If Lamborghini didn’t stray from its traditional naming strategy, the Lamborghini Huracan Evo would technically carry the name Huracan Evo LP610-4. But, Lamborghini decided to drop the Huracan Evo’s alphanumeric name, in part because the automaker wanted to make it easier for its consumers to understand the model’s identity. Purists may cringe at the thought of not seeing the LP610-4 designation on the Huracan Evo, but from Lamborghini’s perspective, it’s easier to sell the Huracan Evo without the alphanumeric designation that a lot of consumers find confusing. Lamborghini refused to say if it’s going to stick with this new naming strategy, but while it is easier to market the Huracan Evo without the LP610-4 in the name, it’s still going to take some getting used to, especially from those who have developed an affinity for Lamborghini’s alphanumeric names.

Why does the 2019 Lamborghini Huracan EVO Have a Different Name?

Automakers often have to grapple with the age-old issue of naming their vehicles. Some opt for using actual words, or in some cases, names, to differentiate their models. But there are still a lot of automakers that still abide by the alphanumeric naming strategy. Infiniti is one of the best examples of this. Nissan’s premium automaker continues to use alphanumeric names, even if they don’t sound nice at all. The Infiniti QX60, anyone? I don’t think the letters “Q” and “X” have ever been joined together, but it’s all there in Infiniti’s model lineup. Other automakers like Mercedes, BMW, and Audi have adopted the alphanumeric naming strategy to great effect. It’s hard to imagine a world where the 3 Series or the AMG C 63 S doesn’t exist.

Lamborghini, on the other hand, has made a habit of dipping its toes in both pools. Everybody knows that Lambo names its models after famous bulls in history. The Gallardo, Miura, and Aventador are proper examples of that. In the case of the Lamborghini Huracan Evo, it’s proper name should be Lamborghini Huracan Evo LP610-4. The “L” and “P” in the nomenclature stand for “Longitudinale Posteriore,” which is basically Italian for “longitudinal posterior.” That’s a reference to the V-10 engine’s “north-south” engine orientation and its position in the back of the car. The “610,” of course, stands for the car’s output in "cavallinos," a unit of measurement that’s prevalently used in Italy. As for the “4,” it’s a nod to the number of driven wheels, which in this case is all four wheels of the supercar.

Lamborghini has used this naming strategy to great success, but the Italian automaker has made a shift in that strategy, dropping the alphanumeric name of some of its more recent models. The Lamborghini Huracan Evo is the latest example of that, but it’s not the first Lamborghini in recent years to go exclusively by real words in its name. The Lamborghini Huracan Performante LP640-4 was launched at the 2017 Geneva Motor Show, but we only know it today as the Lamborghini Huracan Performante.

So what gives? Why is Lamborghini ditching its famous alphanumeric names when they’ve become so identifiable with the Italian brand. Turns out, they’re not as identifiable as we thought, at least as far as branding and marketing are concerned. Ask a random person what “LP610-4” means and they’re as likely to assume that it’s the password to your Tinder account than it is the alphanumeric name of the Huracan Evo. The confusion becomes even trickier when you have to translate it in another language, like, say, Chinese. Ditching it completely rids Lamborghini of that problem, even if it comes at the expense of losing a semblance of its identity. More than anything else, the decision to remove the Huracan Evo’s alphanumeric name is all about what’s best for business.

Now, the question here is if Lamborghini is pushing forward with this “new” naming strategy or if it’s only doing it for hardcore versions of its core models. It’d be a complete departure from its history if it got rid of alphanumeric names completely, but it’s also the sensible thing to do moving forward, especially if it means establishing clear identities for its future models. But as far as the core lineup goes, I expect Lamborghini to keep using the alphanumeric names, in large part because a lot of these models have become identified with those names, even if that holds true only for those who know about Lamborghini beyond its status as one of the premiere supercar brands in the world.

2019 Lamborghini Huracan Evo drivetrain specifications

Further reading

Read our full review on the 2019 Lamborghini Huracan Evo.

Read our full review on the 2017 Lamborghini Huracan Performante.

Read our full review on the 2017 Lamborghini Huracan.