SOUTH BEACH, FLA. – There it sat, the iridescent paint glistening in the Miami sun. It looks like it is at full chat even when sitting curbside. That’s exactly how exotic speedsters are supposed to look — sassy and sexy with just a hint of macho. The Lamborghini Huracán LP 610-4 Spyder is one of those rare cars that has such a magnetic personality it draws the most casual observer’s eyes towards it.

For the test drive, it was time to go topless. Holding a button sees the electro-hydraulic soft-top descend gracefully into its cubby in 17 seconds, and this can be done at speeds of up to 50 km/h. The neat part is that the rear window can be raised or lowered independently of the roof. With the top down and window up, it acts as a deflector by minimizing the usual windy backwash. However, the window is best left down as it amps up the visceral side of the experience.

2016 Lamborghini Huracán LP 610-4 Spyder Graeme Fletcher , Driving

2016 Lamborghini Huracán LP 610-4 Spyder Graeme Fletcher , Driving

2016 Lamborghini Huracán LP 610-4 Spyder Graeme Fletcher , Driving

2016 Lamborghini Huracán LP 610-4 Spyder Graeme Fletcher , Driving

2016 Lamborghini Huracán LP 610-4 Spyder Graeme Fletcher , Driving

2016 Lamborghini Huracán LP 610-4 Spyder Graeme Fletcher , Driving



2016 Lamborghini Huracán LP 610-4 Spyder Graeme Fletcher , Driving

2016 Lamborghini Huracán LP 610-4 Spyder Graeme Fletcher , Driving

2016 Lamborghini Huracán LP 610-4 Spyder Graeme Fletcher , Driving

2016 Lamborghini Huracán LP 610-4 Spyder Graeme Fletcher , Driving

2016 Lamborghini Huracán LP 610-4 Spyder Graeme Fletcher , Driving

2016 Lamborghini Huracán LP 610-4 Spyder Graeme Fletcher , Driving

2016 Lamborghini Huracán LP 610-4 Spyder Graeme Fletcher , Driving

Crank the engine to life and it barks before settling down to the deep mellifluous drone only a V10 produces. At idle, it sounds like a guard dog giving its first warning — a purposeful but muted growl. Blip the throttle and the exhaust note becomes a full-on roar that speaks to what sits behind the driver. The 5.2-litre V10 engine produces 610 horsepower and 412 lb.-ft. of torque, relayed to the oversized tires (P245/30R20 up front and P305/30R20 in the rear) through a slick seven-speed twin-clutch transmission and all four wheels.

What’s remarkable is just how quickly the transmission shifts — the upshifts are so fast there is no perceptible interruption in the flow of power. Of course, driving all four wheels means that the electronic aides remain hidden for the most part. Even when the pedal is mashed in anger the Spyder just hunkers down and warps off the line with nary a peep from the rubber. The system is rear-biased, splitting the power 43 per cent to the front and 57 per cent to the rear. Helping things is the limited-slip rear differential.

Lamborghini lists the run from rest to 100 km/h at 3.4 seconds, which is world-class and worthy of a car that has the appeal of Sophia Loren in her prime. However, where this car really shines in in the mid-range. Nail the gas at 80 km/h and it leaps forward and charges towards 120 km/h and onto a top speed of 324 km/h. Trust me, it takes a pilot with more intestinal fortitude than me to test the upper reaches of its capability.

However, not all is about the need for speed. To conserve fuel, the Huracán’s V10 features an engine start/stop system and, when the need for power is low, it shuts down five of its 10 cylinders. This helps explain the average fuel consumption rating of 12.3L/100 kilometres based on the European test cycle.

As for the driving experience, the driver can pick between Strada – best for cruising town as it forces very early upshifts – along with Sport and Corsa. Sport brings a louder exhaust note, firmer handling and a more immediate response to driver input. This was my favourite position as it does everything quickly without feeling temperamental in an urban environment. Corsa cranks everything to the max, making it ideal for a track environment. Sadly, none of that in Miami.

A big part of the Huracán’s overt alacrity is down to its sophisticated chassis — it is a blend of aluminum and carbon fibre. When compared to the outgoing Gallardo, the Huracán Spyder is 40 per cent stiffer. This showed up as a complete lack of cowl shake even as the road deteriorated. This monocoque chassis is then wrapped in aluminum and composite panels. In the end, the Huracán’s lightweight design delivers a power-to-weight ratio of 2.53 kilograms per horsepower.

So far so good, but speed without grace through the twisty bits would be a massive letdown. Fear not, as the LP 610-4 devours tarmac faster than my daughter knocks off Smarties – and it does so while remaining eerily flat during hard cornering. The double wishbone suspension gets active dampers at all four corners and a seriously sharp steering setup — the system changes according to road speed and so the turn-in to a corner is always sharp and millimetre-precise. Even when burning up the highway, it was easily pointed with very little correction needed to keep the Huracán between the lines.

Finally, when the time comes to drop anchor, the standard carbon-ceramic brake rotors scrub off speed effectively without being grabby. But herein lies one of the nits — if you want painted calipers on your Lambo, well, they come at extra cost. Please!

2016 Lamborghini Huracán LP 610-4 Spyder Graeme Fletcher , Driving

2016 Lamborghini Huracán LP 610-4 Spyder Graeme Fletcher , Driving

2016 Lamborghini Huracán LP 610-4 Spyder Graeme Fletcher , Driving

2016 Lamborghini Huracán LP 610-4 Spyder Graeme Fletcher , Driving

2016 Lamborghini Huracán LP 610-4 Spyder Graeme Fletcher , Driving

2016 Lamborghini Huracán LP 610-4 Spyder Graeme Fletcher , Driving

2016 Lamborghini Huracán LP 610-4 Spyder Graeme Fletcher , Driving

Inside, the cabin is impeccably attired and features a large 12.3-inch central instrumentation screen that can be tailored to display the information the driver wants including a full-up view of the navigation system — it is exactly like those infotainment systems that dominate the centre stack except this one resides behind the steering wheel. The rest of the layout is entirely logical and devoid of the clutter that mars many cabins. The shortcoming is storage space — virtually none under the forward trunk and literally none in the cabin.

The sculpted sport buckets are wrapped in the finest leather and there are 17 different interior colour schemes, each of which is as outlandish as the exterior paint. Why Lamborghini produces a white Huracán when it looks so staid compared to the more expressive colours in the palette mystified me. The only redeeming quality was the red soft top, but unfortunately, it was stowed for the entire test.

The Lamborghini Huracán LP 610-4 Spyder serves to give new meaning to life in the fast lane. When it lands this year, it will command $289,242.