First Look: Lamborghini Huracan the Super Car of the Future

The wide–eyed look on the young teen’s face was a mirrored by his father, 50 years his elder, as they stepped gingerly into the Beverly Hills showroom of one the world’s most iconic and revered brands of automobiles.

Their beaming smiles and soft whispers were like those of patrons in a fine art museum as they floated through the gallery, being careful not to touch, yet soaking up every sight and smell of the masterpieces that lay out before them.

This is automobile royalty—this is Lamborghini.

"Would you like to sit in it?" asked the young brand manager of O’Gara Coach Company’s Lamborghini Beverly Hills. The boy’s eyes grew even larger and his smile opened to reveal a grill full of shiny metal orthodontia. "Can I?" he muttered, still uncertain that he had heard the question correctly.

"Of course!" she said. "Hop in."

Now, let’s be clear; one does not simply "hop in" a Lamborghini, especially the new Huracan model—Spanish for hurricane, the name of a particularly ferocious Spanish bull—with its super low–to–the–road stance and chiseled racing seats positioned just inches away from a monster engine. But there is nothing normal about this machine. In fact, to call it a car, or even a super car, doesn’t do it justice.

This is a dream—this is Lamborghini.

For more than five decades, the Italian automaker has produced designs that were way ahead of their time, representing the future of automotive travel and immediately becoming classics as soon as they left the artist’s sketch pad. Even the Countach model, circa 1982, that shares the showroom with the Huracan and the Aventador, is as much an eye–catcher today as its younger siblings.

But it’s the Huracan LP610–4 that draws our attention in 2015. With 610 horsepower packaged in a sexy spaceship–like body, sporting cat’s eyes, sharp distinct edges and a crab–like grill that appears to be gobbling up the road in front of it, the Huracan has the look of incredible motion while standing still. There is nothing subtle about the Huracan.

As we lower into the driver’s seat, we are immediately aware of the fact that, as with most racing machines, the Huracan sits very low to the road—just a few inches above the blacktop. The cockpit looks like that of a private jet or rocket ship, with modified hexagons everywhere, and metal switch barriers protecting the controls. The digital center dash is topped by Darth Vader–like hood and the power–up button is protected by a bright red flip–up cover to reinforce the idea that you are just moments away from launch.

This is luxury—this is Lamborghini.

One push of the button and the Huracan roars to life with the throaty growl that is unmistakably Lamborghini. Another button raises the nose to keep it from scraping pavement as we ease out onto the city streets in "Strada" drive mode, which is the most that you dare to bring into the quiet neighborhoods of Beverly Hills. The "Sport" and "Corsa" modes are meant for more spirited drives. Racing style paddle shifters have replaced a foot clutch, and assist with the seamless performance of the Huracan’s transitional gears as we roar through the narrow neighborhood streets. 

The three driving modes are what sets this Lamborghini apart from other super cars. Even with its incredible horsepower, the Huracan is truly capable of handling neighborhood and city streets with ease. 

"Cars like the Huracan give us an opportunity for people to have a car than can be utilized as an everyday super car," said Jason Chinook, General Manager of Marketing at Lamborghini America. "A lot of people think that super cars are exclusively for special occasions, and they can be, but the Huracan was developed to be able to take it to work every day if you wanted to. It’s built with that concept in mind. The driving modes give you the opportunity to be able to change the personality of the car from being that daily driver in ‘Strada’ mode, all the way to something that will dominate the track. The fact that you can have the best of both worlds from the flick of a switch on the steering wheel is incredible. It is a significant difference."

Another drivability factor is that the Huracan is an all–wheel–drive super car that continuously works to keep the super car headed in the direction that you want it to go, even when the driver gets a bit carried away with the crazy power of the engine.

This is performance—this is Lamborghini.

The Huracan’s arrival on city streets draws attention from passersby, eliciting smiles from all who see it. Cameras pop out and the questions start to flow. "What is that?" "How fast does it go?" "How much does it cost?" and, inevitably, "What do you do for a living?" Lamborghini owners are used to this attention because there is no place that this car can go that won’t attract a crowd. 

 "It’s really incredible," said Chinook of his experience driving the Huracan. "I want people to feel like it’s something approachable and accessible because it brings joy to people’s lives. As simple as it may sound, a car can either be four wheels and an engine that gets you from Point A to Point B, or it can be something that really is a special occasion." 

He said that Lamborghini owners tend to be a special breed of self–made entrepreneurs who can relate to the independent spirit of the company.

"They feel that this is the car that allows them be able to communicate their individuality," Chinook said. "We also find people who are achievers that have worked hard throughout their lives and are using this as an opportunity to reward themselves. It’s a token of their achievement."

Personalization is also a trademark of Lamborghini. Every car is built to the client’s specifications—with custom colors and interiors, if desired—and the dealer utilizes a special digital configurator to provide a virtual look at the car inside and out before it goes into production. 

"We have a special program called ‘Ad Personam’ that provides an opportunity for people to personalize their cars," said Chinook. "Let’s say they have a favorite exterior color, something that is very important to them. They can bring a swatch of the color and the dealer sends it to the factory which then works on building a special configuration just for them based on the colors that they choose. Options are endless, it’s quite incredible."

Then, in 6 to 12 months, your one–of–a–kind super car vehicle transitions from your dreams to your driveway. 

You can expect to spend upward of a $500,000 to build your Huracan, but you can rest assured in knowing that you are not only getting an iconic super car with extreme power and amazing drivability, you are getting a unique artistic masterpiece, as well.

This is living—this is Lamborghini.

For a closer look, visit the newly opened O’Gara Coach Company Lamborghini dealership in La Jolla (888-867-6599) or visit ogaracoachlajolla.com.