Lamborghini has unveiled the lightest version of the Huracan yet, the STO
As you read this, Lamborghini Automobili has just unveiled its latest installment in its Huracan super sports car production series in the form of the STO (Super Trofeo Omologata), essentially a road-homologated version of the Huracan inspired by Lamborghini’s Squadra Corsa motorsport division.
Oh, but wait, hasn’t the Italian sports car maker given us a track oriented version in the form of the Huracan Performante already? Correct! However, as most things in life, the automotive arena also constantly changes and evolves. The Huracan STO is the culmination of the Sant'Agata Bolognese based marque's dabble in both the Super Trofeo and GT3 production car racing series.
Exterior visage
The Huracán STO sports an entirely new exterior design, revising its inimitable Lamborghini profile to optimize airflow. Mitja Borkert, Head of Lamborghini Centro Stile: “Racing cars are always a strong inspiration for our design. The Huracán STO exquisitely reflects the technology transfer from our successful Huracán race cars, displayed in every aesthetic detail.”
Every aspect of the Huracán STO draws on the aerodynamic efficiency and lightweight technologies demanded in motorsports. The Huracán STO embodies the principle that Lamborghini design always follows function: even more valid for a street-homologated car inspired by a racecar. According to the company, the Huracán STO is the result of the collaboration between Lamborghini’s R&D, Squadra Corse and Centro Stile departments, with every line and every feature aesthetically outstanding while optimized to ensure the best driving performance.
The comprehensive aerodynamic solutions inspired by Squadra Corse race cars maximise aerodynamic performance, chief to these aero tweaks is the Cofango with air ducts, front splitter and louvers
The front bonnet, fenders and the front bumper are comprised of one single component: the ‘Cofango’ created by Lamborghini engineers combines the ‘cofano’ (hood) and ‘parafango’ (fender) including the front bumper, inspired by the Lamborghini Miura and more recently, the Sesto Elemento. It is not only lightweight, but also a time saving access feature in motorsport.
Aerodynamics
The Huracan STO is said to have the highest level of downforce in its class with the best aero balance for a rear-wheel drive car, with delivery of a superior aerodynamic load a key factor in its enhanced cornering performance. Overall airflow efficiency is improved by 37% and a significant downforce increase of 53% is reached over the Huracán Performante.
Lightweight construction
The STO uses carbon fiber in more than 75% of its exterior panels, benefiting from complex structures produced as a single component for increased integrity while also reducing weight via less fixing points.
Using its expertise in lightweight technologies, for the rear fender, Lamborghini’s R&D department has adopted a carbon fiber ‘sandwich’ technique utilized in the aerospace industry. Thanks to this technology, the Huracán STO uses 25% less carbon fiber material while maintaining the same structural rigidity. At a dry weight of 1,339 kg, the Huracan STO’s weight is reduced by 43 kg compared to the already lightweight Huracan Performante.
It incorporates a windscreen 20% lighter than the Huracan Performante, and features magnesium rims for the highest strength-to-weight ratio, saving further weight over aluminum alloys with the same load factor.
The magnesium rims are wrapped around bespoke Bridgestone Potenza tyres, available in two versions: one road-focused, the other more track oriented. Both designs combine innovative compounds with a finely-tuned footprint efficiency, thereby enhancing driving precision and adherence in a wide temperature range.
Fire power
With its banshee-wailing 5.2l V10 naturally aspirated power plant producing 470 kW and 565 Nm at 6,500 r/min, the rear-wheel drive Huracan STO is said to dispatch 0-100 km/h in 3.0 seconds, romp from 0-200 km/h in 9.0 seconds and keep raging to a top speed of 310 km/h. The latter figure might not be class-leading by any stretch, but that would be missing the real purpose of the Huracan STO. These are; superior aerodynamic efficiency, extensive use of lightweight materials, unfettered steering and first-class braking performance.
The Huracan STO is the purest incarnation of Lamborghini Squadra Corse heritage, directly transferring technologies from the Huracan Super Trofeo EVO and drawing on the Huracan GT3 EVO’s unique accomplishment of winning three consecutive times in the Daytona 24 hours,” said Automobili Lamborghini Chairman and CEO, Stefano Domenicali.
Maurizio Reggiani, Chief Technical Officer added: “The Huracan STO delivers all the excitement of a beautifully balanced, lightweight and aerodynamically superior super sports car, mirroring the driving feeling and exhilaration of Super Trofeo, and perfectly set up for the world’s most demanding tracks but created for the road. The extensive technical solutions and intelligence gained from both our Super Trofeo and GT3 programs has been refined and embodied in the Huracán STO, allowing the pilot to experience the emotions of a racing driver, daily, in a road-legal Lamborghini super sports car able to take lap records.”
Is it coming to Mzansi?
Here at TopGear SA, we've experienced almost the entire lineage of the Lamborghini Huracan and each has offered up a sizable amount of driver enjoyment, no doubt inspired by the wailing engine nestling behind the rear bulkhead. If the Performante and EVO variants are anything to go by, then the STO promises to be quite the fire cracker of note. At this stage, base pricing is pegged at R8 495 000 and the model will be available in very limited numbers.
Keyword: FIRST LOOK: Lamborghini Huracan STO