Meet Lamborghini's new rally car

Meet Lamborghini's rally car. The supercar maker describes its Sterrato concept as a "super sports car for challenging environments".

It's based on the Huracán two-seater coupé and powered by the same 5.2-litre V10 naturally aspirated engine, but draws on the off-road technology of the Urus SUV.

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Providing the dirt-munching ability is a ride height raised by 47mm, four-wheel drive, four-wheel steering, modified suspension and torque vectoring. It's all controlled by an electronic brain with predictive logic called the LDVI (Lamborghini Dinamica Veicolo Integrata), which provides enhanced rear-wheel drive behaviour, producing more torque together with additional stabilisation in oversteering manoeuvres.

The raised ground clearance improves the front approach angle by 1% and the departure angle by 6.5%. The front and rear tracks are widened by 30mm, with 20-inch wheels on off-road balloon tyres set into widened arches, giving the Sterrato a commanding presence that makes clear its abilities. 

Lambo’s rally car is also fitted with underbody reinforcements and body protection, including a rear skid plate that acts as a diffuser. Aluminum reinforcements are integrated within the front frame and covered with an aluminum skid plate, with aluminum-reinforced side skirts.

Special protective composite bodywork includes stone-deflecting protection around the engine and air intakes, and mud guards in hybrid materials of carbon fibre and elastomeric resin. An off-road LED light package is comprised of a roof-mounted LED light bar and LED bumper lights with flood function.

A specially designed interior reflects the off-road character of the Huracán Sterrato, featuring a new lightweight titanium roll cage, four-point seatbelts attached to the new carbon-shell sports seats, and aluminum floor panels.   

 "The Huracán Sterrato illustrates Lamborghini's commitment to being a future shaper: a super sports car with off-road capabilities. The Sterrato demonstrates the Huracán's versatility and opens the door to yet another benchmark of driving emotion and performance," said Maurizio Reggiani, chief technical officer of Automobili Lamborghini.

"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 being inspired by Lamborghini brand heritage."

The Lamborghini Jarama and Urraco of the 1970s had already explored the potential for combining Lamborghini’s high-performance and off-road capabilities. Lamborghini’s test driver, Bob Wallace, modified the two models to create desert-going high-performance sports cars, the Jarama Rally from 1973 and the Urraco Rally from 1974.

Lamborghini hasn't said whether there's any possibility of the Huracán Sterrato going into production.