2006 - Lamborghini Gallardo on 2040-cars

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Join us for a closer look at the Lamborghini Huracan Sterrato

Unveiled in November 2022, the Sterrato is the final and arguably wildest evolution of the Lamborghini Huracan. The limited-edition coupe isn't scheduled to enter production until February 2023, but Autoblog got to check it out in the flesh at a preview event held in Denmark. The first all-terrain variant of the Huracan looks just as cool in person as it does in Lamborghini's official photos. Seeing it up close reveals some of the finer design details that the press shots didn't show, like the subtle "Sterrato" logo on both roof rails and the exposed bolts that hold on the wheel arch flares. I also got to take a peek in the engine bay for a look at the other side of the roof-mounted intake system. While the Huracan STO also features a roof-mounted scoop, it's used to channel cooling air into the engine bay. Rouven Mohr, the head of Lamborghini's research and development department, told Autoblog that his team re-imagined the scoop as the intake system's inlet after realizing that dust clogs the air filters via the stock, side-mounted intake system. While that's not a huge deal in Los Angeles traffic, it's important off the pavement because the Sterrato's purpose isn't to crawl over boulders; it was designed to go very fast on unpaved surfaces. "Its purpose is fast off-roading," Mohr told me. "In my mind, off-road you're always going a little bit slow and climbing up somewhere. This is not the intention; this car can also climb but its intention is going sideways on gravel, rally-style." Zooming out, the Sterrato is a racing livery away from looking like a rally car. It's considerably taller than the other Huracan variants, and it looks even higher in person than it does in photos. If you see it in the right light you can spot some of the underbody hardware between the wheels and the arches in spite of the meaty tires. The side skirts and rear diffuser have been given a more off-road-ready design as well. We'll need to be patient to find out what the Sterrato is like to drive, but it's a recipe for fun on paper. It's powered by a version of the STO's naturally-aspirated, 5.2-liter V10 engine that develops 610 horsepower at 8,000 rpm and 417 pound-feet of torque at 6,500 rpm; the revised intake system is to blame for the 21-horse drop. Lamborghini quotes a 3.4-second sprint from zero to 62 mph and a top speed of 162 mph.

Are supercars becoming less special?

There's little doubt that we are currently enjoying the golden age of automotive performance. Dozens of different models on sale today make over 500 horsepower, and seven boast output in excess of 700 hp. Not long ago, that kind of capability was exclusive to supercars – vehicles whose rarity, performance focus, and requisite expense made them aspirational objects of desire to us mortals. But more than that, supercars have historically offered a unique driving experience, one which was bespoke to a particular model and could not be replicated elsewhere. But in recent years, even the low-volume players have been forced to find the efficiencies and economies of scale that formerly hadn't been a concern for them, and in turn the concept of the supercar as a unique entity unto itself is fading fast. The blame doesn't fall on one particular manufacturer nor a specific production technique. Instead, it's a confluence of different factors that are chipping away at the distinction of these vehicles. It's not all bad news – Lamborghini's platform sharing with Audi for the Gallardo and the R8 yielded a raging bull that was more reliable and easier to live with on a day-to-day basis, and as a result it went on to become the best-selling Lambo in the company's history. But it also came at the cost of some of the Italian's exclusivity when eerily familiar sights and sounds suddenly became available wearing an Audi badge. Even low-volume players have been forced to find economies of scale. Much of this comes out of necessity, of course. Aston Martin's recent deal with Mercedes-AMG points toward German hardware going under the hood and into the cabin of the upcoming DB11, and it's safe to assume that this was not a decision made lightly by the Brits, as the brand has built a reputation for the bespoke craftsmanship of its vehicles. There's little doubt that the DB11 will be a fine automobile, but the move does jeopardize some of the characteristic "specialness" that Astons are known for. Yet the world is certainly better off with new Aston Martins spliced with DNA from Mercedes-AMG rather than no new Astons at all, and the costs of developing cutting-edge drivetrains and user interfaces is a burden that's becoming increasingly difficult for smaller manufacturers to bear. Even Ferrari is poised to make some dramatic changes in the way it designs cars.

Lamborghini driver can't shoot the gap in London

It may be difficult to see a nearly $500,000 car wrecked because of hot-shot driving on narrow streets, but a new video of a Lamborghini Aventador crash in one of London's poshest zip codes over the weekend has to be seen to be believed.
The accident occurred Sunday and left Sloane Street in London's ritzy Chelsea district littered with equally ritzy matte black body parts. A fan of the supercar enthusiast Shmee150 submitted footage of the devastating wreck to his YouTube channel, and Shmee kindly turned around and offered it to Autoblog. In the video, the Lamborghini's tires momentarily lift off the pavement as the driver fails in an attempt to squeeze in-between what looks to be a turning Mazda Demio and parked cars including a Nissan Qashqai and a BMW 3 Series.
This enigmatic matte black Lamborghini has popped up on YouTube in the past, shooting flames from its exhaust and causing a ruckus on London streets, The Telegraph reports. No one was arrested at the crash and there are no charges pending at this time. Hopefully, even without legal ramifications, this driver has learned the lesson every morning commuter on London's Tube knows; mind the gap.