The Lamborghini HuracánSterrato is a version of the Lamborghini Huracán with an additional 44 millimeters of ground clearance, something that allows it to drive through areas that would be inconceivable for any other Huracán. Compared to its brothers in the range, it loses a little effectiveness on twisty roads, but it gains significantly in comfort. What does not change is the exuberant sound and thrust of its 610 hp V10 gasoline (more information in driving impressions).
In addition to touching the suspension, Lamborghini has added some tires that are not exclusive for road use and has increased the track width of both axles (30 mm front and 34 mm rear). It has also added some headlights on the grill, luggage rack rails, and an air intake on the back of the roof.
Production of the Sterrato is limited to 1,499 units, each of which is priced at €299,515. The main alternative to this model is the Porsche 911 Dakar, which has a very similar approach and is significantly less expensive (comparative file).
In the cabin, Lamborghini has used Alcantara upholstery in the color "Sterrato green" on the seats, the lower part of the dashboard, and door panels. In addition, both the multimedia system and the instrumentation (which is through the screen) include specific menus for off-road driving: data on the inclination of the car, the angle of rotation of the wheels, the coordinates, or a compass. Of everything related to the passenger compartment, we provide more information in the impressions of the interior.
To protect the underbody from possible impacts from objects, the front part of the lower part has an aluminum plate, the door sills are reinforced and the rear aerodynamic diffuser is less exposed than in other versions of the model. In addition, as in some off-road vehicles, the wings include plastic protectors attached to the body with screws.
The system that manages the different electronic elements of the car and that serves to offer various driving modes, which Lamborghini calls "LIVD" (Lamborghini Integrated Vehicle Dynamics), has a specific tuning for this model. The Strada and Sport modes have a new calibration that adapts to the characteristics of the body (mainly its higher height) and there is also a new one called Rally that is designed to be used in low-grip conditions.
The HuracánSterrato's engine is an atmospheric V10 gasoline with 5.2-liter displacement and 610 CV, the same as the Huracán EVO RWD. It is linked to a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox and an all-wheel-drive system with a central Haldex-type clutch. The rear differential is a self-locking type.
Acceleration from a standstill is very good, although somewhat worse than that of other versions of the Huracán range: it can go from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.4 seconds (3.3 s in the Huracán EVO RWD and 2.9 s in the all-wheel drive Huracán EVO), exactly the same time as a 480 hp Porsche 911 Dakar. The maximum speed is much lower than in other versions of the range, of "only" 260 km/h (325 km/h in the Huracán EVO RWD and EVO all-wheel drive) due to the electronic limitation that Lamborghini has implemented.
The HuracánSterrato wheels have a specific design and are 19 inches in diameter. They are fitted with Bridgestone Dueler AT002 tires in sizes 235/40 and 285/40 R19 (front/rear) which, according to Lamborghini, offer good performance both on and off the road. The braking system includes carbon-ceramic discs on all four wheels, 380 mm at the front (with six-piston fixed calipers) and 356 mm at the rear (also with four-piston fixed calipers).
As in other versions of the Huracán, it is possible to go to the Lamborghini personalization program (“Ad Personam”) to choose between 350 colors for the bodywork and 60 for the leather or Alcantara interior.
Getting into the Lamborghini HuracánSterrato is not difficult if we take as reference cars with a similar height and with a similar body type, either the same Lamborghini Huracán in its "conventional" variant (which is closer to the ground) or, for example, a Porsche 911 Carrera. Despite the fact that the Porsche would be the reference in my case for ease of access, the Huracán's running board is wide but not cumbersome, the additional height from the ground means that it is not necessary to drop onto the seat, the opening angle of the door It's not restrictive, the dash isn't bulky, and if anything, the steering wheel can somewhat obstruct leg movement when boarding or getting off. Getting into a HuracánSterrato is easier for me than, for example, a Mercedes-AMG GT Coupé.
Finding the driving position is not difficult either. In the middle of the bench, right at the front, there is a lever that is pulled and puts a sign that says "Sgancio" (means release) to move the seat longitudinally (image). Then there is a lever on the side that modifies the inclination of the entire bench and backrest assembly and, finally, a wheel to regulate the inclination of the backrest only, which is not so easy to operate because it is too far back.
