Currently reading: Lamborghini Huracán gets new rear-wheel-drive version for 2016
Lamborghini Huracán LP580-2 has been revealed at the Los Angeles motor show; on sale early next year

A new rear-wheel-drive version of the Lamborghini Huracán, called the LP580-2, has been unveiled at the Los Angeles motor show.

The Huracán LP580-2 gets a slightly more modest version of the four-wheel-drive car’s 5.2-litre V10 engine, now producing 571bhp instead of 602bhp. However, the new model’s dry weight is just 1389kg, a 33kg saving over the LP 610-4, and it takes just 0.2sec longer to reach 62mph from rest, at 3.4sec. The top speed is 199mph.

There are visual differences between the LP580-2 and the LP610-4. The new car gets revised front and rear styling, with air intakes designed to increase downward pressure on the front axle, along with a fresh design of 19in ‘Kari’ wheels. Pirelli has developed bespoke P Zero tyres just for the rear-drive edition.

The V10 motor has a recalibrated ECU map to produce 384lb ft. Again, it's a slight reduction on the four-wheel-drive car’s figure but 75% of this torque is available at just 1000rpm.

The new car’s weight distribution is 40/60% front to rear, and Lamborghini says the selectable driving modes - Strada, Sport and Corsa - are “tuned to provide oversteering characteristics”, which could address widespread criticism of the four-wheel-drive car’s ultra-stable handling set-up.

Unlike the previous rear-drive Lamborghini Gallardo LP550-2, which was offered with a six-speed manual gearbox, the LP580-2 will keep the Huracán's standard, seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. It will become the cleanest model in Lamborghini’s line-up, too, with an official claimed average fuel economy of 23.7mpg and CO2 emissions of 278g/km (down from 290g/km on the Huracán LP610-4).

Lamborghini boss Stephan Winkelmann said: “The rear-wheel-drive model fits perfectly into our Huracán family. It’s the purest expression of a Lamborghini to date, and a serious car for serious drivers.”

No UK prices have been announced, but the quoted figure of €150,000 plus taxes means that the LP580-2 is likely to be slightly more affordable than the £180,000 LP610-4 - and that could make it up to £10,000 cheaper than a Ferrari 488 GTB.

An open-topped Spyder version is a near-certainty, too, although Lamborghini sources have given no indication of when it might appear.

Speaking at the launch of the Huracán LP580-2, Winkelmann said that Lamborghini will add more rear-wheel-drive versions of the Huracán to its range in the future, as well as more extreme versions of the car, but ruled out any model with a manual gearbox.

“With the Gallardo a lot of those things were not in place,” said Winkelmann. “With the Huracán we are in a much better position because we factored in the whole story when we were doing the initial planning. So yes, there will be much more to come - and that does include more rear-wheel-drive versions.”

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Lamborghini believes that the LP580-2 will allow it to compete in the ‘up to $200,000’ supercar class, which accounts for almost 70% of the top-end sports car market. However, unlike the rear-drive Gallardo, which was offered in an even cheaper form with a manual transmission, the Huracán will stick with its dual-clutch gearbox across the line-up.

“There are technical reasons we cannot do a manual,” said Winkelmann, “but there is also no feedback from customers really wanting this either.

“With the four-wheel drive and rear-wheel drive, our research says that in this area of the market there will be 55% rear-drive sales between 2015 and 2020. So there are clearly some buyers - younger customers, I think, but also more experienced enthusiast drivers - who want rear-drive. We don’t have the same impression with the manual gearbox compared with the dual-clutch. I can say now: there will not be a manual Huracán.”

Winkelmann suggested that the Huracán range would expand upwards from the LP580-2 instead. “We have no plans to go below this price - the $200,000 mark,” he said. “But expansion at the top end of the Huracán range? It’s possible, for sure.”

That’s likely to be a reference to a potential SV version of the car. The case for such a vehicle - which would potentially pair the four-wheel-drive car’s more potent version of the 5.2-litre V10 engine with the rear-drive layout - has been made stronger by the sales success of the Aventador SV. The hardcore versions of that car, in coupé and open-topped form, are now completely sold out.

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Moparman 18 November 2015

Of course it has less power

Do you think the VW is going to cut off its nose to spite its face by introducing a rear-wheel drive version with the same amount of power? The sales of the all-wheel drive version would dry up overnight. Along with the weight saving the ability to drive it more in a manner keeping of a supercar should more than offset the lower power and will likely soon separate the serious drivers from those who just like to brag about numbers.
Ofir 17 November 2015

Dumping the front drive rids

Dumping the front drive rids it of weight and gives it a good chance against the 570S, but its still around 100 kg heavier because of that naturally aspirated engine which is also its best asset. I suppose will have to wait and see.
eseaton 17 November 2015

Better, but I don't really

Better, but I don't really understand why 'serious drivers' want less power? And the absence of a manual option remains a tragedy that only Porsche seems to appreciate.