2019 Lamborghini Huracan Performante Spyder Road Test and Review

There’s always a market for the ultimate expression of a supercar, especially something as glorious as the 2019 Lamborghini Huracán Performante Spyder. This is a supercar with a soft top (that’s what the Spyder part of the name refers to). What makes the Performante different from the regular Huracán Spyder is 77 pounds saved by using more carbon fiber, plus an active aerodynamic system.

They may seem like minor changes, but they have a major effect. On Germany’s demanding Nürburging North Loop, the coupe variant clocked in at 6 minutes and 52 seconds, which is incredibly quick. Sight, sound, touch, and, with the top down, smell (it helps to be driving along a coast road), the 640-horsepower Huracán Performante Spyder is a kinetic overdose for the senses.

The 2019 Lamborghini Huracán Performante Spyder starts at $308,859. That’s a considerable chunk out of anyone’s bank account. But it doesn’t stop there. Destination charges are $3,695, while the gas guzzler tax is $2,100. For a little context, the 2019 Ferrari 488 Pista Spider, which is the Prancing Horse’s high-performance soft-top, begins at around $281,000 and enjoys 710 hp and 567 lb-ft of torque from a twin-turbocharged V8.

Choosing between these two could be one of the best agonizing decisions ever. We'll cover the argument for the Lamborghini in more detail, but its engine is seriously special, its styling arguably more breathtaking, and, at this financial stratosphere, perhaps the difference in price doesn’t really matter.

Standard equipment includes adaptive anti-roll bars, all-wheel drive, full LED exterior lighting, carbon ceramic brake discs, plenty of Alcantara in the interior (such as around the steering wheel and covering the seats), and a powered folding soft top. The adaptive anti-roll bars contribute to the surprisingly comfortable ride quality, despite extremely low-profile tires (245/30 up front, 305/30 at the rear).

Alcantara is a classy suede-like fabric used in motorsport because it’s much lighter than real suede. And the carbon ceramic brakes are phenomenal — strong and confidence-inspiring yet never grabby. If anyone thinks this kind of braking material is overkill for anywhere but the track, try them first.

Our test car rolls on 20-inch forged alloy wheels with a black finish, a nose-lifting system, track telemetry, a 10-speaker 390-watt Sensonum audio system upgrade, variable-ratio steering, and a few other items that push the total vehicle price past $360,000. The wheels are great and contrast beautifully with the white paintwork.

The nose lifter ($6,900) is pretty much essential and will be used many times when drivers enter and leave gas stations, or negotiate speed bumps. The exhaust sounds so good that we hardly listened to the audio system, which is nice, but maybe not $3,900 nice. Paying $1,000 for Bluetooth and $800 for an anti-theft system seems a little wrong; they should have been standard.

Although several companies have achieved it, extracting 100 hp from one liter of displacement without a turbocharger or supercharger is still impressive. The naturally aspirated 5.2-liter V10 develops a truly mighty 640 hp and 442.2 lb-ft of torque. Put the car in Sport mode (easily done with a switch at the bottom of the lower steering wheel spoke) and the musical accompaniment becomes more magnificently urgent, as blips, pops, and bangs on the overrun rival any fireworks display.

The transmission is a seven-speed dual-clutch setup with paddle shifters behind the steering wheel. Click the right paddle to engage first gear. In Corsa (track) mode, the transmission is manual only; the left paddle is for downshifts.

Nothing else looks like a Lamborghini. This marque’s stunning designs are an uninhibited celebration of individuality. The Huracán Performante Spyder looks as sharp as it handles and as dramatic as it sounds.

This model’s rear wing is fixed, (more on that in a moment) and the colors of the Italian flag running along the bottom of the flanks serve as a reminder of the company’s heritage, that it comes from a country of people who really love cars. That sounds like a terrible generalization, but drive this around the streets of Bologna (where Lamborghini vehicles are mostly handmade) and you’ll hear praise from every direction.

Although shaped for supporting and holding occupants through fast corners, the seats are comfortable enough for long drives. The center console has a line of dials up top, followed by an array of aircraft-style switches. Further down is the engine start/stop button, housed under a red flip-up cover for extra drama.

An infotainment system sourced from Audi (a sister company that also supplies the fabulous V10 engine) is easy to use. The driver’s LCD screen can be configured to show a variety of information and, again, soon becomes second nature. The vents, speaker grilles, and upholstery patterns use geometric shapes that are also found on the outside. There’s no mistaking this cabin for anything other than a Lamborghini.

The 2019 Lamborghini Huracán Performante Spyder can sprint from standstill to 62 mph (100 kilometers per hour) in 3.1 seconds. That’s undoubtedly fast, but not as fast as its (lighter) coupe counterpart, which shaves 0.2 seconds from that time. It doesn’t really matter. Not when the air is shaking and the scenery is blurring from the application of 640 hp achieved at a screaming 8,000 rpm. No one is going to say the Spyder isn’t exciting enough.

Nor will they complain that it’s uncivilized. Driving around town and through traffic, it’s well-mannered and easygoing. At higher speeds, everything goes into sharper definition, almost as if it’s a different machine once 90 mph is reached. Maximum velocity, meanwhile, is 202 mph.

The Huracán Performante Spyder is like Baryshnikov on four wheels. There’s an awesome strength, grace, and balance at play. Weight is distributed 43 percent/57 percent front to rear, while the low center of gravity works with the mid-mounted engine to make the car feel stable at all times. Snaking through S-bends, the steering obeys every input immediately — no understeer, no oversteer. At least not at speeds a driver would dare on public roads. It’s all grip, grip, and more grip.

There’s plenty of feel for what the front tires are doing, while the seat of the pants discerns information from the back axle. Standard equipment includes permanent all-wheel drive and a mechanical locking rear differential to enhance cornering abilities even more.

Also known as Aerodinamica Lamborghini Attiva (ALA), this is a setup of air-directing flaps that can enhance or reduce downforce and drag, according to whatever is required at the time. For braking and cornering, maximum downforce is needed. Accelerating on the straight is better achieved with the least amount of drag. The driver doesn’t have to select any settings. It’s all automatic.

One extra benefit: By sending airflow only to one side of the fixed rear wing, the system can even add downforce to an inside rear wheel, which has the effect of rotating the car a fraction more. This helps it through a curve, executing the maneuver with optimum agility. The Huracán Performante Spyder isn’t just powerful, but it’s also smart.

To appreciate the potential of the 2019 Lamborghini Huracán Performante Spyder would entail track days. If the car is this thrilling on canyon roads and freeways, that other level from license-threatening speeds to the upper reaches would open up more intense sensations.

Owners have to make a few small compromises. They won't see overhead traffic lights well because the windshield is raked so steeply. There's a dearth of luggage space in the front compartment. The strange turn signal is on the steering wheel. But the experience of driving the Huracán Performante Spyder lavishly over-compensates for any such downside. To those with the funds and the inclination, go for it. To those who are still budding entrepreneurs, let this car be your new goal.