New Spyder from Lamborghini 16 | 11 | 2016

LAMBORGHINI HAS LIFTED the wraps from its new two-wheel drive Huracan Spyder. Powered by a naturally aspirated 5.2-litre V10, sending 572bhp to the rear wheels only, instead of the four-wheels in the ‘standard’ Huracan.

And the car has a rather catchy name: officially it’s the ‘Huracan rear-wheel drive Spyder’. Lamborghini has decided not to call it the LP580-2 Spyder because the brand has dropped this naming strategy.

Tipping the scales at 33kg lighter than the four-wheel-drive model — at 1509kg it is though 120kg heavier than its rear-wheel drive LP580-2 Huracan coupe sibling — Lamborghini claims this variant completes the ‘core’ Huracan range, which previously only included coupes.

The rear-wheel drive car — which will be available to order from Lamborghini Edinburgh, Scotland’s dealership, from January — is expected to cost around £170,000. That would put it between the £160,000 of the LP580-2 coupe, and the £180,720 standard coupe.

Boasting a tweaked bodywork, including different styling on the front and rear bumpers, the new model also gets specially developed Pirelli P Zero tyres which are exclusive to the rear-wheel drive Lamborghini.

The Italian supercar maker stresses the changes to the body styling increase downforce on the front of the car for improved grip. To further help with grip levels, Lamborghini has also revised the car’s steering and stability systems.

Though powered by the same engine as the coupe, the Spyder takes 0.2sec longer to hit 62mph, at 3.6 seconds. It’s top speed is also 1mph slower, at 198mph.

Similarly to the four-wheel drive Huracan Spyder, the car’s roof takes 17sec to open or close; it can also be done at speeds of up to 31mph.

“It offers the lifestyle appeal of open-air motoring with the pure thrill of rear-wheel drive engineering,” Stefano Domenicali, Lamborghini’s chairman and CEO (pictured below), said at the car’s unveiling at the LA Motor Show.

“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.”

Related: Rod Stewart's Lamborghini sells for £909,000

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Jim McGill