Huracán

If one road explains why the naturally aspirated V10 passed into legend, it is the Orientale Sarda between Dorgali and Baunei: kilometre after kilometre of corners pinned to the Supramonte, the Genna Silana pass at a thousand metres, limestone walls amplifying every run through the gears. The Huracán was built for exactly this repertoire — light on its feet through weight transfers, tireless on stretches where the straight line simply does not exist.

The other reason is the rarity of the moment: the naturally aspirated ten-cylinder will have no successor, and driving it today between sea and mountains carries the savour of a last chance. If you are torn between Italy's two great schools, read our guide Ferrari or Lamborghini: which to choose for Sardinia — then decide with a clear conscience.

At cruising speed the Huracán murmurs low and almost polite. Then you pull two downshifts on the paddles and the 5.2 changes voice: past six thousand rpm it becomes a full, furious howl that builds to 8,500 without a moment's hesitation, because between your right foot and the engine there is no turbocharger acting as a filter. The 7-speed dual-clutch welds one gear to the next; on the way down, the automatic throttle blip fills the tunnels of the Orientale Sarda.

The ANIMA selector on the steering wheel changes the car's character with a click: Strada for touring, Sport for playfulness with a freer rear end, Corsa for absolute precision. All-wheel drive makes the full 610 hp usable even for someone driving a supercar for the first time — which is precisely why the Huracán remains the ideal gateway into the world of Sant'Agata.

The range covers every inclination. The Evo is the perfectly judged all-rounder for discovering the island; the Spyder removes the roof and adds the scent of the Mediterranean scrub — no surprise it dominates summer requests, alongside the other convertibles for rent in Sardinia. The rear-wheel-drive Tecnica is the sharpest to drive; the STO is a track car homologated for the road, reserved for those who want the extreme.

And then there is the Sterrato, raised and suspension-tuned for light gravel: on an island where white dirt roads lead to the most beautiful beaches, it makes a kind of sense it will never make anywhere else. Availability of individual versions is confirmed on request: Lamborghini rental on the Costa Smeralda is the most popular starting point, but delivery covers the whole of Sardinia.