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Lamborghini says handling, not flat-out speed, is the new benchmark

Speed has played a significant role in defining Lamborghini's image since the brand's inception in 1963, but the type of velocity it aims to achieve is changing direction. One of its top executives opined that handling, not 0-60-mph times or maximum speed, is the new benchmark in the supercar segment the company calls home. Francesco Scardaoni, the head of the Italian company's Asia-Pacific operations, explained achieving the quickest possible sprint from 0-60 mph and the highest possible top speed used to be what defined a Lamborghini. Rivals aimed to rule the chart, too, so exotic brands spend decades taking turns trying to outgun each other by shaving a tenth of a second from — or adding a few miles per hour to — their respective times. EVs moved the goalpost in the 2010s, according to Scardaoni, because their powertrain develops maximum torque right away. "If you go back to 10 years ago, probably when we were asked the parameters to measure a car with we would say top speed, acceleration, and then handling. Top speed then became a secondary measure, and acceleration the first one. Now, basically [with electrification] is no more that important. because it's quite easy for those kind of power units to have amazing results in acceleration," he explained in an interview with Car Advice. Exemplified by the Huracan STO introduced in 2020, the shift represents a dramatic about-face for the engineering team led by Maurizio Reggiani. Speed is easy to quantify; if we tell you that a Bugatti Chiron takes 2.4 seconds to reach 60 mph from a full stop, or that it maxes out at 304 mph, you know exactly what it can do. Handling, on the other hand, is difficult to put a number on. Gs on a skidpad is one measure, but that's only a small part of the handling equation. There's no unit of measurement that describes how a Divo feels on a winding Sicilian road. Scardaoni hinted that focusing on handling is a way to keep exotic supercars relevant in the coming years. Electric hypercars are ostensibly on their way, including the Rimac C_Two and the Pininfarina Battista. Closely related, both allegedly take under two seconds to sprint from 0-60 mph thanks in part to a 1,900-horsepower drivetrain, yet they weigh approximately 4,300 pounds; they're heavier than a Mercedes-Benz S-Class. Neither are in the same league as, say, the Huracan, but they're good examples of the pros and cons of electrified performance.

2020 Lamborghini Huracan Spyder getting Performante looks

The Lamborghini Huracan has been around since the 2015 model year, and has been pretty much unchanged with the exception of a slightly restyled rear-drive variant. Lamborghini seems to think it's about time the Huracan was updated, since one of our spy photographers caught a new version in light camouflage out testing. It appears the new model borrows heavily from the Huraca n Performante. Up front, the main grille has pretty much the same set of fins and gills as the ultra-fast Huracan. There does appear to be an extra pair of horizontal slats on either side of the middle trapezoidal shape in the grille. Along the side, things are pretty much the same as on any current Huracan, but the lower intakes now have little winglets in the middle of the air inlets. The rear of the car is the most noticeably changed. It features two large exhaust tips in the middle of the rear fascia a la the Performante. They're also housed in another trapezoidal structure, again like on the top-dog Huracan. The rear diffuser is more aggressive than the current model, but not as much as the Performante. There aren't any openings behind the rear tires, either, and the air outlets on either side of the exhaust area are new. There's also a more pronounced duck tail spoiler than on previous models. We aren't expecting any earth-shattering changes for this updated Huracan. For one thing, the visual changes show that this is mostly the same car underneath. We could see it taking advantage of the stiffer suspension and some the light, molded carbon fiber parts of the Performante to help improve the performance a bit more. The Performante's active aerodynamics will probably stay exclusive to that high-performance model, though. There's also the fact that completely new versions of the Hurac an and Aventador are on the horizon, and may pack some huge changes such as hybrid powertrains. As such, Lamborghini is probably just going to try and stretch this model until it's time for the new one. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Featured Gallery 2020 Lamborghini Huracan Spyder spy shots Image Credit: SpiedBilde Spy Photos Lamborghini Convertible Performance Supercars

Report: Lamborghini Urus spells it 'Lanborghini'

Maybe Lamborghini was too busy making shoes. Maybe it was spending too much time on social media. Or maybe it was spending too much time reminiscing about the past. But somewhere along the way, a Lamborghini owner says, somebody accidentally typed "n" instead of "m," spelling "Lanborghini" on the Urus infotainment screen. Based on a report from Carbuzz, the misspelling on one of @TorontoCarNut's Urus screens was the first domino in a slew of electrical issues on the $200,000-plus performance SUV. The owner took the SUV into the shop to fix the misspelling, but numerous issues continued to pop up after the appointment. The Urus rear hatch no longer opens with foot motion, the rear courtesy lights no longer work, and Apple CarPlay doesn't work with WiFi, among other problems. The dealership reportedly offered to give the owner a brand new Urus to resolve the issue, according to this account, but he turned it down. It is expected that brand-new models will have issues during first runs, but it is nonetheless unfortunate to see these types of problems show up on a car that costs so much money and commands a high standard. Are any of the small handful of Urus owners out there reading this? If so, do you have a "Lanborghini" lurking in your infotainment system? This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.