Off-Road Supercars Are the Auto Industry’s Latest Fashion
Are you a fan of sports cars that also happens to love off-road driving? You’re in luck as Lamborghini and Porsche have recently unveiled a pair of exceptional vehicles that will marvellously combine your two passions.
If you have a ton of money to spare, you should act real fast, though. Production will be very limited. By the way, which one is your favourite?
2023 Lamborghini Huracán Sterrato
This is the culmination of a concept that was announced back in 2019. The Huracán Sterrato will roll off the line at the Italian automaker’s Sant’Agata Bolognese factory starting in February, but only 1,499 units are planned.
Ground clearance has been increased by 44 mm compared with the Huracán EVO in order to ensure greater suspension travel, while the front (+30 mm) and rear (+34 mm) tracks are wider for more stability. The aluminum front underbody protection, reinforced sills and sturdy wheel arches all emphasize the Sterrato’s muscularity, not to mention the custom-developed Bridgestone Dueler AT002 all-terrain tires. You’ll also notice a pair of off-road lights tacked on to the nose, as well as roof rails allowing drivers to carry extra gear if they so choose. Meanwhile, the classic air intake located on the rear hood helps supply the engine with clean air when driving on dusty trails.
Speaking of which, it’s no surprise to find Lamborghini’s naturally aspirated 5.2-litre V10 in the Huracán Sterrato. The 602 horsepower are governed by a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission and electronically controlled all-wheel drive system with mechanical self-locking rear differential. Lamborghini claims acceleration from 0-100 km/h is achieved in 3.4 seconds while top speed is down to 260 km/h—on dry pavement, of course.
In addition to specific STRADA and SPORT drive mode calibrations, the Huracán Sterrato gets a RALLY mode for low-grip conditions, which is awesome. Inside, the instrument panel has new graphics and special driving features such as a digital inclinometer, compass, geographic coordinate indicator and steering angle indicator. Apple Watch users will eventually be able to synchronize their heart rate information with the on-board telemetry system. After all, this supercar is sure to get your pulse racing.
2023 Porsche 911 Dakar
The German automaker celebrated the premiere of the new Porsche 911 Dakar at the 2022 Los Angeles Auto Show and warned potential customers that production will be limited to 2,500 units for the 2023-2024 model years combined. Ground clearance is 50 mm higher than that of a 911 Carrera 4 GTS with sports suspension. In addition, the standard lift system can raise the front and rear ends a further 30 mm. So, whether it’s mud, sand, dirt or snow, the 911 Dakar is designed to tackle the worst conditions. It also offers a selection of drive modes including Off-Road and Rallye, both of which are unique to this model.
Naturally, the twin-turbocharged 3.0-litre flat-six engine is included, producing 473 horsepower, but the high-capacity cooling system comes from the 911 Turbo. The 911 Dakar sprints to 100 km/h in 3.4 seconds, and top speed is limited to 240 km/h due to the standard Pirelli Scorpion All Terrain Plus tires.
On the exterior, Porsche designers incorporated rugged bumpers and wheels. The side air intakes are protected against flying rocks by stainless steel grilles, while stainless steel skid plates protect the underbody. Up top is an optional roof rack that can accommodate rallying equipment up to 42 kilograms along with a roof tent.
One of the highlights of the 911 Dakar is certainly the Rallye Design Package, the look of which reprises the winning car from the 1984 Dakar Rally. At $32,490, it adds a two-tone finish in White/Gentian Blue Metallic and a Roughroads logo on the doors, plus decorative stripes in red and gold, white-painted rims and a red taillight strip. Customers can also choose an individual race number from 0-999. So cool.
The 2023 Porsche 911 Dakar starts at $247,300 in Canada. If you spot one (or a Huracán Sterrato) on or off the road, consider yourself extremely lucky because few owners will use their car’s potential to the fullest, which is a shame.
