It's a strange feeling, lining up on the start line for a run up the famous hill at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. There are plenty of eyes trained on you, watching and waiting for the lone marshal to drop his hand and let you loose.
Sitting next to me in the driver's seat is Lamborghini test driver Max Venturi, whose job it is this weekend to wow the festival crowds at the wheel of the new Huracan. Normally for a Lamborghini that would be no problem at all, but alongside the likes of the McLaren P1, LaFerrari, Porsche 918 Spyder, SLS Black Series and even the new, road-going Sin R1, the Huracan almost looks restrained.
Venturi isn't worried, though, because he's got a naturally aspirated V10 engine to play with.
Soon enough we're off on our run, and 602bhp explodes around us. Wheels spinning, we're at the first corner before I know it, and the Huracan's four-wheel drive system hurries us through with speed.
I'm impressed by the V10 engine – it always seems to have more to give, even as we push through the gears and on up the hill – but more astonishing are the car's brakes. They're carbon-ceramic units and are capable of stopping the Lamborghini with tremendous force. I'm particularly glad of this as we go through Molecombe, the hill route's most challenging corner, approached over a blind brow.
In much less time than it took me to drive this course yesterday at the wheel of a Volvo V40, we see the finish line, and Venturi gives the Huracan a final burst of power.
Neither he or I are capable of owning one – Venturi's company car is currently an Audi A1 -– but for those who can afford to fork out £180,720 for a Huracan, they'll be getting a very special machine indeed.
Add your comment