The deep pedals and a steering wheel with wide adjustment in reach ensure a comfortable position, as we could see, for people even 1.90 meters tall, like my travel companion (I'm 1.75). Despite the fact that both seats (image) lack adjustment of the lumbar support and offer a lot of lateral support for both the thighs and the thorax, getting in and out of them does not represent a significant additional effort with respect to a flatter one in its forms. And they are also comfortable on journeys of more than two hours with everything and their cushions are more rigid than normal.
Actually, the restrictions of the HuracánSterrato are not space for its two occupants, but storage places thanks to some long but not deep door pockets, so a wallet can easily fall out and you have to resort to a normal capacity glove box or a tray with a rubber bottom between the two seats. Behind the seatbacks, there are some tubes (they look like a small roll cage, image) that separate us from the glass that faces the engine compartment and a narrow backpack could fit there if the bench is moved forward. There is also an integrated camera that can record any journey that the passengers find interesting. The front trunk, with a capacity of 100 liters, accommodates two backpacks and some small objects.
Selecting the gear is not the most intuitive and seems more like a ritual to excite (with me they have succeeded), because to go to first gear you have to pull the right paddle on the steering wheel. Neutral, Parking and the change from automatic to manual mode or vice versa are buttons in the middle of the seats and reverse gear is a kind of plastic trigger that moves backward, it does not always respond to our orders and it feels somewhat fragile. as if someone rough could break it. To start the engine you have to lift a red cover and then press a button.
As a curiosity, the steering wheel integrates the functions of the turn signals on the left side. The respective arrow is pressed to warn where you want to turn and it is canceled with a button in the middle. Above are the high beams and on the right side are the wiper functions. It wasn't hard to get used to, but it takes concentration at the start not to instinctively reach for the levers.
You also have to get used to the fact that the HuracánSterrato does not have a rear glass as such, so practically nothing can be seen in the central mirror beyond a few small holes between the engine cover. Brands like Land Rover, Renault, and Toyota have solved this with a central mirror that projects the image of a rear camera. At least the side mirrors provide a wide field of vision.
Because the center display was a recent addition that didn't originally come with the Huracán, the image from the rearview camera is reflected in the instrumentation. Said central screen is very inclined (image) and it is not uncommon for it to be difficult to see when there is too much light, however, consulting between its different menus did not seem complicated or with extra steps when, for example, searching for a destination in the navigation. The response to touch is not the most immediate, yes.
In the instruments, there is an additional indication of the navigation on the left side so as not to look down frequently. The shape of the tachometer becomes larger depending on the driving mode that is chosen from the control located at the bottom of the steering wheel. In "Strada" a round rev counter surrounds the gear indication, in "Sport" the rev counter takes up the entire upper part of the screen, and in "Rally" it is the same except that it changes the color of the indicators from orange to red. The speedometer is always digital and on the right, you can see the fuel level and coolant temperature in a circle.
Perhaps the only thing that could truly be improved is the fact that some components were already slightly mismatched (not unusual for an over-demanded press vehicle) or that you didn't expect to find the same key that certain Audis used a decade ago, Strange savings on such an expensive car. In fact, the buttons to unlock or lock the doors also come from Audi models from a generation ago (it is known because the unlock button is located below and not above). It also reminds the German manufacturer (owner of Lamborghini, by the way) of the graphical interface of the reversing camera, the ceiling light, or even the sound emitted by the turn signals when activated.
Calling the Lamborghini HuracánSterrato a Lamborghini Huracán with off-road capabilities would be an inaccuracy: due to its approach, it is more of a version oriented towards a rallycross-type circuit (mixed between asphalt and dirt) or for driving on low-adherence surfaces that do not necessarily demand a lot of traction. body angles. With respect to another Hurricane, there are 44 additional millimeters in relation to the ground, but the free height is not much in general terms, since it does not exceed 16 centimeters. It is a height typical of something like a 2008 Peugeot, although it is very good for a Lamborghini Huracán.
I have driven the HuracánSterrato on a long stretch of road in the surroundings of the Joshua Tree Natural Park, in the state of California in the United States. Apart from various sections on motorways, there were also parts with asphalt in poor condition and sections in which I decided to leave the main road to enter secondary or tertiary roads where we normally only saw large pick-ups (more than five meters long), roads made up of various small rock obstacles, sand paths and various irregularities that would be absolutely unthinkable to enter with a conventional Hurricane. Or with a similar car regardless of who makes it.
