Lamborghini’s charismatic new Tecnica blends epic V10 performance with user-friendly dynamics and real-world driveability like no other Huracan
Lamborghini is set to bolster its line-up with the Huracan Tecnica, which bridges the gap between the Evo RWD and the ultra-hard-core, track-focused STO. Although harnessing the same 470kW V10 and RWD format as the STO, the new Lamborghini Huracan Tecnica dials back the aggression to yield a more rounded offering that’s better suited to real-world duties. The Tecnica is distinguished by heavily revised bodywork and aero addenda that delivers 35 per cent more downforce than the Evo, yet its visuals don’t smack you in the face, as is the case with the scooped and bewinged STO.
Middle child
The Lamborghini Huracan has now been around for eight years, yet the V10 supercar continues to generate healthy sales for the Bolognese manufacturer.
Huracan sales totalled 2586 units last year, spurred on by the introduction of the STO.
Given that an all-new replacement for the Huracan is still at least a couple of years away, the existing model still has a job to do, and the addition of the 2022 Lamborghini Huracan Tecnica should help keep buyer interest alive.
Australian pricing for the newbie is yet to be announced, but in view of the fact the Huracan Evo RWD coupe is priced from $384,187 plus on-road costs and the Huracan STO costs a cool $596K, we’d expect the Tecnica to be pegged around the $500,000 mark when it launches locally in the second half of this year.
Clearly, the Huracan Tecnica won’t be a bargain-basement special, but your circa-half-million-dollar outlay will get you a supercar that’s arguably as capable and visceral as rivals such as the McLaren 720S and Ferrari F8 Tributo.
At the Tecnica’s heart lies Lambo’s tried-and-tested 5.2-litre V10 and, as per the STO, it’s tuned to eke out 470kW and 565Nm – increments of 21kW and 5Nm compared to the Evo RWD.
Drive is relayed to the rear wheels via Lambo’s familiar seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox, but the Tecnica gets bespoke suspension settings to deliver a ride/handling balance that makes it a more friendly daily driver than the uncompromising STO.
In addition, the LDVI (Lamborghini Dinamica Veicolo Integrata) electronic brain that controls the drivetrain and chassis has also been recalibrated for the Tecnica.
Visually, the Tecnica represents the biggest design update yet for the Huracan, and it’s safe to expect some of its styling elements to trickle through to future Lambo models, including the upcoming Aventador replacement.
The Tecnica’s new front bumper/fascia incorporates the Terzo Millennio’s black ‘Ypsilon’ design and features an air curtain for the first time on a Huracan. There’s also a new front splitter with open slats that direct air through the wheel-arches, contributing to improved downforce and brake cooling, according to Lamborghini.
Among the other key external changes are a new carbon-fibre bonnet and a vertical rear window that’s said to provide greater visibility. The V10 sits beneath a new carbon-fibre and glass engine cover, while the rear bumper and diffuser have also been redesigned, with a pair of hexagonal exhausts protruding from halfway up the rear fascia.
Lamborghini quotes a dry weight of 1379kg for the Tecnica (versus 1389kg for the Evo RWD), which equates to a kerb weight of around 1500kg with all fluids on board.
The Tecnica’s fixed rear wing is much more low-key than the huge ironing board worn by the STO, yet it’s an integral part of the aero package that delivers 35 per cent more downforce and 20 per cent less drag than the Evo RWD.
There are aero deflectors under the car to further optimise airflow, and 20-inch ‘Damiso’ diamond-cut wheels are fitted as standard.
The cabin is claimed to offer a more spacious feel than other Huracan variants, and the Tecnica comes with more cossetting seats – with height adjustment – than you get in the overtly track-focused STO.
There’s also a redesigned HMI interface that’s said to be more intuitive to use.
Safety core
The core recipe of the 2022 Lamborghini Huracan Tecnica doesn’t deviate too far from the Huracan playbook, with the most significant upgrades over the Evo RWD being the substantial aero revisions outlined above, plus the tweaks to its LDVI chassis control software.
Standard safety kit includes the usual electronic stability control, ABS and dual front, side and knee airbags, but the Huracan hasn’t been subjected to NCAP crash tests.
Joyful vigour
Lamborghini’s 5.2-litre V10 engine has been around for over a decade, yet it still remains one of the sweetest, most sonorous powerplants offered in any vehicle.
The 90-degree V10’s peak power figure (470kW) comes on tap at 8000rpm, and it sings its way to those lofty revs with joyful vigour.
Maximum torque of 565Nm also arrives high in the rev range (6500rpm), yet the V10 doesn’t feel sluggish down low as the torque curve is impressively flat; there’s 440Nm an ankle twitch away even at 2000rpm.
Lamborghini quotes a 0-100km/h split of 3.2sec and 0-200km/h in 9.1sec for the 2022 Lamborghini Huracan Tecnica, which certainly isn’t shabby. But the Ferrari F8 Tributo comfortably eclipses it, dispatching these increments in 2.9sec and 7.6sec respectively.
