‘Based on a true story’. That is what the invitation card said about the model that was about to be unveiled. The true story referred to was the incredible and legendary victories of Lamborghini at Daytona for three consecutive years from 2018 to 2020. The lessons scraped off the track have been used to pitch and tweak the model that just debuted in Dubai, marking the landing of the Lamborghini Huracán STO in the Middle East.
The dimensions: LXWXH 4549 mm x 2236 with mirrors x 1220 mm | Wheelbase 2620 mm | 20” wheels | Turning circle 11.5 m | dry weight 1339 kg | Weight distribution front: rear 41:59
Performance statistics: 5.2L V10 engine | 7-speed LDF dual clutch transmission | Rear Wheel Drive | 640 hp, 565 Nm of torque at 6,500 rpm | Weight to power ratio: 2.09 kg/hp | Acceleration from 0-100km/h in 3.0 seconds, 0 – 200 kmph in 9.0 sec | Top speed 310 kmph | Braking 100 km/h-0 in 30.0 meters, 200 km/h-0 in 110.0 meters | Emissions: Euro 6 Level 3 | Airbags: dual-stage front and full-size lateral. Knee airbags in specific markets | Brakes: CCM-R brakes (carbon ceramic race brakes)
First things first. What does STO stand for? Super Trofeo Omologata. Why? Because it is a super sports car homologated for the road and inspired by the racing heritage of Lamborghini Squadra Corse’s one-make Huracán Super Trofeo EVO race series, as well as its three-time 24 Hours of Daytona-winning and two-time 12 Hours of Sebring-winning Huracán GT3 EVO.
Interestingly, the output is just short of that of EVO. With its 5.2L V10 naturally aspirated engine producing 640 hp at 8,000 rpm and 565 Nm at 6,500 rpm, the rear-wheel drive Huracán STO delivers exhilarating acceleration of 0-100 km/h in 3.0 seconds and a top speed of 310 km/h. To sum up its philosophy, Huracán STO aims at delivering the emotion of a track experience on every road drive. Helping it achieve that are superior aerodynamic efficiency, extensive use of lightweight materials, unfettered steering and first-class braking performance.
[Watch the launch spot 360º video and report from the “Daytona corridor”]
What kind of an animal is the new STO? Hear it from the horses’ mouth:
“The Huracán STO is the purest incarnation of Lamborghini Squadra Corse heritage, directly transferring technologies from the Huracán Super Trofeo EVO and drawing on the Huracán 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 Huracán 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.”
Design aerodynamics
The Huracán STO embodies the principle that Lamborghini design always follows function: even more valid for a street-homologated car inspired by a racecar.
The front bonnet, fenders and the front bumper are together called the ‘cofango’ – a word created by Lamborghini engineers by combining the ‘cofano’ (hood) and ‘parafango’ (fender) including the front bumper, inspired by the Lamborghini Miura and more recent Sesto Elemento. It is not only lightweight as it is made of carbon fibre, but also a timesaving access feature in motorsports. In the video, you can see the three-in-one expanse open frontwards as one, revealing a light storage space of 38L in the rear mid-engined car.
New air ducts, a front splitter and the shape of the cofango pushes airflow through the radiator, through the rear diffuser and around the wheelhouse, they act to increase downforce and reduce drag.
A new rear fender derived from the Super Trofeo EVO achieves both reduction of the front area of the car and therefore the drag, while increasing rear downforce and the car’s overall aerodynamic efficiency. A NACA air intake integrated into the STO’s rear fender serves as an engine air intake.
The Lamborghini Huracán STOhas interesting aerodynamic elements prominently standing out along its body – like the air scoop and the shark fin!
Rear engine bonnet with air scoop
The revised rear hood design features an integrated air scoop to improve air-cooling at the rear underhood. Dedicated air deflectors, integrated in the rear bonnet’s frame, manage the significant incoming airflow from the snorkel according to the temperature regulation needs of the engine and exhaust outlet.
Shark fin
An integrated ‘shark fin’ on the rear bonnet improves the dynamic abilities of the STO, particularly when cornering during which the different pressure levels generated by incoming air on the two sides of the fin create a positive effect on yaw stability. The fin also helps straighten airflow onto the wing, making the wing even more effective during cornering.
Aerodynamic result
The Huracán STO achieves 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 53% better downforce than the Huracán Performante is achieved.
Lightweight options
The Huracán STO uses carbon fiber in more than 75% of its exterior panels. Complex structures produced as a single component not only increases integrity but also reduces weight via fewer fixing points. For the rear fender, a carbon fiber ‘sandwich’ technique utilized in the aerospace industry is employed, which enables Huracán STO to use 25% less carbon fiber material while maintaining the same structural rigidity. At a dry weight of 1,339 kg, the Huracán STO’s weight is 43 kg less than the already lightweight Huracán Performante. In comparison, the windscreen is 20% lighter and magnesium rims are used on the wheels for a strength-to-weight ratio even better than aluminium alloys.
Human Machine Interface in the STO cabin
A race car at heart
Even as it homologated for the road, the STO delivers all the emotion of a racecar with an increased wheel track, stiffer suspension bushing, specific anti-roll bars and Lamborghini’s MagneRide 2.0. The engine has been calibrated for a very sporty and responsive racing feel, with a direct pedal-to-throttle feeling and improved engine sound sharpness at high revs, amply supported by a highly responsive and rapid gearshift.
This is the first time a rear wheel drive Lamborghini gets rear-wheel steering, and with a more direct and fixed steering ratio, the driver is fully in touch with the asphalt with feedback at his fingertips. With its ability to corner faster while maximizing grip on exit, the Huracán STO confirms that races are won in corners rather than on straights.
Three new ANIMA driving modes
STO by default, is for road driving and fun on curving roads with a road-oriented suspension setting. The ESC can be switched off for maximum driving fun while still supporting the driver.
Trofeo mode optimizes all systems for dry asphalt and the fastest lap times on track. The vehicle dynamics assures maximum performance through dedicated torque vectoring and performance traction control strategies.
Pioggia (rain) mode optimizes traction control, torque vectoring, rear-wheel steering and the ABS on wet asphalt.
Braking
CCM-R discs provide four times higher thermal conductivity than traditional CCB. Stress resistance is 60% higher, with maximum brake power improved by 25% and longitudinal deceleration by 7%.
The Huracán STO interior
Extensive use of carbon fiber features throughout the cockpit, including sport seats in full carbon fiber; an Alcantara interior with Lamborghini’s Carbonskin; carpets removed and replaced by floor mats in carbon fiber; and the carbon fiber lightweight door panels with a door latch as opener.
A titanium rear arch with four-point seatbelts and a newly designed front trunk for helmet storage, are thoughtful racetrack features.
New Human Machine Interface (HMI) graphics feature on the Huracán’s touch screen manages the car’s functions. Pilots driving their Huracán STO on racetracks can monitor and record their performance and analyze the data via the Lamborghini UNICA app.
Owners of the Huracán STO can fully personalize both the exterior and interior of their race car-on-the-road via a rich Ad Personam personalisation program, with limitless paint and trim combinations as well as race-style vinyls. After all, Huracán Super Trofeo race cars line up in their unique colours and designs on the starting grid. The launch livery of Blu Laufey and Arancio California exemplifies the Huracán STO’s young and sporty racing spirit.
Availability and price
The new Lamborghini Huracán STO is priced in the US at approx. 328,000 dollars before tax (over 1.2 million dirhams) will be available for customers from Q2 2021.
