Lamborghini Huracán Performante Goes Topless In Geneva

TopSpeed

By Ciprian Florea

Published Mar 6, 2018

Retains hot looks and performance

The Lamborghini Huracan proved itself as a worthy successor to the iconic Gallardo only a few months after it hit the market, but it wasn't until the Performante version was launched that Lambo unveiled its true potential. Almost a year later and the record-setting supercar loses its top to become the Performante Spyder at the 2018 Geneva Motor Show.

Not surprisingly, the Spyder is identical to its coupe sibling below the waist. It features all of the race-inspired elements, including the large vents, the double splitter, and the beefed-up side skirts, while the rear sports a big diffuser and a wing atop the decklid. The wing is just as big as on the coupe, a sign that Lambo made no compromises for the drop-top configuration.

Of course, the convertible configuration is what sets the Spyder apart. There's also a revised engine lid and a soft-top to cover the cockpit in case of bad weather. Using a lightweight construction and electrohydraulic function, the soft-top maintains the coupe's distinctive lines and doesn't diminish the car's rigidity. The roof opens in just 17 seconds up to a speed of 30 mph, while the rear window can be electrically opened separately and used as a wind shield. When the roof is down, two movable fins rise out of the casing to help reduce turbulence in the cabin.

The good news is that the soft-top does not compromise the car's ALA system, which varies aero load in order to improve dynamics on the road and the track.

Performance-wise, the Spyder retains the specifications of the Performance Coupe. It takes its juice from the same 5.2-liter V-10 rated at 631 horsepower and 443 pound-feet of torque, which accounts for a 29-horsepower and 18-pound-foot improvement over the standard drop-top. All that oomph travels to all four wheels through a dual-clutch transmission and a performance all-wheel-drive system. Sprinting from 0 to 62 mph takes 3.1 seconds, which makes the Spyder a tenth-second slower than the coupe. Accelerating to 124 mph takes 9.3 seconds, while braking from 62 mph needs 31.5 meters (103.3 feet). Top speed is identical to the coupe model at 202 mph.

The new Huracan Performance Spyder is already available to order and starts from £195,078 in the U.K. and from €219,585 in Mainland Europe. In the U.S., the supercar retails from $308,859, an almost $35,000 premium over the coupe variant.