Lamborghini Huracán Sterrato concept: when supercars go off-road

• The Huracán Sterrato Concept has excellent vehicle performance and gives it a certain off-road prowess.
• Lamborghini is using the Huracán EVO's 5.2-liter, superchargerless engine for the Sterrato Concept.
• No official word from Lamborghini on when (or even if) it will come to market. (Don't hold your breath).

What does Lamborghini think? I know they do stupid things from time to time - I mean, they put the engine in the Countach backwards - but this; this thing called the Huracán Sterrato Concept, I'm not sure about that. I think conceptually, I'm fine with the idea; Shoot, there's more sport in the Lamborghini Huracán Sterrato Concept than any sporty SUV. But . , , really?

The Huracán Sterrato Concept is a sort of off-road / rally version of the Lambo Huracán. Which sounds fun in itself.

And yes, it's only a concept, so I'd be very surprised if Lamborghini included this in production, but you can never be too sure.

The road has already been traveled

The Sant'Agata Bolognese company has done this sort of thing in the past, or almost done it, anyway. Back in the 1970s, Lamborghini's test driver, Bob Wallace himself, modified two of the company's cars to see how they would perform as «high-performance sports cars in the desert.» Ergo, the Lamborghini Jarama from 1973 and the Urraco from 1974. that neither you nor I had ever heard of until now, to show you what became of that idea. Yes, indeed, Lamborghini made the LM002 SUV; and also, yes, they just started making the Urus, but I would be shocked if the Huracán Sterrato ever ended up at your local Lambo dealership.

In fact, they say right off the bat that the Sterrato «utilizes Lamborghini's off-road expertise, exemplified by the Urus Super SUV.» That's pretty sweet, calling it a «super» SUV. Not saying it's inherently bad, just that the Urus is a mess of a VAG parts garbage can with a Lambo badge on (imagine it's a Cayenne wearing an Armani suit).

Building on the Huracán's impressive V10 prowess, the Sterrato (which means «mud» in Italian) uses the Huracán EVO's naturally-aspirated 5.2-liter 10-cylinder Huracán EVO mill to produce 640 horsepower. Certainly an impressive amount on dry asphalt, but one can only guess what it's like to control all those ponies on gravel or dirt, as the name suggests. Ah, but don't worry. The engineers at Lamborghini are way ahead of us.

Lamborghini Huracán Sterrato concept. Photo: Automobili Lamborghini.

Related: on Lamborghini's dating profile, their cover photo is of the Huracán EVO.

Off-road calibration

The Sterrato uses an enhanced version of the LDVI Huracán EVO (Lamborghini Dinamica Veicolo Integrata (say that three times very fast) stability and traction scheme with some additional predictive logic to control the Sterrato's systems: all-wheel drive, four-wheel steering, modified suspension and torque control. Lamborghini says the Sterrato will anticipate «the driver's next steps» to ensure perfect driving dynamics. I hope predictive logic predicts correctly and you don't put this thing into the arroyo wall.

The Sterrato's LDVI system is calibrated for off-road driving in all types of terrain, including sand, gravel and the like. It's tuned to maximize traction and acceleration while still providing «improved rear-wheel drive behavior.» No, I have no idea either, but I bet anyone driving this beast will discover the full and complete definition of that phrase in no short order. Lamborghini claims it produces more torque overall with additional stabilization during maneuvers that cause oversteer.

I assume this means «you should be able to hang up your tail and stay fine». I don't take their word for it. Not when I'm going to argue with 640 horsepower. I'd like to try it, but I don't take it as a creed.

Photo: Automobili Lamborghini.

Fixed assets

The Sterrato's exterior strives to match the off-road, focused drivetrain. Ground clearance has increased by 47 millimeters, the vehicle's approach angle has increased by 1 percent, and the rear departure angle has increased by 6.5 percent. Track width is up both front and rear by 30 millimeters. For serious off-roaders, none of these figures are particularly noteworthy.

The 20-inch wheels are set into wide-case wheel arches that also utilize air intakes. The tires have open shoulder blocks for «self-cleaning» and, according to Lamborghini, are resistant to damage.

There are numerous body reinforcements and protective measures, including a rear protection plate that serves as a diffuser. Further aluminum reinforcement is found inside the front frame, and aluminum-reinforced side skirts provide additional strength. Special rock guards are fitted around the engine and air intakes and a titanium cage is fitted inside.

You know it's a Lamborghini off-road concept when the mudguards are made of carbon fiber and elastomeric resin. Photo: Automobili Lamborghini.

Future considerations

Finally, there are plenty of LED lights for off-roading to make you feel like you're steering the ship from close quarters. But like I said, the Lamborghini Huracán Sterrato concept is a concept with a capital C. They're not going to be able to make this thing and sell it. If they do, give me a call. Because I know some logging roads that could destroy this thing.

Tony Borroz has been racing vintage and sports cars all his life. He is the author of the bricks Bones: Endearing Legacy and the Nitty-Gritty Phenomenon of the Indy 500, available in paperback or Kindle format. Follow his work on Twitter: @TonyBorroz.

Photo Source: Automobili Lamborghini.