Lamborghini Sterrato: the supercar built for potholes
If the deteriorating condition of British roads is driving supercar owners to drink then Lamborghini might have the antidote. Sterrato was conceived over a bottle of wine by the company’s R&D department; a heady concoction of Italian flamboyance and extreme machine in equal measure.
A raucous, rally-inspired version of the high-performance Huracan[1], the Lamborghini Sterrato is quite possibly the maddest Lamborghini to date, even taking into account the LM002 ‘Rambo Lambo’. Yet, almost by accident, the Italian manufacturer has also created the most practical supercar to ever career sideways out of the gates at the company’s Sant’Agata factory in Bologna.
Unlike high-rise, super-SUVs, such as Lamborghini’s own Urus[2], or the Aston Martin DBX[3], the Sterrato is a low-slung, wedge-shaped two-seater. It’s identifiably a Huracan, which is itself the kind of supercar that normally shivers in fright when confronted by a pothole or speedbump. Not so with the Sterrato.
'Barrelling across the desert sands of a Californian rally stage at ridiculous speeds suggests there’s a lot more to the Sterrato than meets the eye,' says Taylor
Credit: wolfango spaccarelli
With a modest 44mm of additional ground clearance, softer springs and extra suspension travel compared to the standard Huracan, Sterrato appears a contradiction in terms. However, you might want to put that Ferrari Purosangue[4] on hold because I doubt there is a more competent supercar than the Sterrato to crest Britain’s pockmarked Tarmac, or lope down one of our rutted country tracks.
A bold statement? Perhaps so, especially as this is the slowest Huracan to date. The final iteration of the 5.2-litre V10 Huracan before a hybridised replacement, the all-wheel drive Sterrato is restricted to a ‘modest’ 162mph and weighs an extra 47kg.
At first sight, the interior is regular Huracan and, thanks to an enormous, roof-mounted air intake, any rear visibility available has been completely obliterated. The roof scoop intake isn’t just for show though. The air intakes at the front of the Sterrato have been blocked off to prevent them clogging up with debris, especially when travelling sideways. The slim snorkel system is designed to vent air to the rear-mounted V10.
The Sterrato comes in at £232,820
Credit: wolfango spaccarelli
Priced at £232,820 (some £30,000 more than a Huracan Tecnica) it would be easy to surmise that extra spend went on twin rally spotlights that limpet to the front edge. Perhaps it was invested in those rugged wheel arch extensions, or maybe the optional, Lancia Stratos[5]-inspired decals that mirror the Alitalia markings of the legendary 1970s rally car?
However, barrelling across the desert sands of a Californian rally stage at ridiculous speeds suggests there’s a lot more to the Sterrato than meets the eye. It’s indecently fast off-road, ridiculously easy to steer and, best of all, huge amounts of fun.
My excitable passenger is a Lamborghini test driver who, for once, isn’t urging me to slow down on the approach to every corner but to drop down a gear and floor the accelerator. It’s both noisy and cramped but the chance to drive a supercar at speed on this sort of terrain is a bucket list experience.
Driving this car is a bucket list experience
Credit: wolfango spaccarelli
Plastic cones and sand are sent scattering as the Sterrato flies through a series of fast curves and tight hairpins with wild abandon. The steering wheel seems constantly on opposite lock, as the Lambo has been deliberately set up to oversteer on loose surfaces, sliding sideways in second and third gear at 8,500rpm.
'The Sterrato’s heavy duty setup and raised clearance will make it far more usable on British roads' says Taylor
A set of bespoke Bridgestone Dueller run-flat tyres display plenty of grip and there’s no doubt they play a big part in the Sterrato’s incredible off-road traction. However, the more practical application is that the soft suspension and more robust chassis will also allow this supercar to comfortably cope with the worst that the UK Highways Authority could chuck at it. It may not have the highest top speed in the supercar leagues but, in the real world, the Sterrato’s heavy duty setup and raised clearance will make it far more usable on British roads, and probably faster point-to-point.
Inside, heavy duty floormats are complemented by a series of touchscreen displays designed for off-road driving, including a rather pointless inclinometer. A compass may help negotiate an alternative route to Waitrose, while the only other difference is a ‘Rally’ drive mode not found on the everyday Huracan.
Heavy-duty floormats and a series of touchscreen displays grace the inside of the car
Credit: wolfango spaccarelli
Lamborghini’s latest lunatic does roll more on the road than a conventional Huracan, naturally, but that’s all part of the fun. It’s completely addictive and with only a handful of the 1,499 examples still available, you wonder why there has never been a supercar like this before – Porsche 911 Dakar aside.
“Sterrato rather came about by accident,” explains chief technical officer, Rouven Mohr. “Some of the R&D department was working on development of the Urus SUV. One evening, as we drank wine, the idea of an off-road supercar came to life. When we finally made the prototype it left everybody with a smile on their faces, so we set to work bringing it to the market.”
Most Sterratos are bound for the US and the Middle East - countries where access to suitable terrain to exploit a rally car is considerably easier. In the meantime, Lamborghini is, not surprisingly, preparing a range of lifestyle options, including a supercar roofbox.
The Sterrato is an all-wheel drive car for all seasons. It’s likely to be the most collectable Huracan of the lot. The Urus may be the better all-rounder but a Sterrato can still get you out of a hole.
Rally Cars For The Road
Mitsubishi Lancer Evo
The ‘Evo’ ran riot in the World Rally Championship during the late 1990s. Flying Fin, Tommi Makinen, won four titles in a row with his ‘maximum attack’ policy. In 1997, when the road-going IV model was released, Mitsubishi sold 6,000 globally in the first three days.
The ‘Evo’ was big in the Nineties
Credit: Max Earey
Subaru Impreza
The sight of the late, great Colin McRae steering his ‘555’ Impreza to dramatic finales in the WRC is the stuff of legend.
Subaru Impreza: the stuff of legend
The WRX models offered mere mortals the same kind of thrills at a relatively affordable price, as well as doubling as a practical everyday drive.
Lancia Delta Integrale
The Integrale won 46 WRC rallies but was only available in the UK in left-hand drive form. The hatchback offered owners the chance to be a rally hero every day, thanks to four-wheel drive, turbocharged performance and macho looks.
The Integrale was a rally hero
Audi quattro
First spied at the Geneva Motor Show in 1980, the quattro was the first to take advantage of WRC regulations allowing all-wheel drive cars into rallying. Today, most Audi’s boast Quattro four-wheel drive. Back then AWD caused a motorsport sensation.
A motorsport sensation: the Audi quattro
Mini Cooper S
The giant-killing Mini proved size isn’t everything, taking a string of rally victories in the 1960 with drivers such as Paddy Hopkirk and Timo Makinen at the wheel.
The Mini was memorable in the Italian Job
Road versions were equally as entertaining and the Mini a memorable getaway vehicle in The Italian Job.
References
- ^ Huracan (www.telegraph.co.uk)
- ^ Urus (www.telegraph.co.uk)
- ^ Aston Martin DBX (www.telegraph.co.uk)
- ^ Ferrari Purosangue (www.telegraph.co.uk)
- ^ Lancia Stratos (www.telegraph.co.uk)