Corvette ZR1 vs. Huracan Highlights the Auto Advantages

All-wheel-drive and a dual-clutch transmission make the difference in this closely-match battle.

The Drag Times YouTube channel has an awesome clip that features a trio of races between a C6 Corvette ZR1 and a Lamborghini Huracan LP610-4. Spoiler alert – the races don’t go well for the Chevy, as we see how big of a difference an automatic transmission and all-wheel-drive make in a closely-matched race.

The Competitors

This matchup between supercars from two different continents includes a 2010 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 and a 2016 Lamborghini Huracan LP610-4.

The Corvette is powered by the supercharged 6.2-liter LS9, sending 638 horsepower towards the rear wheels via a 6-speed manual transmission. The ZR1 has a curb weight of 3,350 pounds and an MSRP of $130,000.

The Lambo is powered by a naturally aspirated 5.2-liter V10, sending 602 horsepower towards all four wheels via a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. The Huracan has a curb weight of 3,500 pounds.

So the Corvette has more power and it lighter, but the Lamborghini has a quick-shifting automatic transmission and all-wheel drive. The question is whether the transmission and all-wheel drive can overcome a difference of 36 horsepower and 150 pounds. You probably know the answer, but this video shows how much of a difference these advantages make.

The Races

The first race between the 2010 Corvette ZR1 and the 2016 Huracan LP610-4 takes place from a 40-mile per hour roll. The two cars hammer down on three and while the race is even for a short time, the Lambo jumps out to a big lead as soon as the ZR1 driver has to shift. With each shift, the raging bull pulls further and further ahead.

On the second run, the two go from 60 and the story is similar to the first race. The cars stay side-by-side until the ZR1 has to shift, at which point the quick-shifting dual-clutch gearbox allows the Huracan to pull away. Along the same lines, the speed of the Lamborghini’s shifts are coupled with less RPM drop during the shifts, to the V10 stays in the powerband more than the LS9 does.

Finally, in the dig race, the two use their launch control systems and the all-wheel-drive Lamborghini hands out a beating. The Corvette’s launch control system pulls power to keep the wheels from spinning while the Huracan’s system makes full use of the all-wheel-drive, allowing the Lambo to stomp the Vette from a stop.

Considering how close these two cars are in horsepower and weight, the advantage of the Huracan in these races show how much all-wheel-drive and an automatic transmission impact a drag race and a roll race. Now that the C7 ZR1 is here with the 755-horsepower LT5 and its own lightning-quick automatic transmission, Huracan owners will have a much tougher fight on their hands when they line up with the top-of-the-line Vette.

Join the LS1Tech forums now!

Patrick Rall

"Before I was old enough to walk, my dad was taking me to various types of racing events, from local drag racing to the Daytona 500," says Patrick Rall, a lifetime automotive expert, diehard Dodge fan, and respected auto journalist for over 10 years. "He owned a repair shop and had a variety of performance cars when I was young, but by the time I was 16, he was ready to build me my first drag car – a 1983 Dodge Mirada that ran low 12s. I spent 10 years traveling around the country, racing with my dad by my side. While we live in different areas of the country, my dad still drag races at 80 years old in the car that he built when I was 16 while I race other vehicles, including my 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340.

"Although I went to college for accounting, my time in my dad’s shop growing up allowed me the knowledge to spend time working as a mechanic before getting my accounting degree, at which point I worked in the office of a dealership group. While I was working in the accounting world, I continued racing and taking pictures of cars at the track. Over time, I began showing off those pictures online and that led to my writing.

"Ten years ago, I left the accounting world to become a full-time automotive writer and I am living proof that if you love what you do, you will never “work” a day in your life," adds Rall, who has clocked in time as an auto mechanic, longtime drag racer and now automotive journalist who contributes to nearly a dozen popular auto websites dedicated to fellow enthusiasts.

"I love covering the automotive industry and everything involved with the job. I was fortunate to turn my love of the automotive world into a hobby that led to an exciting career, with my past of working as a mechanic and as an accountant in the automotive world provides me with a unique perspective of the industry.

"My experience drag racing for more than 20 years coupled with a newfound interest in road racing over the past decade allows me to push performance cars to their limit, while my role as a horse stable manager gives me vast experience towing and hauling with all of the newest trucks on the market today.

"Being based on Detroit," says Rall, "I never miss the North American International Auto Show, the Woodward Dream Cruise and Roadkill Nights, along with spending plenty of time raising hell on Detroit's Woodward Avenue with the best muscle car crowd in the world.

Rall can be contacted at QuickMirada@Yahoo.com