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2016 Lamborghini Huracan LP 610-4 Spyder First Drive

Convertibles get a bad rap when it comes to performance cars. Once, a lack of a roof meant extra performance. Now it means added weight and loss of structural rigidity. This stigma even applies to supercars, maybe more so. In the case of Lamborghini, the Huracan LP 610-4 Spyder is the "lifestyle" version. Which is silly, but doesn't diminish the appeal. Essentially, the Spyder is a Huracan with a fabric roof. Same 602-horsepower V10 inches behind the cabin, same hybrid aluminum-and-carbon-fiber construction, and same all-wheel-drive (though updated across the line for 2016). The performance compromise is a mere one mile per hour drop in top speed, and two-tenths of a second slower claimed 0-62 mph time of 3.4 seconds. (We suspect this is generously slow, to protect the egos of coupe owners). All told, the Spyder adds about 220 pounds in curb weight versus the coupe (Italian "dry" weight numbers are notoriously optimistic, so take the 3,650-pound Spyder claim with a grain of salt). The aerodynamic management on the Spyder is so good that the 201-mph top speed is valid with both the top up and retracted. In detail, the conversion in making the Huracan convertible is extensive. The roof itself is three layers of fabric, with a middle rubberized ply to cut down on interior noise. The design brief was to maintain the Huracan's hexagons-gone-wild theme with the top up and down. Spend 17 seconds waiting for the fully automatic top to lower, and the shape retains the coupe's motif. Part of the top's electronic ballet is a pair of flaps that extend out to preserve the shape of the B-pillar. Those flaps also feature narrow slits that smooth the wind along the side of the car, reducing turbulence near the driver's and passenger's ears. Additional side deflectors keep more wind away from your head. And with the top down the rear window's maximum height is restricted to prevent it from catching air. The aerodynamic management on the Spyder is so good that the 201-mph top speed is valid with both the top up and retracted. Suck on that, coupe aficionados. The Huracan's performance is so ridiculous that few can explore the margin between the two bodystyles. In any case, we didn't get much chance to stretch the Huracan's legs on our press drive in Miami, due a torrential downpour and the fact that South Florida is a terrible place for driving. Maybe that's where the "lifestyle" portion comes in, because Miami is a fantastic town for flaunting wealth.

Runway Rumble: Nissan GT-R, Ducati 1098 and Lamborghini Reventon Roadster battle it out

One 2.5-mile runway, three different ways to take off: a Ducati 1098, a tuned Nissan GT-R with 580 horsepower and a launch control upgrade, and a Lamborghini Reventon Roadster. You'd naturally expect the Ducati to assert it's lightweight, high-horsepower authority in these matters, but with more than two miles to run, the ride that gets the jump at the line isn't always the one that gets the win.
That comes in especially handy for the Lamborghini, which suffers from a bad start in the first race and just looks plain ordinary in the second, until it finds redemption. You can see how it all goes down in the video below.

Lamborghini Aventador S Roadster loses roof, keeps the speed

Supercar builders seem to becoming good at making convertibles that make negligible sacrifices. McLaren recently launched the 570S Spyder, which is exactly as fast, stiff and efficient as the coupe with only about 100 pounds of extra weight. Now, Lamborghini has done virtually the same thing with its flagship Aventador S Roadster. The Aventador S Roadster features the same naturally aspirated V12 as its hard-headed twin, and it makes the same 729 horsepower and 509 pound-feet of torque. That engine will take the roadster to the same 217 mph top speed as the Aventador S coupe. The only sacrifices appear to be that the roadster weighs 110 pounds more than the coupe, and it has a claimed 0-62 mph time a tenth of a second slower. But we're not sure you'll care about that tenth of a second with the wind in your hair and the V12's exhaust note in your ears. And if you ever get tired of the exposure to the elements, you'll always have the top with you, since the top panels, weighing roughly 13 pounds a piece, can be stowed in the front trunk. Actually, there is one extra sacrifice to choosing the convertible, and that would be the price. The Aventador S Roadster has a starting MSRP of $460,247. That's roughly $40,000 more than the coupe. That could get you a well-optioned and customized Aventador S coupe, but no amount of custom interior configurations can get you the full auditory experience the Roadster can. Related Video: Featured Gallery Lamborghini Aventador S Roadster: Frankfurt 2017 Related Gallery Lamborghini Aventador S Roadster View 14 Photos Image Credit: Lamborghini Lamborghini Convertible Supercars lamborghini aventador s