We Took the Lamborghini Huracan Spyder for a Spin Through Downtown Miami
Under Miami’s azure skies and late winter’s lukewarm sun, a pack of boy scouts are running down the street, chasing me and cheering. The reason? Lamborghini is in town to launch their latest engineering marvel — the Lamborghini Huracan LP 610-4 Spyder.
A Lamborghini might be one of the few man made objects in which, if you were to sit a bonafide celebrity, the car would still get more attention than its occupant. Drop jawed gawkers at traffic lights and the whipping of pedestrian necks are all but assured. And in the case of the 2016 Spyder — the third model in Lamborghini’s “entry-level” Huracan range, and the first with a convertible top — you can let the people get a good long look as you tame the four-wheel drive, 610 horsepower 5.2 liter V10 engine.
This is a lifestyle car — the first four- wheel drive, 610 horsepower 5.2 liter V10-powered supercar you could feasibly drive everyday. That’s the idea, anyway. There are three different driving modes in the dual clutch gearbox, effortlessly allowing you to switch between paddle shifting and fully automatic driving. It’s like the difference between taking it out on the streets and burning up the track. There is a splendid sound system, air conditioning, and even the most elegant sliding cupholder you’re likely to lay eyes on. If you do get up to speed, the ceramic brakes and their ability to stop the car on a virtual dime is as impressive as the speed that got you there. Even in the most docile setting, one quick press of the gas reminds you the power that surrounds you — as you jet around with the ability to get to a top speed of 324 km/h, needing only 3.4 seconds to get up to 100 km/h.
Still, there are downsides. Nothing is perfect, not even in Miami. The seats are a touch uncomfortable and with the roof up, visibility is an issue, and for a car designed to be looked at as an everyday drive super car, trunk space is only enough to store two magnums of champagne, at best.
But listen, practicality is an afterthought with a Lamborghini. You drive it because it is a stunning distillation of power, engineering and flash. Switch on the engine and everyone and everything will hear that whipped tiger growl of the V10 engine engaging. Take it out for a drive, and even in a place like Miami — a blurred merry-go-round of supercars — people will still stare. This is because in the LP 610-4 Spyder, Lamborghini have crafted and welded the best looking soft top supercar around.
It’s what a Lamborghini is and always will be — a raging bull for which understatement is simply not part of the vocabulary — and nor should it be.
SPECS
Engine: 5.2-litre V10
Power: 610 HP
Price: $289,242
