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2020 Lamborghini Huracan EVO Track Test Review | The limits of performance

ROSAMOND, Calif. — Our first drive of the Lamborghini Huracan EVO in Bahrain earlier this year revealed that its dramatically reworked new tech makes it far more than simply an evolution ­– hence the EVO name – of its LP 610-4 predecessor. If you care about lap times, it even managed to best the outgoing LP 640-4 Performante around Nardo. While our first drive left us impressed with the EVO's responsiveness, forward-thinking performance enhancements, and (finally) modernized multimedia interface, we did have some lingering questions about its at-limit dynamics on the track. With all-wheel steering altering its responsiveness at higher speeds, it begged the question: Is something getting sacrificed on the road to supercar perfection? To find out, we got more seat time in the latest iteration of Lamborghini's $261,274 entry-level supercar at Southern California's Willow Springs International Raceway. First and foremost, the mighty 631-horsepower V10 roars to life with a familiar, free-breathing bellow that triggers one hell of a distinct sense memory. It's gloriously devoid of sound-sapping forced-induction, and it still fires up via a missile launcher-style button on the center console. Once the exhaust valve opens, the engine sings in a refreshingly sonorous way that turbocharged competitors simply can't hold a candle to. Hallelujah. Gone (but certainly not missed) from the cabin is the ancient Audi-derived MMI system, replaced by an 8.4-inch capacitive touchscreen that's a quantum leap over the old system, making the EVO feel fully modern inside – at last. Outside, a subtle restyling integrates improved aerodynamics; the front bumper and rear spoiler collectively create seven times more downforce than before. It looks muscular enough to park next to the steroidal Performante, with its big, fixed rear wing, and not look like a letdown. Behind the wheel in pit row, there's little clue to the EVO's multitude of lurking electronics, which includes three accelerometers and three gyroscopes. It's over 100 degrees Fahrenheit here at Willow Springs, and unlike cobbled-together Lamborghinis of yore, the EVO stays cool after running hot laps. It's more palpable evidence of the Volkswagen Group's dramatic improvements to Lamborghini's functionality and durability. Before attacking the full track, I put the EVO through a low-speed slalom run, which showcases the all-wheel steering system quite successfully.

2019 Lamborghini Urus Track Drive Review | The banshee from Sant'Agata

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. — The Lamborghini Urus is a strange beast. It's generally shaped like a modern Lamborghini, a thick wedge with knife-edged angles, but its four-door form brings a practicality that no previous Lamborghini could match. Not even the iconic LM002, a thinly veneered military vehicle more similar to the classic Steyr-Daimler-Puch Gelandewagen than the Urus, which is a crossover and fundamentally meant to appeal to a much broader audience. We flew to California at the height of snowbird season to drive this $200,000 SUV. We wanted to focus on the wonderful weather and Urus' abilities on the track rather than debating whether or not it truly is a product of Sant'Agata Bolognese. Models like this attract new customers to the brand, and the company expects the Urus to double sales. To succeed, it needs to have the sex appeal and performance to back up the Lamborghini name, not necessarily be a direct link to the Huracan or Avendator. There's a Volkswagen Group feel to the whole design, discernable even under the camouflage of hexagonal shapes. That's no surprise, as the Urus rides on the same platform as the Audi Q8, Bentley Bentayga and Porsche Cayenne. The hardpoints can't change, and the sharp lines remind you more than a little of the Q8. And the 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8's exhaust note betrays the Urus' German roots, too. The engine – again shared with other VW products – sounds beefy and mean, but doesn't sing quite the same sweet tune you expect from an Italian performance car, especially when your foot is nailed to the floor. The Urus' interior, too, has a distinct Audi aura. The leather is fantastic, especially in saddle brown like our main test vehicle, but the digital instrument cluster is lifted straight from Audi, as are the steering wheel, window and lock switches, infotainment system and more. It's mostly quality stuff, but it feels like pieces from a parts-bin when some of the touch points on a $200,000 SUV are the same as a $35,000 sedan. It's also a problem that the Porsche Cayenne and Bentley Bentayga don't have. The things Porsche and Bentley could change — gauges, switches, lock buttons and more — they did change. Those two feel like more distinct products and less like a different wrapper on the same candy bar. It feels like Lamborghini skimped on some of the details. Look, Audi makes great stuff, but it makes the Urus feel less special. But on the track, you move the Urus around like you're swinging a sledgehammer.

Mansory tunes Lamborghini Huracan to 838 hp

The Lamborghini Huracan is a pretty potent package right out of the box, but the tuners at Mansory are showing that it's always possible to squeeze just a little bit extra out of a performance car for the willing buyer. The company's more aggressive interpretation of the coupe makes its public debut at the 2015 Geneva Motor Show. The Lambo's revised styling might be too brash for some people, but Mansory at least backs the looks up with a significant boost in power. The company keeps the 5.2-liter V10 in place but bolts on a single turbo, new exhaust and retunes the engine and transmission software to push output up to 838 horsepower and 575 pound-feet of torque. Thanks to the boost, the sprint to 62 miles per hour now takes a claimed 2.9 seconds, and the top speed reportedly grows to 205 mph. The stock Huracan is almost curvaceous by Lamborghini standards with a set of tightly focused flowing arcs making up its shape, but Mansory completely ditches subtlety for its carbon-fiber body kit. Up front, the the new lip spoiler adds tiny flying buttresses to each corner, and the wider fenders at the rear cover up the 12.5-inch-wide, 21-inch-diameter forged wheels. There's also a behemoth of a diffuser and massive wing at the back to suck the turbocharged Lambo to the road. If buyers want it, the tuning company offers a bespoke leather interior, as well. MANSORY refines the Lamborghini Huracan to the highest level Deeply rooted in the MANSORY philosophy is the motto to continually provide automotive masterpieces. Shortly before the Geneva Motor Show 2015, MANSORY, specialists for the refining and customisation of exclusive sports cars, granted a first glimpse of the refining program for the Lamborghini Huracan. A wide bodied development model is planned as a world premier at the Geneva Motor Show. The soon to be presented bodywork program makes it clear that MANSORY differs significantly from the standard series vehicle. In addition to design elements such as the specially designed daytime driving lights and the new carbon wing mirrors, targeted design interventions provide for an increase in aerodynamics. Whether front, rear bumper or side skirts - all body components are exclusively shaped and cured under high pressure and high temperatures in an autoclave using high-tech carbon materials. The advantages of this method are proven: Acceleration, stopping distances and fuel consumption are all improved due to the weight reduction of the car.