Lamborghini Huracán LP580-2 Spyder – the new rear-wheel drive open-roof Lamborghini
Lamborghini Huracán LP580-2 Spyder – the new rear-wheel drive open-roof Lamborghini
Lamborghini Huracán LP580-2 Spyder – the new rear-wheel drive open-roof Lamborghini. The Lamborghini Huracán LP580-2 coupé became available some time ago, so Lamborghini has now added the open-top Spyder version of it.
Rather than the “4” in the name, the “2” indicates this is not 4-wheel-drive but RWD, which gives a different driving feel… a purer, more classic sports car drive, where the rear wheels do the propulsion and the front wheels do the steering.
The rear-wheel drive Spyder
Automobili Lamborghini presents the Lamborghini Huracán rear-wheel drive Spyder, combining the lifestyle appeal of the convertible with the pure on-road experience of the Huracán’s rear-wheel drive technologies.
“The rear-wheel drive Spyder enlarges the Huracán family’s core product range,” says Stefano Domenicali, Automobili Lamborghini Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. “It offers the lifestyle appeal of open-air motoring with the pure thrill of rear-wheel drive engineering. This is a Lamborghini for those with a passion for life and the purest driving experience on the open road. It’s also a Huracán for those entering the Lamborghini family, wanting a true Spyder experience without compromising on the performance and dynamic handling of a rear-wheel drive car.”
As per the Huracán coupé, the rear-wheel drive Huracán Spyder features a newly-designed front and rear with a dynamic and more aggressive look distinguishing it from the four-wheel-drive version.
Its V10 5.2-litre engine pushes 426 kW to the rear axle – that’s pure turbo-denied high-rev power (peak is delivered at 8000 r/min). The 580 in its name tells of the horsepower, so this 426 kW is actually a milder version of the 640 hp (449 kW) engine in the “4” models.
With its dry weight of just 1509 kg, the 580-2 Spyder provides a weight-to-power ratio of 2.6 kg/hp. Acceleration from 0-100 km/h is achieved in 3.6 seconds, with a top speed of 319 km/h, or just 0.2 seconds and 1 km/h off the 580-2 coupé figures.
Soft-top design for a true Spyder
The front and rear of the car have been redesigned, with its dynamic good looks accented by the large front air intakes that direct cooling air and headwind to increase down pressure on the front axle. Pirelli PZero tyres, exclusively developed for the rear-wheel drive Huracán, sit on 19” Kari rims. Specially-contoured steel brakes with aluminium brake disc pots assist in weight reduction and improved cooling.
Inside, the cockpit features the latest Lamborghini Infotainment System II with a 12.3” hi-res TFT instrument panel.
The latest addition to the Huracán family adopts the soft-top solution of a true Spyder, distinguishing the convertible from its coupé sibling through a unique profile, whether roof up or down. Opening and closing in just 17 seconds at speeds of up to 50 km/h, the lightweight soft top is efficiently stowed to maintain the Spyder’s perfect centre of gravity, and highlight the dynamic design of the open car.
With the roof down, two distinctive fins rise out of the casing to perfectly define the unique lines of the open car. Accenting the Huracán Spyder’s low, powerful appearance, the rear fins start at the seatbacks and continue the roofline to the rear, creating the Spyder’s flowing line. The two fins contribute to optimising airflow through the engine compartment, which is covered by a slatted engine bonnet specific to the Spyder.
An integrated duct reduces turbulence in the headroom during open top driving. With the soft-top up or down, the driver can electronically open the rear window, which functions as a windshield when up… and highlights the V10 engine’s unique sound when down. Two removable lateral wind guards dampen lateral aerodynamic noise in the cabin, permitting conversations even at high speeds.
Gears and gases
The Lamborghini Doppia Frizione (LDF) 7-speed dual clutch architecture ensures the fastest gear changes and includes ‘launch control’ for maximum acceleration from a standing start. The electronic power steering and optional Lamborghini Dynamic Steering (LDS) are tuned specifically for the rear-wheel drive Spyder, ensuring maximum agility and control in every driving condition, depending on driving mode and speed.
As in all Huracán models, cylinder deactivation improves engine efficiency, reduces fuel consumption and thus reduces CO2. When full engine capacity is not required, 5 of the 10 cylinders are temporarily deactivated by switching off one cylinder bank. When the driver accelerates, the system switches back instantaneously to all-10 mode, with the change-over being virtually impossible to detect.
Super news
The rear-wheel drive Spyder will be available in markets worldwide from January 2017, priced between the two and four-wheel drive coupé models, and completing the core (excluding special edition models) Huracán product range.
Super news for supercar enthusiasts in South Africa is that the Lamborghini Huracán LP580-2 Spyder is already available here, at a 4-and-a-three-quarter-million Rand base price, compared to the coupé of R4.3m and the LP610-4 coupé of R4.99m.