LA Motor Show: Lamborghini Huracan LP 580-2

A round of applause for Lamborghini, please.

Just as the currrent crop of supercars was all looking a bit sensible, Lamborghini has gone and pulled the front driveshafts out of its Huracan, creating the LP 580-2.

To get the bad news out of the way first, the LP 580-2's carryover 5.2-litre V10 doesn't quite have as much power as in its all-wheel drive sibling, 426kW/540Nm being 23kW/20Nm down.

Factor in the 33kg weight loss (now 1389kg dry) as a result of losing the front drive gubbins, however, and the power-to-weight ratios are quite similar, the rear-driver's 307kW/tonne playing the regular Huracan's 316kW/tonne.

The seven-speed 'Doppia Frizione' (dual-clutch) gearbox is also shared and combined with launch control allows this new Huracan to hit 100km/h in 3.4sec, 0.2sec slower than the LP 610-4, largely, we expect, thanks to the lack of traction.

Sending drive exclusively to the rear promises to have a major effect on the Huracan's handling; the regular car has quite incredible levels of grip and traction, but we suspect the rear-driver will be a bit more of a handful.

Indeed, Lamborghini claims that the ANIMA system, which allows drivers to adjust shift ferocity, throttle response, steering weight and damper stiffness, has been "tuned to provide oversteering characteristics, emphasizing authentic rear-wheel drive behaviour."

Somehow, we don't think the engineers had to try very hard to make a 426kW rear-wheel drive mid-engined supercar constantly oversteer, but there you go.

Best of all, however, is the price. Ok, so you're still going to be looking at a massive amount of money, but based on the recommended European pricing the new LP 580-2 could be the cheapest Lamborghini to land in Australia in decades.

In Europe the rear-driver is a little over 10 per cent cheaper than the regular Huracan. Apply that to the LP 610-4's local price of $428,000 and you're looking at around $380,000, which will make this baby Lambo the cheapest car in its class, at least until the new McLaren 540C arrives.

Regardless of price, however, in prioritising fun over pure speed the new Huracan is a car to be celebrated. The last rear-drive Lambo we drove - the Balboni Edition of 2010 - was wonderfully terrifying, just like a supercar should be.

We'll bring you a first drive as soon as we can.