The Lamborghini Huracán Performante has been confirmed to be the fastest car off the production line. It recently set the fastest record of 00:06:52:01 around the Green Hell, hence dethroning the Porsche 918 Spyder. But it isn't just speed that propelled the Performante to the top. Maurizio Reggiani explains how the Lambo managed to "tame the 'Ring."
Digital Trends sat down with the company's head of the R&D department, Maurizio Reggiani, wherein he removes the curtains as to what it takes to create the fastest production car. To clear the air, "Performante" simply points to something that achieves a high level of performance and that is able to do something exceptional. Clearly, this fastest vehicle has attained that "high level of performance" and we can't stress that even further.
He goes on to explain that the reason why the Performante exists is that well, it was part of their strategy. This is more of the Aventador to the Superveloce or the Gallardo to the Superleggera.
It means that every time they build a super sports car, they also cooked up a much more extreme version of it, as if the super sports car isn't super enough. "This time around we went with the Performante name to reflect what's possible to achieve with this car in terms of performance," says Reggiani.
But what is interesting with the Lamborghini Huracán Performante is its use of patented forged composites. This was originally developed jointly by Lamborghini and Callaway Golf Company and was introduced in their 2010 Sesto Elemento concept car and Diablo Octane drivers, respectively.
But what took so long for it to be used in such a large amount? Reggiani explains that the main problem was the manufacturing of this material with the right aesthetic appearance. Thus, with a not-so-easy process, they were tasked to make it look good. But in the end, they were able to achieve a high-tech look.
Hence, with the use of forged composites, the weight of the Lamborghini Huracán Performante was brought down. The added in a newly developed lighter exhaust system, bringing the Performante 88 lbs lighter.
When it came to the car's aerodynamics, they developed, and of course patented, their own tech, called Aerodinamica Lamborghini Attiva (ALA). "We were able to change the car's aerodynamic profile without adding big, heavy parts that must be moved," says Maurizio Reggiani. This explains the absence of movable spoilers, either on the front or on the rear of the car.
Now, to monitor chassis movements in real time and make necessary adjustments, they relied on their Lamborghini Piattaforma Inerziale (LPI), which uses the data in order to decide which way the active aero must work for optimum performance.
Of course, Lamborghini Huracán Performante's engine received its fair share of notable changes, thus being the first ever use of titanium valves. "It had a really positive effect on maximum power, which is up to 640 horsepower, but also on maximum torque, which now stands at 442 foot-pounds. About 70 percent of the engine's maximum torque is available at 1,500 rpm, which is impressive."
But don't forget its suspension as well, as not everything is about power these days. The tuning suspension has been revised, which made the car 10% stiffer, and the anti-roll bars have been updated also.
The price tag for the base model of the Performante starts at $274,390 and will be begin to be delivered to customers this summer. Compared with the Aventador, starts at more than $400,000 but needed nearly eight seconds longer to knock down a lap of the 'Ring, this is a pretty good deal, according to CarAndDriver.
Now, it's Porsche's turn to step up its game and claim back its title at the "grueling" Nürburgring track in Germany. But can it still beat the Lamborghini Huracán Performante?
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