2023 Lamborghini Huracán Tecnica
TECNICAly The Best Huracan Yet
While we’d all like to see a Lamborghini Huracán STO sitting in our garage, it’s one car that truly does belong on a racetrack. Now, if there was only a way to get the STO’s performance in a street-friendly ride that’s as easy to drive as it is easy on the eyes. Well, Lamborghini has granted our wishes with the Huracán Tecnica!
Unless you spend a lot of time following all the goings-on in the exotic performance car world, you might find it hard to keep up with Lamborghini. Since they established a whole new level of supercar accessibility with the entry-level Huracán for 2015, they’ve been constantly evolving it, even adding Evo to the name of its current base model to drive the point home.
Their latest wind of change is this 2023 Lamborghini Huracán Tecnica which takes most of what makes the top STO great, including its engine, and puts it in a something a little more street-able; essentially creating an additional tweener model between mild and wild. Regardless, it’s a Lamborghini, so we couldn’t wait to get on the track at Savannah, Georgia’s Roebling Road Raceway.
With all of its performance potential, it’s clear right away that the friendly Huracán nature remains fully intact. Your senses tell you to take it easy the first few laps, but you soon find yourself pushing harder and harder.
Much of the STO’s outlandish aero treatments are gone, that means a smaller wing and fewer air intakes. But the car’s shape itself still creates an amazing amount of downforce, providing grip aplenty for the tires; which are 245/30 Bridgestone Potenza Sports in front, 305/30 in rear; all mounted on diamond-cut 20-inch wheels. The front splitter is unique, as is the rear fascia, along with a subtle reshaping of the panel at the base of the windshield.
Lamborghini’s LDVI integrated driving dynamics control works through Strada, Sport, and Corsa drive modes, staying mostly behind the scenes enhancing your abilities, not holding back the car’s. For track use, Corsa puts you mostly in total control, though there always seems to be a safety net in place.
The Tecnica is rear-wheel drive only, so the front end feels lighter than AWD variants, and more willing to turn in; aided by good steering feel for precise inputs, as well as standard rear-wheel steer. Carbon-ceramic brakes are included, giving great feel and consistent results throughout our track days. It absolutely wails going around the track thanks to the free-flowing exhaust of that glorious mid-ship mounted V10 engine.
This 5.2-liter naturally aspirated V10 was an outlier when it first arrived; no turbos, superchargers, or battery assist. It’s even more so now, and we love hearing every one of its 631-horsepower and 417 lb-ft. of torque being made. It still works through the same 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.
Put to the straight-line test, despite being rear-drive only, there was no lack of grip off the line. Just immense power flowing non-stop. We hit 60 in only 2.9-seconds and finished the ¼ in 10.7-seconds at 134 miles-per-hour.
Lamborghini has already said that they’ll be winding down Huracán production soon; so, were not sure whether to be sad about that, or excited for what’s next. At its base level, the Tecnica is more luxurious and less purposeful than the STO, but with the full cannon of Lamborghini customizations available, buyers can basically add in as many of the STO’s goodies as they want, including lots of carbon fiber.
Driven on the street, it’s not quite like a Camry, but it is comfortable and surprisingly easy to drive; though thankfully you can still hear plenty of mechanical noises, and you’re obviously well conscious of your investment.
While performance-wise the Tecnica is situated in between the base Huracán Evo and top STO, Lamborghini no longer offers a rear-wheel drive base Huracán, so the Tecnica actually starts a few thousand less, at $244,795. Meaning, unless you absolutely need all-wheel drive, you can get the best of both Huracán worlds, and still pay a tad less for it.
So, while most people in our world today tend to look at compromise as a dirty word, it’s the very thing that made the Huracán a true game changer when it arrived, and what has continued to make it a longtime success story. The 2023 Lamborghini Huracán Tecnica takes that theme to the extreme; though engineered for the street, it feels equally at home on the track, making it “TECNICAly”, the best Huracán yet.
Specifications
- Engine: 5.2L V10
- Horsepower: 631
- Torque: 417 lb-ft
- 0-60 mph: 2.9 seconds
- 1/4 Mile: 10.7 seconds at 134 mph
2023 GMC Canyon
Canyon Goes Bigger
Most people know the GMC Canyon as the Chevrolet Colorado’s professional grade cousin. And while that sounds like just marketing speak, with an all-new design of GM’s midsize truck platform comes more genuine brand separation. So, let’s see what the third-gen GMC Canyon delivers in real time!
