2023 Lamborghini Huracán Tecnica First Drive: Going Out With A Bang
If the V10 engine's days are numbered, it's certainly going out in a blaze of glory. Between the Gallardo and its replacement, the Huracán, Lamborghini has had a V10-powered coupe in play for 18 straight years. Like the Gallardo that came before it, the Huracán is nearing the end of a very long and substantial run, which is quite an accomplishment for a sports car. When you have a record like that, it's only right that you mark it with something special.
The Lamborghini Huracán Tecnica is the culmination of years of supercar development, honed to a sharp balance of track performance and street capability: not too rough, but not too soft, either. It's quite a celebration of everything that came before, and what better way to join the festivities by giving the supercar a few hard laps around the track at Thermal Club in Palm Springs. I mean, it would be rude not to, right?
Grand finale
So long, you chorus of ten sonorous cylinders. Starting next year, Lamborghini's kicking off an electrification strategy that will ultimately lead to its first fully electric model debuting in 2028. Before the Italian automaker rolls out its first PHEV sports car, however, the bullish Huracán gets to stampede into the sunset one final time, which it will do, loudly.
The Huracán Tecnica sits in a goldilocks spot between the RWD Huracán EVO and the track-focused STO. The latter of which features more aggressive hardware than the EVO, most of which is adopted by the Tecnica.
Most notably, the Tecnica rocks the STO's more powerful version of the 5.2-liter naturally aspirated V10, which delivers 631 horsepower and 417 pound-feet of torque to the rear wheels. This also incorporates the direct throttle response and gear shift characteristics of the STO. A 7-speed dual clutch transmission compliments this power unit, and though it doesn't have as many outstanding aerodynamic bits as the STO, the Tecnica is still slipperier and more stable than the EVO.
What's inside counts
In charge of making the most out of the Tecnica's gifts is the LDVI (Lamborghini Dinamica Veicolo Integrata) system, which manages the car's dynamic behavior by adjusting powertrain response, torque vectoring and traction control intervention. It launched on the Huracán EVO back in 2019 — and then got a connectivity upgrade two years later, even integrating Amazon's Alexa into the drivetrain controls – promising not only to react to the road conditions and driver's style, but to preempt both in anticipation of what might be demanded of the coupe next.
That's a big promise, but then again Lamborghini's pitch here is a considerable one all by itself. All told, the Huracán Tecnica is designed to be the ultimate all-rounder when it comes to supercar satisfaction. A car in which you can strut your stuff around town, enjoy some sporty back-road driving, or go full send on a race track.
Lauded legacy
Lamborghini's reputation of being the "wild child" of supercar manufacturers has been long cemented since the days of the legendary Countach, but many of its recent offerings have sported a more streamlined — dare I say reserved — design direction. Urus notwithstanding, of course. While the STO's aggressive air scoops, raked nose and buff rear wing would certainly fit the "mad Lambo" trope, the Tecnica's more integrated aerodynamic components give it its supercar fantasy style without going overboard.
While you might reasonably assume that such restraint would have an impact on aero performance, Lamborghini says that's not in fact a concern. In terms of function, the Huracán Tecnica's body provides 35% more downforce than what the EVO is capable of while reducing drag by 20%. Dedicated cooling and caliper ducts help to improve brake performance, allowing them to provide critical stopping power consistently while extending the life of the brake pads.
Thinly veiled threat
Sitting inside the Huracán Tecnica reaffirms how track-ready it is. Like the exterior, it toes the line between status symbol and functional track performer, though the interior seems to lean more towards the latter. If the outside was an enhanced iteration of the EVO, the inside is the STO's race-car cockpit with standard seatbelts. While it may be chock full of Lambo bling such as big, industrial-looking switches and customizable trim, it feels stiff, sold and purposeful. Indeed, being behind the wheel, I was awash with a feeling of seriousness and responsibility, as I sense the Tecnica is not to be trifled with.
It's easy to focus on all the technology that's happening beneath the surface and overlook that the Lamborghini's infotainment technology, light as it is. Its in-house developed HMI is a hub for navigation, media and connectivity options that include certain phone apps and Alexa integration. Voice commands are powered through What3Words which helps make hands-free navigation more natural while on the road. On the track, however, the only three words the Tecnica coaxed out of me were neither productive nor for polite company.
