Huracan Tecnica

Segment
Coupe

The Lamborghini Huracan Tecnica is a beautiful, angry machine. But you know this already, having read all the technical details and performance figures.

While at a closed-door event moments before the embargo lifted, we spent some time with Rouven Mohr, Lamborghini's chief technical officer. He's a passionate man, and he enthusiastically tells us that the Tecnica is another evolution in the Huracan story.

Mohr and his team used what they learned from the Evo and STO, and applied it to the Tecnica, which is the first of two new Huracan models scheduled for this year. He would not confirm it, but his smile sort of did when we asked whether he was talking about Sterrato.

According to Mohr, the Tecnica is not just a mechanical upgrade. As you might know, most supercars these days rely on a series of nannies to flatter the driver. The Tecnica, which has the exact same throttle response as the STO, is the same.

It will let you get the back out for a little before saving you. Thanks to lessons learned from the STO, Evo and the Trofeo racing series, an owner of a Tecnica can play around at the limit more often, and more easily. One example is how it transitions from oversteer back to a straight line. "We made that transition smoother for the customer," says Mohr.

Why would they focus on that, instead of Nurburgring lap times? While Mohr agrees that Green Hell lap times are important, they are not everything. In short, a fast lap time at the Ring doesn't tell you how much fun a car is, or how much character it has. And character is what separates Lamborghini from the rest of the supercar pack, at least according to Mohr.

He would not divulge any information about the brand's new V12 or V8, but we had some interesting discussions about the future of Lamborghini.

Will there be an EV Lambo? Yes. Mohr believes the EV revolution is real, though there is a proviso. We talk about how all cars will be able to go from 0-60 mph in around two-ish seconds and what that means for performance brands. If every car on the road can do that, what makes a Lambo special?

Thankfully, Lamborghini is one of those companies that can play around and get away with it. The Sterrato is a prime example. We don't know of any other mid-engined rally-style supercars being developed currently.

Once the world is fully EV, Lamborghini will have to set itself apart in other ways, and Mohr already has a few ideas on how that can be done. He's not willing to share those ideas with us yet, but you can only imagine. A Huracan successor with a Tesla coil instead of windshield wipers, perhaps?

On the topic of synthetic fuel, the answer is a definite yes. "It just makes sense for our existing fleet and possible future models." Its sister company Porsche is doing most of the heavy lifting, but Lambo has access to the research.

"Our cars tend to be collectable, so it's in our best interest to find an alternative fuel," said Mohr. With that statement, he's referring to the Countach, Diablo, Murcielago, Gallardo, and even the Aventador. All of the naturally-aspirated beasts the company is known for.

Will it work on a bigger scale? According to Mohr, no. The problem, once again, is infrastructure. The facilities needed to produce synthetic fuel on a large scale do not exist, and they likely never will. It will be reserved for the rich, who have a garage full of Lamborghinis.

These new carbon-free fuels will allow Lamborghini to keep its unique selling point. It's not Ferrari, nor Porsche. Its cars are a little crazy, flashy, and expensive.

Since Audi is no longer going to build the Audi R8, will Lamborghini occupy that space? Mohr gives the standard PR answer about always exploring new opportunities, but the answer seems to be no. The brand is more upmarket, to be honest.

Lamborghini is sitting pretty because it doesn't necessarily need to make sense or be that environmentally friendly. It's part of a much larger group that does all that for them.

For Lamborghini character is everything, and whatever shape or form that takes next is bound to prove it.