► V10 powered off-roader draws near
► New pics, video of dirtiest Lambo
► Full debut due in Miami on 30 November
Is it any coincidence that the Italians are pre-releasing details of the new Lamborghini Huracan Sterrato on the eve of the Los Angeles Auto Show? Almost certainly not, as Sant’Agata jostles to steal the limelight from the Porsche 911 Dakar, another off-road super-coupe due to make waves this week in California.
Hence a new round of pictures of the Sterrato, the bastard offspring of a Huracan V10 with a mid-2000s Volvo V70 Cross Country. Lamborghini has released a fresh batch of images and confirmed the vehicle will be unveiled on 30 November 2022 at Art Basel in Miami.
It’s an extraordinary vehicle. Lamborghini calls it the ‘first super sports car designed for maximum driving pleasure even away from the asphalt on loose or dirt surfaces, reinterpreting the very concept of sportiness and emphasising the brand principles of brave, authentic and unexpected.’
Read on for everything we know about the new 2023 Lamborghini Huracan Sterrato.
We’ve already seen videos of the new 2023 Sterrato testing, as the off-road supercar nears production guise. Watch it lower down this page.
It was first shown back in 2019 as a concept car and we’ve been keenly following the muddy Lambo testing in our spyshots below. Check the pictures and you’ll see an overhead intake was added later in the programme – probably to improve the quality of air sucked in by the Lambo’s V10 – as well as an increased ground clearance compared to the standard car.
Interestingly, the upper snorkel has now been confirmed on the production versions. It’s like Lamborghini by Land Rover…
We drive the Sterrato: full review
The raised ride height and knobbly gravel-track tyres in these paparazzi shots confirms the chassis changes endowed upon the Sterrato to give it proper soft-road creds.
Lamborghini Huracan Sterrato: the engineering changes
Based on the 5.2-litre V10-powered Huracan, the Sterrato adds 47mm of extra ride-height, a wheel track widened by 30mm, and larger wheel arches for gripper, heavy-duty tyres. The ‘crossover’ gets modified four-wheel-drive, rear-wheel-steer tech and torque-vectoring to keep traction even when the going gets tough.
You’ll also find larger off-roader style ‘shoulders’ to make it harder to damage when ploughing around a dusty rally stage.
Under the surface you’ll find aluminum reinforced side-skirts, and composite bodywork, too. Lamborghini has even added the option of a roof-mounted LED light bar and LED bumper lights for those darker, night stages. A rear skid plate also acts a diffuser, obviously.
Step inside and you’ll find a titanium roll cage, aluminum floor panels and carbonfibre seats. It’s basically the ultimate mini-crossover SUV. Think of it like a modern version of the Porsche Dakar-suited Porsche 959.
Why is Lamborghini developing the Sterrato?
We’re still not sure, though it could have been to demonstrate just how much the engineers learnt when developing the Urus SUV. Alternatively, Lamborghini may have made the Steratto because Lamborghini just does this sort of thing every so often. The 2019 concept car images (below) show the original vision.
‘A super sports car with off-road capabilities, the Sterrato demonstrates the Huracan’s versatility and opens the door to yet another benchmark of driving emotion and performance,’ said Maurizio Reggiani, Lamborghini’s chief technical officer at the time of the concept’s launch in 2019.
‘Lamborghini’s R&D and design teams are constantly exploring new opportunities and delivering the unexpected as a core characteristic of our DNA, challenging possibilities while inspired by Lamborghini brand heritage.’
It’s important to remember this isn’t the first time Lamborghini has pulled this stunt. In the 70s, the Italian brand created the Jarama and Urraco off-roaders. Not to mention the madcap LM002 tough off-roader.
Stay tuned for the full story at its world debut on 30 November.