Throughout the centuries, Lamborghini have always looked incredibly extreme, whilst they didn't really drive that extremely.
Sure, if you compare them to a Golf GTI, they would, but if you compare them to direct competitors like Ferrari or McLaren or Porsche's GT-cars,
there always was a little bit of understeering in the Lamborghini. It just lacked that tiny bit of sharpness.
And that's remarkable, because besides the rather extreme looking exterior, it also has a screaming V10 in the back.
But that extremeness didn't always translate to the way it drove. Lamborghini acknowledged that, so they released the pre-facelift...
Huracan Performante. That effectively banned all woollyness, and they kept the V10. But Lamborghini thought they could take it even further.
Back in the day, you had the Valentino Balboni-version of the Lamborghini Gallardo, remember that? That was a rear-wheel drive Gallardo...
with less power, to cope with the lack of four-wheel drive. Nowadays however, most Ferrari's and McLaren's have around 700 or 800...
on their rear wheels, so it should be possible by now. Lamborghini did the same trick to the Huracan.
Even after the facelift, they released a rear-wheel drive Huracan, which had a reduced power output again.
That made it a very pure version, but not the fastest or most hardcore version of them all. That was the Performante of course.
Right. They've facelifted the Huracan again, so it's now called the Huracan Evo, and they've combined the plans.
This is the Lamborghini Huracan STO. Super Trofeo Omologata. And what they've done this time, is an absolute first for the company.
The Performante was a very good sports car, but this? This is the closest they'll get to a Porsche 911 GT3 RS, that's how hardcore it is.
It still has the 5.2-litre V10, producing 640 horsepower. All of the power is sent to the rear wheels, so no more yapping about that it wouldn't...
be safe enough, it's a rear-wheel drive car. That's it. They've reduced the weight as well, so it only weighs 1.340 kg as it stands here.
As you've probably seen by now, it has a lot of additional aero parts. And I'm not even talking about the huge spoiler at the back.
There's skirts here, there's vents here, there's a splitter at the front, and it's not just for show. It's got 50 percent more downforce than...
the Performante had. The track width is bigger, the camber is different, the brakes have been adjusted, the dampers are rock solid,
it's got stiffer anti-roll bars and it all makes for a car... I mean, I drove it all the way to Germany, holy shit what a hardcore machine.
So let me put it this way: this is closer to a 911 GT3 RS than an actual 911 GT3 itself.
Right, the interior. Before we start driving, there's a lot to be said. You better don't feel sore or anything, because to get in,
you literally drop yourself into the tub. Which is hard, so you'll feel it pretty well. Then, you've got a four-point seatbelt.
I mean, do you want to drive a sports car don't you? You're nice and tight, but you can't really move around.
Also, it's a lot of work if you need to get in and out a lot. At least, you're very safe.
Right. When I look around me, it's incredibly cool to begin with. It's so Lamborghini in here, almost like a fighter jet.
The start button is behind this switch here.
I love the gear lever by the way. Having said that, the ergonomics in here are pretty decent. The multimedia system is decent for this segment as well.
It also comes with Apple CarPlay and such, so that's ideal. I absolutely love these buttons on the dashboard.
In front of you, you've got a digital instrument cluster. It can show you the revs, or other stats like laptimes or G's or highest achieved top speed.
You do have to search for it a little, but it's doable. Then, the driving modes. STO-mode is the base-mode.
I wouldn't call it Comfort-mode, but it makes driving it around more bearable. Then you've got Trofeo, which sharpens up the suspension...
and steering, the automatic gearbox becomes sharper and the noise becomes deafening. You also have a special Rain-mode, but we won't...
need that today. That makes everything a tad safer. Right, let's go.
8.000... 9.000... Come on!
It really brings out the bad boy in me. I'll change up for you, otherwise you won't be able to hear me. Having said that, it's all about the engine...
in here. It's a 5.2-litre V10, which we've known for years. From the Huracan, the Gallardo, the R8. It's still atmospherical as well.
It produces 640 horsepower and it's absolutely screaming like crazy. It cuts out just before 9.000 RPM, but it sounds like it easily surpasses that.