Macchina magnifica
The culmination of all the engineering melded together to form the Huracán Tecnica is a 3,000-ish-lb mid-engined coupe that can bolt from 0 to 62 mph in 3.2 seconds as it rapidly ascends to its 202 mph top speed. A braking system that can bring the proceedings to a halt from 62 back to 0 in just over a hundred feet is a welcome factor in this supercar equation. All very impressive, but what is the body without its spirit?
The three "souls" that embody the Huracán Tecnica are expressed in the "Anima" or drive select modes. Strada is the Lamborghini at its most polite, exuding comfort and control as it prioritizes a smooth journey overall. This is how the Tecnica struts before it's called upon to flex. Sport increases the drivetrain response in both the engine mapping and transmission aggressiveness to provide the driver with the agility needed for more engaged driving. This mode's particular party trick dials back the traction control, giving the Tecnica enough leeway to oversteer before stepping in to save the day. Let's be real, Lamborghini knows what rear-wheel drive fun is all about.
Hey presto
With Corsa, things get a bit more serious. Engine and gearbox behavior are maxed out, and the LDVI's systems act to maximize grip and stability at the Huracán's limits.
Initially venturing out onto Thermal Club's track reaffirmed how far the Huracán Tecnica leaned toward this use case. It may split the difference between the EVO and STO, but it's not an even one. Further hammering things home is the V10 behind my head shouting, unbridled and loud enough to penetrate the earphones within my helmet.
Starting in Sport, the Tecnica wasn't coddling, but it was enough to know that there were electronic lookouts spotting me as I set out onto the track. Sport allows the gearbox to function automatically but I elected to get into the habit of using the column-mounted paddle shifters as I warmed up to Corsa, which requires manual inputs. Even so, the Tecnica held little back, roaring forward while remaining hunkered to the hot track surface.
Hot-stepper
Steering felt sensitive and responsive throughout, particularly when the rear wheels opted to explore the traction control's advanced slip threshold. Feeling the rear of a $250,000 super car slip out from under you can be a little cheek-clenching, but the Huracán took the extra yaw in stride. In that moment, I recalled having taken the Huracán RWD on track years prior. The lasting memory was how it felt like it was on the razor's edge the whole time. As capable as it was, it wasn't as honed for track use, and the Tecnica demonstrated just how far the Huracán had come since then. Catching the first slide was reassuring, but catching the next few were thrilling.
Once I was done tail-wagging, slipping to Corsa shifted the Tecnica from a satisfying plaything to a deliberate, lap-attacking tool. With even the slightest hesitancy removed from the inputs, the Huracán was as quick as I was, from dialing in the throttle, to paddle flicks, to turning inputs. Slides from the previous sessions were replaced with the Tecnica urging itself inward while my seat danced along with its tease of rotation. I wasn't in the mighty STO in front of me leading the charge, nor was I the professional driver behind its wheel, but I only remembered this when I pulled the car back into the pit.
Take a bow
There are certainly more serious sports cars out there than the Lamborghini Huracán Tecnica, either with smaller or larger price tags. Those cars forgive very little and demand much more when put to the test. There are also supercars that put on a greater show than the Tecnica as they saunter down the road and perch up on a concourse lawn, though they tend to be more at home on Rodeo Drive than the track. The Huracán Tecnica succeeds at being capable of holding its own in both situations. It has the looks to impress, and the capabilities to back them up.
Perhaps it is a "mad Lambo" after all, but the mania isn't in its design, it's how it elicits the joy and satisfaction we all dream a supercar can provide. There's always a tinge of sadness when a car like the Huracán wraps up its production, particularly after it's left an indelible impression in Lamborghini's history, coupled with the fact that its demise also means that of a celebrated power unit. This is the nature of automotive progress, however; we've seen this happen before and we'll see it again soon. With this in mind, if the Tecnica is how Lamborghini concludes one story, it has me very excited to see what it has in store for the next one.