece of art, and if you look carefully, they are glowing red. We find the tail could be “cleaner.”
From the side, well, it’s a joy to look at.
Inside it’s only two seats, as a wild ride should be. The new EVO receives a new center console with a more intuitive tablet-like screen that works egregiously.
One or two things could be better: the volume control on the entertainment system can only be adjusted from the touch screen, which is a distraction. A good old toggle would be easier to find “no look”. Seats are perfect, and so is the driving position. Pedals are well aligned, steering wheel nice and vertical and covered with the nicest of the Alcantara’s.
They might as well have put a screen in the shape and place of the center rear view mirror connected to the parking camera because, as it is right now, you can only see the glare of the sun over the integrated wing. That said, the visibility is ok, at least over the 180-degree angle in front of you which, essentially, is what you should need.
The Technology
I don’t know why they called it EVO. During one of the presentations, Lambo engineers said clearly that this is a brand new car, a serious step from the previous Huracan generations, that ended with the mighty Performante.
To a point, it seems that the engineers started labeling design files as Huracan EVO in their computers and the name stuck. “Zee name can’t be changed now. Zee file says Huracan EVO so zee car ist Huracan EVO, ja?“. I say this because the injection of new technology has been quite stunning. On the EVO, they introduced the “four wheels steering,” which radically changes the dynamics. It’s not my favorite feature, but it’s engineered with majesty.
Then the LDVI; like Google uses cookies to create a profile of yours, LDVI collects more than a hundred data units per second to create the driving profile instantly. And it’s a dynamic system which allows the CPU to maintain that profile of your driving, either if you are shopping or you are lapping on the race track. All these data are serving the Torque Vectoring System, which sends the power to the individual wheel, according to the available grip. Quite incredible and yet so subtle. Also, the three driving programs (Strada, Sport, and Corsa) have been reset according to the new tech. Each of them behaves exquisitely with distinct character and consequent efficiency. Sport is more rear-wheel-drive biased, which allows a more oversteering behavior, while Corsa is based on maximizing the traction, hence able to transfer more power top the front axle. Maybe they should call it REVO.
On the Racetrack
We drove the EVO at YAS Marina Circuit for a few laps the first time, and it immediately felt special. If you have driven the previous sister, the Performante, you will find a lot of similarities, but especially after the introduction of the four-wheels-steering it has changed its character. The front end is one of the fastest I have ever driven.
At first, the reaction to the steering input is too quick and direct. However, once the EVO is in mid-corner, it becomes immediately neutral. Were you to overdo it and it understeers the minimum amount necessary to keep you among the breathing.
I then drove the EVO at an event in the stupendous racetrack at Kuwait Motor Town. That time I was also an instructor, and I happened to drive dozens of laps. I got to know this Huracan very well, finding edges, using all its potential in an environment that usually makes all the “supercars” feel … erhm… too soft and incompetent and out of place and outstretched and impotent.
On the contrary, this Bull can lap all day. She grows on you lap after lap. The naturally aspirated 5.2 Ltr, revving at nearly 9,000 rpm, is never tired of pushing. The 7-speed gearbox works perfectly. The brakes, if not pushed 100% at all times, will last you a day, and the fun is like Nirvana, both the band and paradise.
Electronics work at their best, and there is a clear difference between the settings Sport and Corsa (Race). The Corsa mode is more efficient; the behavior is more balanced; there is more torque transferred to the front wheels, traction is mighty even coming out hairpins. The gearbox in this mode is brutal and can only be used manually. The Sport mode is more rear wheel biased, helping rotation of the back and inducing natural oversteer, both at corner entry (while trail braking) and corner exit while on power. It’s more fun but trickier. Indeed, it’s the best mode for some controlled drifts.
On the Road
If the Huracan is a real beast on the track, then it becomes ludicrous on open roads. It’s just savage. A car capable of 325 km/h, 2,9 seconds from still to 100 km/h, and 640 Bhp is a stupendous nonsense for road use. It’s wrong; it’s utterly incorrect, dangerous in the wrong hands. In Sport and Corsa mode, the exhaust noise is the same you despise at night when you wake up to that scream of the hooligan revving under your window. It’s deafening.
The EVO can make you smile or kill you
It’s very low; hence you risk to damage the front splitters every time you park. But she is Amy Winehouse, she is an offender, she follows her nature, and she doesn’t care a bit of what is right. And she does one thing, just one, very well: she makes you happy, every time. She is excessive, full of soul, exhilarating.
And guess what; I have taken her for a 500 km ride and she was comfy. Put her on cruise control on Strada mode, windows down, music up, and you can travel.
The Verdict
We need voices like this. A loud, incorrect creature that carries nearly zero compromises. She is a wild animal that instigates excitement, irrational emotions, and adrenaline rush. Hat off to the German owners who let the EVO express herself in her “italianity.” She is a stunning machine that will make you smile every time you turn your eyes to her. You also need spine shivers?
| Specs | |
|---|---|
| Engine | 5.2 l V10 - 90° |
| Power | 640HP |
| 0-100KPH | 2.9s |
| Top Speed | 325KPH |
| Utility | |
| Seats | 2 |
| Doors | 2 |
| Boot | 90 litres |
| Real Estate | |
| Length | 4.52m |
| Width | 1.93m |
| Height | 1.16m |
| Weight | 1,422Kg |
| Price | ~262,000$ |
UAE Photos by: Mr.Solo
Racetrack Photos by: Fouad Alghanim & Sons Automotive Co, representative of @LamborghiniKuwait