Small trucks are once again a big deal, and part of the reason is that they are no longer small. There’s not much about this 2023 GMC Canyon that resembles the ¼-ton Sonomas, S-10s, Rangers, and Datsun trucks that were wildly popular in the 1980s.
Of course, then, people were willing to sacrifice certain “big-truck” things for an easier to use and more economical pickup experience. Well, we don’t seem to be big on compromise for much of anything these days, and the current midsize crop of trucks deliver more than ever. So fittingly, the 2023 Canyon will be available as a Crew Cab only with a 5-foot bed. No more extended cab or long bed options. Wheelbase is about 3-inches longer than before, with the front wheels pushed more towards the front. It definitely looks tougher, and they’ve even eliminated the much-hated front air dam that protruded well below the front bumper.
The Canyon also comes exclusively with the high-output version of GM’s 2.7-liter turbocharged I-4, with a stout 310-horsepower and 430 lb-ft. of torque. At times it feels even more powerful than those numbers would indicate, with its diesel-like torque delivery enabling a best-in-class max tow rating of 7,700-lbs. No choice of transmission either, strictly 8-speed automatic, but you can still decide whether you want rear or 4-wheel-drive.
At minimum, ground clearance is 9.6-inches, which is more than an inch taller than last year, and almost 2-inches over Chevy’s base Colorado. And since it’s all about the off-road packages these days, our AT4 tester comes with 4-wheel drive, off-road suspension, locking rear diff, 2-speed transfer case, hill descent control, and 18-inch wheels with all-terrain tires.
And that’s just where things get started, as at the top of the heap, there’s a new AT4X with 10.7-inches of ground clearance, enhanced front and rear e-locking differentials, 33-inch mud terrain tires, Multimatic dampers, and an additional Baja Drive Mode. We’ll have more on the AT4X real soon.
But for all Canyons, including this AT4, GMC went tech-heavy, as all get 11-inch infotainment screens and a fully digital driver display in either 8 or 11-inches. Plus, an available head up display comes with most trims, and there are even optional underbody cameras.
Unique AT4 features include a Jet Black and Timber interior motif with stitched logos on the leather front seats. Those seats are definitely comfortable, and it feels maybe a tad roomier than before, but still well shy of the sprawling space in a full-size truck. It’s even more noticeable in the rear, though there are more practical storage options back here.
The AT4 gets a sliding rear window, along with a tailgate storage system to complement the integrated ruler, and bed side-mounted 120-volt power outlet. The Canyon already delivered one of the best rides in the midsize class, and the taller suspension seems to only improve on that; it’s not quite crossover plush, but certainly great for a body on frame truck.
Though the higher ground clearance and off-road emphasis kept it from being a track star. Indeed, healthy amounts of understeer and body roll greeted us in our handling course. It was a little hesitant off the line in speed runs, but once rolling, power poured on steadily. 0-60 in only 7.5-seconds, and through the ¼-mile in 15.6-seconds at 91 miles-per-hour.
Government Fuel Economy Ratings for the AT4 are 17-City, 21-Highway, and 19-Combined; we averaged an acceptable 18.2 miles-per-gallon of Regular. Pricing starts with a 2-wheel-drive Elevation at $38,395. That puts it at midlevel Chevrolet Colorado, with is consistent with the mission of the new Canyon. All other trims come with 4-wheel drive, this AT4 starting at $45,395, and the AT4X now eclipsing Denali as the highest offering at $56,995.
So, as small trucks have grown, so has the price of entry. But if that doesn’t scare you off, there is no denying the 2023 GMC Canyon is yes bigger, but also bolder and badder than before. Does that necessarily make it better? We say positively yes!
Specifications
- Engine: 2.7L Turbo-4
- Horsepower: 310
- 0-60 mph: 7.5 seconds
- 60-0 Braking: 121 feet (avg)
- MW Fuel Economy: 18.2 mpg (Regular)
- Transmission: 8-speed auto
- Torque: 430 lb-ft.
- 1/4 Mile: 15.6-seconds at 91 mph
- EPA: 17 City / 21 Highway / 19 Combined