White Knuckles and Ice-Cold Supercars: My Day Driving Lamborghinis on a Frozen Lake – InsideHook

In plane geometry, two parallel lines can never cross, but earlier this month I rather poetically merged the bone line of a six-figure Lamborghini Urus SE with the finish line of an ice track while sliding across completely sideways. I nearly busted a gut laughing at myself. But something in the tone of my instructor’s snicker betrayed his disappointment, since I was driving in a timed event and lost inertia, speed and the bragging rights that were on the line. The first few sections of the skills test felt pretty quick and well executed, if I do say so myself — but the ice proved too slippery for me to keep it together. 

Così è la vita! Even losing is fun at Lamborghini’s Esperienza Neve, an ice-driving adventure arranged for a small group of the Italian automaker’s most passionate customers to challenge themselves on a frozen track constructed on Quebec’s Sacacomie Lake. 

The anointed few — around 48 divided into three waves — were invited to spend a day ripping ice-cold laps in the Urus SE SUV, the off-road Huracán Sterrato and the flagship V12 Revuelto. According to the brand, these clients own around five supercars on average and are often eyeing a new one for the garage. But because the entirety of Lamborghini’s lineup is engineered for performance far beyond both the legal and prudent limits of public roads, the company created these no-holds-barred Esperienza driving programs to offer an outlet.

“Through Lamborghini Esperienza, customers can unleash their vehicles’ full potential across a range of terrains — including asphalt, dirt, ice, sand and dedicated racetracks,” said Automobili Lamborghini CEO of Americas Andrea Baldi. Yes, our frozen lake is just the tip of the iceberg; other events include off-roading in Moab and high-speed track days near Rome. “These programs not only deliver an exhilarating driving experience but also deepen the connection between our customers, their cars and the Lamborghini brand, reinforcing our commitment to performance, innovation and exclusivity.”

Esperienza events are truly rarefied air. In order to attend, customers must be invited through their dealership and be willing to plunk down a good bit of charge to participate. A seat for the program starts in the five-figure range, and just like adding options to a car’s configuration, customers can tack on extras, like guests for the trip or a second driver.

My time at this February’s Esperienza Neve (“snow experience” in Italian) began with arrivals at Hotel Sacacomie, a posh yet rustic lodge around a three-and-a-half-hour drive from Montreal. After checking in and a brief respite, attendees were invited down to the track for an aperitivo hour and glimpse of the main event — some hot laps around the icy circuit chauffeured by some of Lamborghini’s professional racers. They slipped and slid sideways, but always in control as we giggled from the passenger seats, imagining what tomorrow would bring.  

With our appetites whet, it was time for dinner, a feast of salads, ravioli and lamb all paired with some truly wonderful French wines. I passed on the post-dinner espresso. Best to get to bed early ahead of a track day — to sleep perchance to dream…of apexes.

In the morning, after a few cups of coffee and a light breakfast, it was time to head to the drivers’ briefing. Our instructors gave us the nuts and bolts of the experience: the itinerary, safety rules, car specs, a look at the Bridgestone Blizzak tires that had been hand-studded for the event (each tire required around 45 minutes of work). We would spend the first few hours going through a series of driving exercises meant to steel us for an afternoon of full laps.

On the ice, every driver began in the Urus SUV with a warm-up on what they called “the guitar,” a short figure-eight loop, to get a feel for managing steering and throttle inputs. Ice driving requires a deft — you might even say an artistic — touch. Power and wheel angle need to achieve harmony with the line you choose.

Sufficiently primed, or so I thought, I hopped behind the wheel of the 1,001-horsepower Revuelto to test my skills on a short track. On its face, the concept of driving a supercar with four-figure horsepower on ice is absurd — delightfully so, but still silly.

Around I went, feathering the accelerator in second gear, but after three quarters of my first lap gone, I let the back come around a little too much. With no chance to save the spin, the Revuelto parked itself in a snow drift and required a winch out. Humbled, my subsequent laps were smoother but lacked the same bravado. 

Next, it was my turn to hop in the Huracán Sterrato and take on the “360,” a giant doughnut carved in the snow. Round and round, the challenge here is to manage the perfect drift at different circumferences — tight around the interior, make a controlled ring around the center, and let the back out as much as you dare on the outside. The drill is to feel the car’s weight and balance shift as you work the inputs trying to match power and angles as precisely as possible. Honestly, I could have played ring around the ice all day.

For my final exercise of the morning session, I got back in the Urus for the timed event, called “Top Gun.” The route featured a quick slalom, followed by a long left-hand slide into a quick turn around a wall of cones and on to the finish line. Obviously, we already know how this turned out. But the drill asks you to put several technical skills together in quick succession, which I did…mostly…and my time was actually good enough to win my group and come in second on the day. Not bad, but second place is still just the best of the losers. 

In between the morning session’s exercises, there were plenty of breaks for snacks, caffeine top-offs and socializing with fellow drivers. Most of the wave was from Florida, and everyone I spoke with was stoked to be there. For many, it was a repeat rodeo, which speaks to the quality of the event. A woman from Jacksonville told me gleefully this was her third Esperienza Neve. One South Florida participant said the driving at this year’s event was much improved compared to another he’d attended in Aspen, with a longer, better track and more seat time. A Huracán Sterrato owner from Fort Myers, who is waiting on his Revuelto, said he was having a blast and already booked himself another experience: three days on an Italian racetrack. 

I spent most of my down time geeking out about cars with these passionate owners (though I’m not one myself). Some were hesitant to embrace hybrid technology in supercars — the Revuelto and Urus SE are hybrids, the Huracán Sterrato is not — others were all in. Everyone lamented the death of the V10 engine and its beautiful song. I talked to some about their Lamborghini journeys. At one point a gentleman who had recently taken delivery of his Revuelto came over to show me Travis Pastrana driving in a Gymhana video. In kind, I immediately cued up the infamous and enigmatic C’était un rendez-vous by Claude Lelouch, which he had never seen.  

That camaraderie is one of the best parts about the event. Passionate Lamborghini owners (and a journalist) get a chance to truly chew the fat, chatting endlessly about cars without having to feel like they are flexing. 

“Esperienza programs provide an opportunity to engage directly with other like-minded Lamborghini enthusiasts, as well as Lamborghini executives, employees and professional drivers, ultimately creating relationships that transcend traditional ownership,” Baldi said. “This sense of community fosters a deeper connection to the company, turning customers into lifelong members of the Lamborghini family.”

After a scrumptious lunch, we sauntered back to the track for the main event: full laps in all three cars. None were timed, so there was nothing to lose but any remaining shards of ego. Mistakes were made. I spun the Revuelto again, but at least managed to keep it on the track. I did the same in the Urus. 

While I was stopped, one of my fellow journalists went around me and promptly barreled into a massive snow drift causing a plume of powder 30 feet in circumference. But he stayed on the gas, spun 360 degrees in the snow and powered his way out. My instructor and I nearly died laughing. It was admittedly the coolest thing we’d seen all day.