Lamborghini's Huracán Sterrato takes the supercar concept off road
Careening off pavement and into the desert scrub bush of Chuckwalla Valley Raceway’s infield, at over 70 mph in a Lamborghini Huracan, forces an involuntary cringe. When you’re on a race track in a six-figure supercar you never want to be that guy, the one busting up an exotic car because your ego overran your driving skills. But in this case, I’m following my Lamborghini-badged co-driver’s instructions as I steer the Huracan between two clearly-market cones and exit the pavement.
See, this isn’t a standard Lamborghini Huracan. It’s a Huracan Sterrato, a purpose-built rally car version of a model that’s won the 24 Hours of Daytona and host of other (asphalt) races in recent years. So why make an off-road version of a certifiably successful pavement pugilist? According to Stephen Winkelmann, Lamborghini’s Chairman and CEO., “We are breaking new ground in driving sensations.”
Sterrato exterior cues include rally driving lights, wheel arches, and a roof rack
“Sensations” works here, because the Lamborghini Huracán Sterrato delivered a broad spectrum of them. First came confusion (”An off-road Huracan?”), followed by doubt, (”Seriously, an off-road Huracan?”), then sheer panic as I approached the boundary line between pavement and prairie-dog homestead (”I’m about to go off road in a Huracan!”). Finally, exhilaration, as I leveraged the Huracan Sterrato’s “Rally” setting, which encourages sideways driving on dirt.
Despite its off-road provisions, the Huracan Sterrato can still tear up a (paved) track
Between it’s 602-horsepower V10 engine, rapid-fire 7-speed dual-clutch transmission, and capable all-wheel-drive system, you expect the Huracan Sterrato to slay the paved corners at Chuckwalla Valley Raceway. And it does, though there’s notably more tire noise coming from its Bridgestone “Dueler” all-terrain tires than you’d hear from typical supercar rubber. Sized 235/40-19 in front and 285/40-19 in back, the Bridgestones do a commendable job of delivering high lateral G’s at triple-digit speeds in the 3,400-pound Sterrato.
A 1.7-inch lift, wider track, longer wheelbase, and off-road tires are among the upgrades
The real surprise comes when this super sports car hits literal pay dirt. With a 1.7-inch lift compared to a standard Huracan, aluminum underbody plates, a .3-inch longer wheelbase, and a wider front and rear track, the Huracan Sterrato has been engineered to do what nobody ever planned to do with one. But after this experience, they probably should have. The engineering wizards in Sant’Agata have pulled off an unforeseen transformation, giving the Sterrato not just off-road capability, but confidence and even joy for anyone fortunate enough to slide one along a dusty trail.
A roof scoop on the Huracan Sterrato feeds its 602 hp V10 engine
After several laps around this track, crossing between pavement and dirt while switching between Sport and Rally mode, it’s obvsious this vehicle is designed to do exactly what I just did. And it does it quite well. There’s a softer suspension setting to this vehicle, which you might think would make it slower or feel less confident, but it’s actually perfect. It speaks to the driver with clarity while navigating on track, and then you leave the pavement and it continues to communicate clearly.
The Sterrato's steering wheel has a mode no other Huracan's offer: Rally
And in Rally mode, you find yourself hammering the throttle while counter steering, and being rewarded with the Sterrato doing exactly what you want it to through these long, sweeping turns with dust rising in your wake. You wouldn’t imagine taking a Huracan off-road in any form would be a good idea. But Lamborghini is clearly having fun with this vehicle. They created the Sterrato for just this purpose. And believe it or not, it works really well.
The Sterrato's Rally mode encourages off-road high jinx
The Sterrato’s exterior makes this purpose clear at first glance. Front-mounted rally lights, a roof-mounted air intake — to avoid dust — and aggressive wheel arches to contain the Sterrato’s wider track distinguish it from other Huracans. And pretty much any other supercar in the history of the genre, though the recently introduced Porsche 911 Dakar shares a similar look and design trope.
A monster both on track and off road, the Sterrato offers a unique value equation
That Porsche starts at $220,000, while the 2024 Lamborghini Huracán Sterrato starts at $277,000. With even a modest level of option checking the Sterrato’s price can eclipse $350,000. That still sounds like a bargain compared to the sole used one we found online — a 2024 model with 2,873 miles. And an asking price of $384,000. Not surprising really. As a supercar that can deliver both on- and off-pavement thrills the Huracan Sterrato is in a class of 2. And elite classes are never cheap.
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