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Lamborghini Urus ST-X: an SUV with racing pedigree
Track-only crossover will compete on both tarmac and gravel circuits
Lamborghini’s Urus SUV split opinion when it arrived earlier this year. The Italian carmaker is best known for its powerful jet fighter-inspired hypercars, so the idea of a crossover with supercar styling didn’t sit well with some fans.
But Lamborghini is determined to prove that its SUV is as much a supercar as its mid-engined Huracan and Aventador models - and it plans to do so with its new Urus ST-X concept.
Developed by the firm’s Squadra Corse division, the motorsport team behind Lamborghini’s racing cars, the Urus ST-X is designed to compete in a racing series specifically for the sporty SUVs.
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Unlike most racing series, which are held exclusively on either tarmac or gravel circuits, Lamborghini says the Urus ST-X championship will feature a mixture of asphalt tracks and off-road venues.
The tracks will be “specially prepared FIA-approved circuits” located across Europe and the Middle East, the company adds.
Lamborghini says the costs of entering the car into the championship, as well as travel and a team of engineers, will be included in the price of the vehicle, which has yet to be revealed. So buyers can simply turn up at the track and jump straight into their Urus ST-X without having to worry about preparing for the race.
The car is powered by the same 640bhp 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8 engine as the standard Urus. However, Lamborghini has reduced the Urus ST-X’s weight by 25% over the road car, which should make it much easier to manoeuvre around a circuit.
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There are also some small visual differences between the ST-X and the standard Urus. The racing car gets a carbon-fibre rear wing and bespoke 21in wheels, along with more aggressive-looking front bumper with larger air intakes that keep the engine cool at high speeds.
Fans can get their first look at the Urus ST-X on track at the Lamborghini Squadra Corse Super Trofeo World Final next year, which usually takes place at Italy’s Vallelunga circuit in mid-November.