Although largely academic, the Lambo tops out at 325km/h, while the Ferrari can hit 340km/h.
Where the Ferrari F8 Tributo and McLaren 720S deliver a mule kick in the mid-range (that’s what strapping on a pair of turbos does), the Lambo’s atmo V10 unleashes its fury in much more linear fashion.
One benefit of this is that you feel much more confident in getting on the gas hard and early out of corners, safe in the knowledge a huge torque spike won’t result in a snap oversteer moment.
However, where the Huracan has allcomers beat is in the operatic soundtrack of that free-spinning V10. The Tecnica harnesses this to great effect as its bespoke exhaust system emits plenty of decibels (they’re all good, too), but it doesn’t assault your eardrums as intensely as the STO’s exhaust system does.
The seven-speed dual-clutch transmission (Lamborghini Doppia Frizione in Lambo-speak) is an intuitive and quick-shifting unit, but it still falls a whisker short of the whip-crack urgency of the F8 Tributo’s dual-clutch auto.
Track time
The combination of rain and an ultra-fast circuit isn’t ideal when you’re about to strap in for your first drive of a 470kW rear-wheel drive hypercar.
But there’s no overruling the weather gods, so it’s time to put on the big-boy pants and hit the 6.22km Nardo Handling Track in the sinister black 2022 Lamborghini Huracan Tecnica prototype hunkered down in pit lane.
Immediate impressions are that the Tecnica’s V10 doesn’t fire up with the ear-shattering bark of the STO, but it’s still loud enough to grab your attention – as well as that of anyone else within 50 metres…
The drive mode toggle switch on the lower edge of the steering wheel has the usual (for a Lambo) Strada, Sport and Corsa modes – rather than the STO, Pioggia and Trofeo settings you get in the STO. This is another clue that the Tecnica has a broader job description than being solely a track-day hero.
The Nardo Handling Track is a technically demanding circuit, replete with numerous elevation changes, blind crests and bumps galore.
Turn 1 throws up the first – and arguably most difficult – challenge as the ultra-fast left-hand sweeper comes at the end of a 1km-long straight that sees the Tecnica hit about 280km/h… or more in the hands of a pro driver. The tricky part is wiping off enough speed through the corner as the tight Turn 2/Turn 3 sequence follows immediately.
During our initial on-track session, even gentle throttle applications get the tail squirming on the slick wet tarmac but, even so, there isn’t the feeling that everything could go pear-shaped in an instant. Everything happens predictably.
Nardo throws up some fast corners where you carry big speeds, but there are also a couple of 180-degree hairpins where you need to get the car rotated before standing on the gas. The rear-steer really helps here, meaning you don’t have to wind on armloads of steering lock to get the car turned in.
The big take-away from our handful of track sessions is of how balanced and securely planted the Huracan Tecnica is. On paper, a RWD 470kW supercar on a wet track equates to a brown-trouser experience, but that’s not the case with the Lambo.
The Tecnica’s vast performance envelope is safely accessible by even moderately competent drivers.
The Bridgestone Potenza Sport rubber – 245/30R20 at the front and 305/30R20 rear – undoubtedly played its part on a day with changing conditions. Our first outing was on a soaking wet track, but only a few damp patches remained for our fourth and final foray.
There’s a couple of big braking points at Nardo, but the Tecnica’s ventilated and cross-drilled carbon-ceramic stoppers – 380mm diameter at the front and 356mm at the rear – didn’t show any noticeable signs of performance drop-off.
This may be partly down to the Tecnica’s specific brake cooling deflectors and calliper ducts, which the manufacturer claims keep brake disc and fluid temperatures lower, leading to less brake fade on track, as well as prolonging pad life by 13 per cent.
Strong case
Even though the hypercar segment is sparsely populated, competition is still fierce. Instead of opting for the 2022 Lamborghini Huracan Tecnica, you could well throw your money down for a Ferrari F8 Tributo or McLaren 720S – both of which are stellar in their own right.
The strongest case the Huracan Tecnica makes is via that epic V10 motor, user-friendly dynamics and beautifully cohesive visuals that make its Maranello and Woking rivals look a tad gawky – even if they’re faster in a straight line, and maybe even around a racetrack.
The Huracan Tecnica serves up its own brand of Bolognese charisma, plus there’s the added lure of owning a potential collectable, as the current-gen Huracan will be the last Lambo supercar that’s purely combustion-powered.
Its eventual successor will go down the hybrid route to meet ever-tightening emission standards.
How much does the 2022 Lamborghini Huracan Tecnica cost?Price: $500,000 estimated (plus on-road costs)Available: Second half of 2022Engine: 5.2-litre V10Output: 470kW/565NmTransmission: Seven-speed dual-clutch automaticFuel: TBCCO2: TBC
Safety rating: Not tested
Keyword: Lamborghini Huracan Tecnica 2022 Review – International