After showing an intriguing video of an extreme off-road sportscar in July, Lamborghini has presented the production model at Art Basel in Florida this week. The sportscar in the video had been based on a concept car called the Huracan Sterrato, and the production model will also have the same name. 1,499 units will be available, with first deliveries beginning in the first quarter of 2023.
“The Sterrato represents a radical and original interpretation of the super sportscar concept but, in terms of performance, the Sterrato belongs in the world’s most dynamic and exciting driving environments,” said Stephan Winkelmann, Lamborghini’s Chairman & CEO, after unveiling the car at the international contemporary art fair.
While retaining all the superlative sporty and dynamic driving qualities on the road, the Huracan Sterrato goes to greater extremes in off-road capabilities than the Urus, which was the company’s first SUV. The designers gave the design a more adventurous look, raising ground clearance by 44 mm (compared with the Huracan EVO) to provide greater suspension travel. The track widths have also been extended slightly, for improved stability.
Lamborghini does not assume those who buy the Huracan Sterrato will not go off-road so additional protection has been given to the bodywork with aluminium front underbody protection and reinforced sills. The classic air intake located on the rear section supplies the engine with clean air when driving on dusty tracks.
Like the concept model, the Huracan Sterrato comes with a 5.2-litre V10 engine which produces 610 ps/560 Nm. This high output goes to all four wheels through a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission and electronically controlled all-wheel drive system with a rear mechanical self-locking differential. Lamborghini claims that it can sprint 0 to 100 km/h in 3.4 seconds and reach a top speed of 260 km/h, although that terminal velocity is unlikely to be attempted off-road.
The Huracan Sterrato uses the same LDVI (Lamborghini Integrated Vehicle Dynamics) system as in the Huracan EVO to optimize driving dynamics but with some changes in programming, specifically in the STRADA and SPORT modes. The system also gets a RALLY mode, specially programmed for use in low-grip conditions.
“With the high-speed all-terrain concept of the Sterrato, we have uniquely combined the driving experience of a true super sportscar and the fun of driving a rally car,” explained Rouven Mohr, Lamborghini’s Chief Technical Officer. “Lamborghini cars always deliver emotion: the Sterrato delivers a new degree of driving thrills.”
The brake system uses aluminium fixed monobloc calipers with ventilated and cross-drilled carbon-ceramic discs. 19-inch wheels are fitted, with custom-engineered Bridgestone Dueler AT002 tyres that have run-flat capability. The tyres have been designed with an innovative pattern design and made with a cutting edge compound that can offer high performance on tarmac as well as gravel, at high speed as well.
The cabin environment is similar to the Huracan with the ‘feel like a pilot’ philosophy, with the driver oriented at the centre. The Human Machine Interface (HMI) has new graphics and special driving features which are appropriate for the off-road capability of the Huracan Sterrato. On the dashboard are a digital inclinometer with pitch and roll indicator, a compass, geographic coordinate indicator, and steering angle indicator.
Lamborghini Connect includes integration with Amazon Alexa to adjust car features such as air conditioning and lighting, as well as control the navigation, phone calls and entertainment with a simple voice command. The car can also be controlled remotely via the Lamborghini UNICA app which will allow for remote speed monitoring and the sending of a destination directly to the navigation system. Presumably, Lamborghini does not charge its customers extra, unlike Mercedes-Benz.
There’s also a connected telemetry system which allows the driver to monitor performance and analyze the data via the UNICA app. Apple Watch users can also synchronize their heart rate information with the on-board telemetry system to measure their driving performance, while the Lamborghini Drive Recorder can record driving experiences (including video).
The Huracan Sterrato is likely to be one of the last special models for the Huracan range which has been around for 8 years, and if so, it’s certainly a wild way to end the line.