And disconcerting sections have emerged, but disconcerting in the good sense of the word. The first, something that was discussed with a fellow traveler, is that neither of us remembers a more comfortable Lamborghini, something that he could say more accurately because I had only driven one other Lamborghini, a 2015 Huracán. cars with a sports orientation but much more common and easy to find (of the Sterrato only 1499 units will be manufactured), it is more reminiscent of a Volkswagen Golf R than a Honda Civic Type R or a MINI 3p John Cooper Works. It is not rigid or bulging on deteriorated pavements.
Said good ride of the suspension has several responsibilities in my opinion, the first is the profile of some tires that could be considered high taking into account their width (235/40 R19 front and 285/40 R19 rear) and compared to those of other Huracán like a Tecnica (245/30 R20 and 305/30 R20). The second is that the tires for the HuracánSterrato were developed by Bridgestone specifically for this model, with an A/T type tread that absorbs small initial impacts on less-than-ideal surfaces very well and that it is run flat with a stiffer shoulder. The third is the greater travel of the suspension as it has more room to absorb irregularities and the fourth is the readjustment of the adjustable hardness dampers. Rolling noise is rather low and even tolerable.
The speed of the HuracánSterrato is electronically limited to 260 km/h, because the speed code of the Bridgestone Dueler A/T 002 M+S would not allow it to exceed 270 km/h (W).
The HuracánSterrato absorbs bad roads with few bumps and noise. And I'm not just talking about minor irregularities like the ones that were in abundance on the road, but also what I found during a few laps at Chuckwalla Valley Raceway, the layout had been modified to enter a much more demanding area where even it was easy to feel guilty when putting in a car whose cost is around 300,000 euros. Said layout was made up of mud and wet sand, some stones and abrupt jumps that, when approached, surprised the way in which the suspension absorbed them, without violent jolts, without sounds that indicated mistreatment of the group and without blows to the column of the direction, and that made it easier for me to correct the trajectory. The all-wheel-drive system prioritizes —in “Sport” and “Rally” modes— the distribution of power to the rear axle and easily produces oversteer which, by the way, seemed very easy to correct with subtle movements on the steering wheel. steering wheel or with very soft actions on the accelerator.
On tarmac, however, those smooth weight transfers were replicated, and the fact that the track width on both axles was adjusted to compensate for the extra height may help. It's an extra 30mm in width at the front and 34mm at the rear. And suspension travel has been extended by 25% at the front and 35% at the rear. Due to the feel of the steering and how it lost grip, it was strange to think that we were on "All-Terrain" tires since they did not give in easily and, if they did, they lost grip very progressively, it was easy to anticipate their limit.
And it was also strange to see the cabin typical of a car with a mid-engine but, outside the windshield, to realize that you are not driving on asphalt. Unlike other Huracán, there is only one air intake (the one above the engine at the rear of the roof, image) so, according to Lamborghini, that the V10 breathes the cleanest air possible in dusty environments.
For the rest and beyond the modifications of the Sterrato, the 5.2-liter V10 continues to gain prominence for its melodious and fascinating sound at full load, for its linear and even response from very low revs that becomes a push intense as the injection cut-off approaches above 8000 revolutions per minute or due to the almost always intuitive and immediate response of its dual-clutch box, which is rarely abrupt between changes and correctly interprets what we want to do according to how we press the accelerator.
Because it is not a supercharged engine that can deploy its energy abruptly and because it has four-wheel drive, the HuracánSterrato is not difficult to drive despite having more than 600 horsepower, its motor skills are high and its reactions are predictable and easy to anticipate if the adherence limit of either of its two axes is reached.
When braking, the pedal responds with the expected firmness if one thinks of its acceleration capabilities, with a short travel but without being too sensitive to the slightest step: in this sense, the closest reference to compare was an Audi R8 , with which by the way the Huracán shares several components. It is easy to modulate a stop without it being abrupt and what stands out is rather how that feeling of security is maintained on loose dirt or mud.
I was waiting to confirm the usefulness of the additional lighting in the front (it is an option), which is activated with a button on the center console whenever the high beams are connected.
: A New Breed of Off-Road Supercar){kind=link}
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