Lamborghini reveals Huracán Performante Spyder

This is the new Lamborghini Huracán Performante Spyder. Yes, a Performante Spyder. Bit of a contradiction in terms, isn’t it, taking your most focused, track-honed supercar and then lopping the roof off? If you want to work on your tan and attract attention then surely the standard Huracán Spyder will do? Normally, yes, but such is the leap dymamically from the standard Huracán to the Performante, we’re prepared to let this one slide. Also, given the noise the Performante Coupe makes, there’s potential here for a serious ear-gasm.

All the important bits are still in place – a 5.2-litre V10 producing 631bhp at 8,000rpm and 442lb ft of torque at 6,500rpm driving all four wheels through a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox. The chassis is still a hybrid of aluminium and carbon-fibre, there’s still Lambo’s trick downforce-vectoring ALA rear wing, there’s still carbon-ceramic brakes as standard and 20-inch wheels wrapped in P Zero Corsas. But because it now has a foldable soft top, the head-splitting scream should be dialled up significantly.

Where the differences with the Coupe creep in is via the weight. At 1,507kg without fluids the Spyder is 125kg heavier, despite additional carbon fibre components cutting the standard Spyder’s weight by 35kg. More mass means less speed, although 0-62mph in 3.1 seconds (0.2 seconds slower than the Coupe), 0-124mph in 9.3 seconds (0.4 seconds down) and a 201mph top speed (1mph less) should be enough to keep your passenger pinned to their seat and turning a bit green.

“The Huracán Performante Spyder takes the zenith of Huracán developments, combined with the enhanced emotion of driving a convertible,” says Lambo boss Stefano Domenicali. It also costs a good chunk more – around £238,000 – which is £30,000 more than the Coupe.

So, worth the extra cash, or is this a Performante aimed purely at poseurs? Over to you.