After months of teasing, Lamborghini has released photos of the production-spec Huracan Sterrato, a mid-engined supercar meant for gravel tracks rather than asphalt road courses. With the Safari trend still in full-swing, Lamborghini’s sending its entry-level Huracan supercar out with a bang, but there’s more to this than just the end of a successful model run. The Huracan Sterrato is expected to the last fully combustion-powered Lamborghini supercar ever. The Aventador is already out of production, and both the big bull and this little one will likely be replaced with hybrids.
On the outside, the Huracan Sterrato certainly looks the part. All wheel arches feature integrated mud flaps that should help mitigate rock chips, while extensive plastic cladding should go the rest of the way. The unpainted fender flares appear to be secured using exposed bolts, while unpainted trim under the side skirts should take the odd gentle rock scrape just fine, although approach angle remains a bit of a concern. Hopefully that front spoiler is considered a wear item.
Speaking of exterior bits, the Huracan Sterrato doesn’t stop at plastic cladding. While the roof-mounted light bar from the concept is gone, active owners can mount a bike, snowboard, or roof box on top of the car thanks to a set of black roof rails. Mind you, it’s best to make sure that any roof-mounted attachments clear the STO-esque roof scoop, lest you accidentally crush an important air intake. To light the way, Lamborghini has augmented the standard headlamps with a pair of LED light pods on the bumper. How very Autozone.
As part of the off-road diet, Lamborghini has ditched high-performance tires for Bridgestone Duelers, which produces two fascinating results. The first is that the Huracan Sterrato could be the slowest Lamborghini sports car in a long time as manufacturers like to cap top speed within tire limits for liability reasons. The second is that we’ve likely ended up with an all-terrain tire with a hilariously high speed rating. If I crop the hi-res press pics, you can see that the rear tires appear to carry a W speed rating, meaning they’re certified for 168 mph. For context, most all-terrain tires carry a speed rating of S or T, 112 and 118 mph respectively. While Lamborghini hasn’t release performance specifications for the Huracan Sterrato yet, this could give you an idea of what’s to come.
Of course, given that Lamborghini hasn’t released specifications for the Huracan Sterrato, there’s still a lot we don’t know such as price, acceleration, performance, and ground clearance. However, it looks like we won’t have to wait long for such figures. Expect more info on Nov. 30, when Lamborghini plans to fully unveil the Huracan Sterrato at the Art Basel in Miami. That’s a rather interesting venue, as the Los Angeles Auto Show opens this week, and California is a huge market for supercars. Then again, what better place to court wealthy clients than at an art show?
All photos courtesy of Lamborghini
I approve of these builds, but I actually think these Safari builds are more of a sign of the times. Pandemics, climate disasters, food insecurity for billions, potential for a nuclear war….Lot of reasons to want to feel a bit tough. Where I live, I wouldn’t even consider something without a bit of ground clearance and a tough tire with some sidewall…The roads are just garbage and the cladding is great protection from road debris, shopping carts, and door dings. I don’t even bother trying to have something nice anymore even if I can afford it. There is really nowhere you can safely drive above 80 mph in public. I don’t need W rated tires, offroad or otherwise.
The LM002 is the only off road Lambo worth owning.
A lousy attempt ????
But we all know it’s more about selling to the rich right?
Is it amusing to anyone else that every picture is on hard-packed, asphalt-flat, terrain or paving?
This is an absurd attempt to sell to the mall crawler crowd who would like to think that their vehicle is “rugged”. How about they start by actually taking their creation off-road? Maybe put it in a safari or two? Actually climb a mountain, etc.
I say this being fully aware of the Porsche 911 Dakar, which unlike Laborghini, actually has a long history of building for, and doing exceptionally well in, various safari competitions. They proved the platform and then marketed the commercial safari version.
Thing will be a blast in the next Forza Horizon.
I just don’t get the current trend with black plastic cladding all around the wheels, even on a “safari” version.
There are too many people I know whose cars have developed giant rust holes from winter road salt slurry trapped between the body and the cladding, so it doesn’t make a ton of practical sense to me — or even cosmetically. In nearly 20 years of driving on crappy New England dirt roads, I’ve never gotten enough rock chips on any of my cars to the point where I thought, “You know, this looks much worse than if I’d simply fastened giant hideous plastic slabs to the side.”
Cladding seems like more of a thing you’d want to be able to attach and detach for trail use when the protection is warranted, which I guess tees up “But then it would have to see a trail!”
Then you buy mall crawlers. Gravel chips paint, chipped paint allows rust, rust allows destruction. They also beef up the 4 wheeling aspect.
What i dont get is a gravel version. This is not a 4 wheel drive off road vehicle. It is a overpriced car with protection from different elements. None of which a 6 figure vehicle will ever be exposed.
You say that now as every rich Saudi Arabian prince or sheik says, “Hold my beer”. You know if they had beer.
In theory, it’s so they can easily make different versions with different width wheels/fender arches without having to retool the body panel dies. You can make an Impreza, WRX and WRX STI with the same metal bodies, but the Impreza gets 7.5″ wide wheels, the WRX 8 and the STI 8.5″. In theory. It also makes it so that if you end up hitting anything, you may not need to replace the metal/do body work. Just clip on a black plastic piece and its cheaper, easier, and no paint mismatch to worry about.
As always, buy what makes you happy, but my personal opinion is that this and the similar 911 are the absolute stupidest vehicles to be released by a major manufacturer in a long time, possibly ever.
The Murano Cabriolet was a better thought out vehicular concept.
I think the worst thing about these is that they’ll just end up in collections. Otherwise, it’s a really fast WRX. Probably really fun on roads that aren’t perfect.
Not that I can afford something like this, but it’s probably a lot more fun anywhere but a track.
But yeah, it doesn’t seem like a thought out package, it’s more manufacturer-sanctioned hooning which I’m all for.
This is what crossovers should be imo. The regular car with a slight lift and underbody protection.
I like both the Lambo and the 911 Dakar. I wouldn’t use anywhere near the capability of a Huracan on 911, so making them slower doesn’t bother me. I’ve always been a Jeep guy so I am sort of predisposed to offroad vehicles. It would also be cool to have a Lambo that I could drive to the ski hill (or really just drive at all in a Canadian winter).
Of course, I won’t be buying one of these cars any time soon unless a zero falls off the price tag.
The entire point IMO of putting up with the extreme compromises of a 2 door super car is its unparalleled onroad performance.
Lambo already makes an Urus that can be driven in winter, or to the ski hill. It’s also able to hold more than 2 people and their stuff.
Someone shopping in this price bracket doesn’t need a single vehicle that can do it all, why would a rational person compromise with such a flawed solution?
An important distinction however is that the 911 has been used and proven as a successful Safari platform starting with a second place finish in the 1978 East African Safari. They have been highly competitive since then, and even won the Safari overall in 2011.
So I think there is a very, very important distinction between this and the similar 911.
The Lamborghini Huracan Sheik would be a more fitting name.
Sheikh not sheik. Damnit dyslexia