It's so hard, it sounds so amazing. I'm almost ashamed for the environment over here, because this car is so incredibly loud.
It absolutely grabs you. It might not sound as pure as a high-revving Ferrari V12, not as smooth, but it really sounds like a racing car.
And that's what it's supposed to sound like, right? When it comes to the power output, it's nowhere near it's direct competition.
They all have around 700 or even 720 horsepower, like the Ferrari F8. The same goes for McLaren, which even produces 765 horsepower...
with the 765 LT. But on the other hand, when do I actually feel like this doesn't produce enough power?
Sure, if you're only driving at 300 km/h, if you have a little bit of extra power, that'll be a little easier.
When you're driving in the real world, it doesn't matter in the slightest. Also, this is fully atmospherical as well, so I'd rather have that.
I don't care about being 180 horsepower down, I would choose 640 atmospheric horsepower over 800 turbo horsepower every day.
Right. A double clutch automatic gearbox which isn't as quick as in a Ferrari or a GT3, but it's more than quick enough. I'm not annoyred by it in any way.
I just love the drivetrain. It's so much louder than in other Huracans, and it already sounds very loud in those.
And I'm in the car, but I can't imagine what it sounds like for people on the outside. Especially with the Akrapovic-exhaust system.
Anyway, we already like this drivetrain in other cars, so what's different in here. Well, this only has rear-wheel drive.
The four-wheel drive has gone, which makes it a lot bitier in the nose. It pushes you around the corner very nicely as well.
It's got four-wheel steering on the rear axle as well, which makes it even more prepared to turn around. A truly feisty car.
Especially in Trofeo-mode, the throttle response is so good that it dives to the inside of the corner whenever your release the throttle.
You need to get used to that, but when you get the trick, you're able to position the car so incredibly nicely.
That's what driving a car so much fun, and that's why Ferrari's and Porsche GT's were so good. But that sharpness was the thing...
that Lamborghini lacked a little, but it now has that. And that's great. It makes for a car that's very agile, that's constantly taking you for a drive.
I'm squeezing the steering wheel too hard, it cramps up my hands, but it's all to keep the car under control.
Because it's so agile, because it's so sharp. I never felt that in a Lamborghini before, the kick always came from the noise and brutality.
Never because of the sharpness and the feistyness, so I'm really happy they've taken this direction with it.
I mean, just look at it. The car feels and looks the part. It even sounds the part. You just want it to be this sharp and agressive, it's amazing.
It's not without sacrifice however. It's a very hard car. It's not only loud, but it's almost like it doesn't have dampers.
That's why I say it's incredibly close to a GT3 RS, that's how hardcore it is.
It's a true track car, that's how it was meant. And you could debate whether to buy one or not if you never even visit a track.
It's unfortunate that the step between the Performante and this is so incredibly big.
I wouldn't recommend drive it for longer journeys. Not only when it comes to the noise, but when it comes to the state of your spine too.
Don't get me wrong, this isn't a complaint. Lamborghini is an extreme manufacturer and it makes extreme machines.
But if you're looking for a car like this, just know you'll be getting an incredibly hard car.
When you're in a Ferrari, like the 488 Pista or the F12 TdF, I mean, those are extreme as well. But they won't get as hard as this.
Why is that, you may ask? Well, you'll still have to be able to drive it on bumpy Italian roads, which are far worse than these roads here.
The chassis always catches the bad surfaces. That's the great thing about a 488 Pista. But I won't see this STO o doing that though, on...
bumpy Italian or English roads. I haven't been able to find a Bumpy Road-setting either, like Ferrari does have.
So know what you're buying. It's not very forgiving when it comes to bad surfaces. And again, it's not a complaint, I'm just noticing it.
Just take it into consideration. As a whole, there's never been a Lamborghini that combines this extreme drivetrain with this extreme...
handling and extreme exterior, and I absolutely love them for doing it anyway. It's phenomenal. The whole idea is great.
Having said that, you should also know that this car will cost you €460.000. With additional carbon pack that is.
However, I get the impression that when people are shopping in this segment, they don't really care if it's €100.000 more or less,
but it's still a lot of money. Or is it, considering the Lamborghini you get for it in return?