Lamborghini Huracan Sterrato: An Italo racer with rally flair

Just turn left or right and happily roll down gravel roads? Rather difficult with the Lamborghini Huracan so far. But now it works! From autumn Sterrato comes and, if he wants, let the chunks fly. With a 610 hp V10, a special chassis and special tires fit the roots.

You thought the Huracan Sterrato was named after a particularly fierce bull, possibly on steroids, in the Lamborghini tradition? no Sterrato means gravel road. Which for the Huracan range in general and the Sterrato in particular in 2024 is leading to an eternity anyway. Shortly before the end of the mid-engine sports car build period, the boys and girls at Santa Agata struck again. For once not faster and more suitable for tracks, but asphalt anarchic and off-road desire. For everyone who just smiles tiredly when they see trail shoes and gravel bikes

Limited to 1,499 copies

Starting in the autumn, 1,499 of you will be able to give away the gravel with a lot of Huracan – after transferring many to Lamborghini in the past. Italians claim at least 262,558 for Sterrato. And considering the options (350 for paint only and 60 for skin only), that can get chunky. It is not our problem here and now, we enter the cabin of the mid-engine athlete, which is made of a combination of aluminum and carbon, and start immediately. explanation? Let’s clear it up right away.

Alcantara pulpit in Sterrato Verde

Although – sitting idle in a Lamborghini is not quite. Even the interior, with Alcantara carpet (new in the exclusive Verde Sterrato green version), is worth pausing to appreciate its uniqueness. They call the feeling in the cockpit to feel like a pilot. And they are fine, except that the pilot is now allowed to turn off the tarmac. We will stay for now. Despite four and a half centimeters more distance including corresponding suspension travel, about three centimeters wider track with lower aluminum front protection, reinforced rocker panels, rear diffuser and special wheels protecting the body.

Air supply through the roof scoop

And so that the 5.2-liter V10 doesn’t have a coughing fit at the first cloud of dust, it draws incoming air through a neat roof scoop, just like the STO. To process them, mixed with Super Plus, immediately to a maximum of 60 hp, but above all 560 Newton meters of torque. Well, friends, that’s how old school goes. The naturally aspirated long-term engine is allowed to breathe independently and freely, generate fire and exhaust. Accompanied by a crazy sound, which starts with a bang, stumbles a bit and then increases more and more through the range of speeds. Direction 9,000 rpm. Free, no electricity mix. Everything is true, everything is pure. And the misery of the V10 behind you also depends on the gas pedal. You can feel what’s going on, expect the flames to grow, the pistons to beat, the power to grow. DIY gas exchange, so to speak. Why do we act like that? Because this clean burn will soon be history.

Free suction history towards 9,000 rpm

So: Let’s rewrite it and give the machine what it wants. Boy oh boy, even in civilian situations, the V10 clicks as if it wants to show everyone off again. Sterrato reaches 100 in 3.4 seconds, top speed ends earlier than its siblings, although 260 is not so lame now. The Bridgestone Dueler is no less popular, after all the 19-inch tires specially developed for Strayer with their own profile design and special rubber compound and run-flat characteristics can handle asphalt and rough terrain. With the friendly support of a smart seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, electronically controlled four-wheel drive and a mechanical locking differential at the rear.

It looks like a beast, he drives easy

And that’s how the beast runs. Where the animal is not used for driving characteristics, rather than appearance. Lamborghini designed the control of the Strada and Sport driving programs of the integrated LDVI control system for more freedom and enhanced it with the unique Sterrato Rally mode. This helps the pilot in detecting possibilities and senses if the speed, steering angle and throttle commands match and adjust the systems accordingly. On the pavement, the Sterrato shows that it keeps to its roots, the braking is delayed and can be dosed smoothly with the big ceramic brake despite the all-round tires, stable and transparent at all times. The entry is excellent, the peak efficiency is great, and the acceleration from the back of the push out is an experience. If only dizzy curves were always easy.

Play around, drive across

The steering gives the pilot all the necessary information, it works well, never in an angular way and with right-hand timing, you can reach the limit at any time. Whereas the higher Sterrato hangs much lower than the fixed pitch, lower Tecnica or STO, but is wider. Playing in it and crossing at every opportunity is allowed and is much more common than for elite athletes who are always limited to maximum grip. Technical director Rouven Mohr emphasizes that the load changes caused by the high center of gravity during braking and acceleration are used carefully. The Sterrato uses even softer springs and dampers than usual. This gives the front wheels additional grip when entering corners, and when accelerating, the load moves to the rear, which increases traction.

Queue, leave, dust clouds

Also outside the road, where you have to pull to the right after a few bends. Wiping tears of joy. If you turn on this bad blocking of the central engine, which always pushes, in front of the corner on the sand track and leaves it almost alone with the gas that the sand flows over the car, you slowly open the steering wheel and win directly in full volume – boy, boy: that’s as playful as it gets. Also thanks to the reduced hand torque of the steering wheel in rally mode and the electronic control that reads thoughts. The Sterrato easily copes with bumps and takes light flying with pleasure.

LDVI controls well, heart rate remains low

The driver’s heart rate monitor, which is linked to telemetry through the smart watch, should leave the green zone for a while – for happiness, not for stress. Therefore, board videos stored in so-called board diaries can be easily distributed. Despite the old-school culture and gravel expertise: even a Sterrato like this wouldn’t do without a digital presence.

Opinion poll

Conclusion

The question of whether you need Sterrato is an old one. 1,499 copies will be churned by fans faster than a V10 breathes through a roof scoop. In practice, its capabilities are easier to enjoy on the road than on the road. Very bad. Lamborghini should provide a special sand test for each Sterrato, so that the hearts in the Alcantara pulpit beat at full load at once. Happy about the fun tuning, powerful engine and overall.