Lamborghini unveils rear-drive Huracan Spyder

Italian supercar manufacturer Lamborghini has whipped the lid of its Huracan – literally!

The Spyder (or convertible) Huracan brings rear-wheel drive thrills to the V10-powered range, the newest raging bull boasting a 0-100km/h time of just 3.6sec (v-max 319km/h).

It joins the all-wheel drive Huracan Spyder LP610-4 already on sale, from $470,800.

To be offered in Australia from January 2017, the cheaper rear-drive Lamborghini Huracan Spyder will retail from $429,000.

It is differentiated from its all-wheel drive sibling by ‘more aggressive’ rear and frontal treatment, and a lightweight soft-top – with its own separately functional rear window – that deploys or retracts at the push of a button, the process taking just 17sec (at up to 50km/h).

At its heart the Huracan Spyder features Lamborghini’s famed 5.2-litre normally aspirated V10 engine. The mid-mounted cylinder-on-demand unit produces 426kW at an ear-tingling 8000rpm and 540Nm from 6500rpm – 75 per cent of which is on offer from just 1000rpm!

The Spyder boasts a dry weight of 1509kg, its aluminium and carbon-fibre chassis suspended by double wishbones, springs and anti-roll bars specially tuned for the rear-wheel drive variant. Likewise, the steering and electronic chassis controls are bespoke to the new model.

Power is delivered to the rear wheels via Lamborghini’s Doppia Frizione seven-speed dual-clutch transmission which boasts launch control for "maximum acceleration from a standing start".

The optional Lamborghini Dynamic Steering (LDS) system ups agility further, Lambo’s Piattaforma Inerziale tracing movements on three axes to provide "real-time information" to the optional Magneto Rheological Suspension irrespective of the drive mode selected via Lamborghini’s steering wheel-mounted ANIMA (Adaptive Network Intelligent Management) switch.

"The rear-wheel drive Spyder enlarges the Huracan family’s core product range," explains Lamborghini chairman and CEO, Stefano Domenicali.

"It offers the lifestyle appeal of open-air motoring with the pure thrill of rear-wheel drive engineering. This is a Lamborghini for those with a passion for life and the purest driving experience on the open road.

"It’s also a Huracan for those entering the Lamborghini family, wanting a true Spyder experience without compromising on the performance and dynamic handling of a rear-wheel drive car."