Lamborghini broke new floor (actually and metaphorically) by launching an off-road-ready variant of the Huracán known as Sterrato. It is not the model’s first off-roader; that department of the household tree consists of the LM002 constructed within the Eighties and the Urus. But it surely’s the one Lamborghini that has made the inconceivable leap from the observe to the path. I sat down with Rouven Mohr, the top of the agency’s analysis and growth division, to learn how and why the Sterrato got here to life. Curiously, it began with a wild thought floated by executives throughout a dinner.
[The following has been edited for clarity.]
RG: What is the story behind this automobile?
RM: I’ve a private connection to this challenge. The essential thought was born at a dinner I attended the primary time I labored for Lamborghini, in 2017. I used to be consuming with Maurizio Reggiani, my former boss, and Mitja Borkert, our chief designer, proper after a take a look at of the Urus. We have been so glad speaking about how a lot enjoyable the Urus is to drive on gravel, and we mentioned, “This may be even cooler with a super-sports automobile.”
At the moment, I used to be liable for complete car growth. After I bought again to the workplace, I made a decision to take an outdated Huracán sturdiness take a look at automobile that was scheduled to be scrapped and construct a demo automobile. Everyone was so in love and agreed it was very cool, however based mostly on different priorities the corporate determined to cease [the project]. When [CEO] Stephan Winkelmann returned to Lamborghini, he noticed the automobile and requested why we did not construct it. So, we restarted the challenge. I am again at Lamborghini now, and it is a huge pleasure for me to deliver this challenge to the market.
RG: Past the cool issue, what was your objective through the challenge?
RM: This automobile’s mission is kind of straightforward to elucidate. At Lamborghini, we at all times have two pillars. One is efficiency, which suggests pure numbers like prime velocity and lap instances. It is not solely Lamborghini [that can deliver this], nevertheless, as a result of loads of different manufacturers even have the numbers. We’re at all times on the lookout for one thing sudden that improves the driving thrill, the general expertise, and we acknowledged after testing the demo automobile that there’s actually nothing comparable from the angle of pure emotional driving habits available on the market.
The mission of this automobile is to deliver most driving enjoyable, not solely on the observe but in addition on low-grip surfaces. The mission of this automobile is transferring the driving expertise that now we have from the Huracán STO on the observe to low-grip surfaces. It is also essential to grasp that this automobile’s mission is not off-roading within the traditional sense of the time period; it is not an off-road parkour automobile. Its objective is quick off-roading. I am at all times talking about on-track and off-track, not a lot about off-road. In my thoughts, off-road you are at all times going just a little bit sluggish and climbing up someplace. This isn’t the intention; this automobile can even climb however its intention goes sideways on gravel, rally-style.
RG: Contemplating this automobile has no predecessor and no direct rivals, how did you benchmark it?
RM: Typically, a automobile producer says, “This can be a new phase!” however on this case it is true; there isn’t any different comparable automobile available on the market. Our benchmark was to maximise the smiling of the individuals which might be driving the automobile, stepping out, and saying, “That is loopy, I’ve by no means pushed one thing like this!” For positive we additionally did acceleration exams, however the principle benchmark was the grins of the individuals leaping out of the automobile.
My philosophy is that for those who have a look at all the supercars available on the market, the lap instances are getting sooner, the acceleration is getting sooner, the horsepower is getting loopy, however on the finish of the day for those who ask your self which one you need to drive on a Sunday morning to have enjoyable, it is not at all times the automobile that achieved one of the best efficiency on the observe. Driving is not at all times associated to pure numbers.
RG: When this challenge started, your vary additionally included the Aventador. Why did you select the Huracán?
RM: The Huracán’s fundamental format makes it simpler to manage when going sideways. Within the Aventador, the engine and the transmission have been within the tunnel so the mass was centralized; if the automobile begins to rotate you want extra expertise to manage it. Second, the traction degree of the Aventador is way greater as a result of within the street-legal mannequin you could have 355-section rear tires. So, it is a lot tougher to make the Aventador a playful automobile from a dealing with perspective. And, the burden of the automobile is greater. The Aventador was not suited to this type of utility.
RG: Why is Lamborghini limiting manufacturing to 1,063 models?
RM: We selected this quantity as a result of the ten represents the V10 engine and 63 is the 12 months of Lamborghini’s beginning. And, we’re launching this automobile as a limited-edition mannequin as a result of our manufacturing capability for the rest of the Huracán’s life is restricted. We’ve the STO, the Tecnica, the Spyder, and now this model, so it was clear that manufacturing must be restricted as a result of the manufacturing capability is restricted.
RG: Porsche’s recently-unveiled 911 Dakar sounds lots just like the Sterrato on paper; it is a lifted sports activities automobile. Are these tasks associated?
RM: They’re actually completely different. We’re good colleagues, so we’re in good contact. They knew about our challenge, and we knew about theirs. It is a related idea since you take a sports activities automobile or a super-sports automobile and elevate it, however the mission of the automobile is totally completely different.
