Lamborghinis counted as one of last week’s highlights in Malaysia.
In the same period that 112 Lambos from across the country set a new record for assembling in Kuala Lumpur, along came the Huracan STO (Super Trofeo Omologata) to stamp its mark at the Sepang race track.
Now the best way to fully appreciate a supercar’s performance is in the controlled environment of a race track — bereft of many of the inherent dangers of public motoring.
As part of the STO’s introduction to Malaysia, Lamborghini Kuala Lumpur held track drives over two days for select customers and the media. The media’s turn came on Day 2.
The STO, by the way, is open for booking now and has a starting price of RM1.48mil (before taxes and options). Prepare to wait 18 months for delivery.
The STO is road legal and track ready. Behind the driver sits the highest performing V10 naturally aspirated engine to date by the Raging Bull.
It’s the result of motorsports know-how drawn from the Huracán Super Trofeo EVO and GT3 EVO racecars.
When told a supercar has oodles of motorsport influence, several things come to mind: heavy use of lightweighting materials; improved aerodynamics; and innovative air ducting to cool engine and carbon ceramic brakes as well as generate great downforce.
Well, the STO has all that and more.
Up close, the STO is a sight for sore eyes, featuring an entirely new exterior design to optimise airflow.
Lamborghini says every line and inch of the STO has been crafted to ensure the best driving performance.
Over 75% of the bodywork is made of carbon fibre. The front bonnet, fenders and the front bumper is a single clamshell called the “cofango” that’s straight out of the racing world. It’s lightweight and a timesaving access feature in motorsports.
New air ducts on the front bonnet increase the airflow through the central radiator to improve engine cooling as well as helping generate downforce. The cofango also incorporates a new front splitter, directing airflow to the newly designed underbody of the car and to the rear diffuser.
The cofango is shaped to push the airflow on top of the front fenders, which incorporate louvres to maximise airflow exiting from the wheelhouse, reducing pressure inside and increasing the front downforce.
A new rear fender derived from the Super Trofeo EVO achieves both reduction of the front area of the car and consequently the drag, while increasing rear downforce, aided by a single slotted wing with double airfoil.
The air scoop on the rear hood and NACA air intakes shunt air into the engine bay.
At a dry weight of 1,339kg, the STO’s weight is reduced by 43kg compared to the already lightweight Huracán Performante, contributed in part by a lighter windscreen and lighter 20-inch magnesium wheels with bespoke Bridgestone Potenza tyres in two versions: one road-focused, the other more track oriented.
The lightweighting concept continues in the cabin with plenty of carbon fibre throughout the cockpit, including sport seats in full carbon fibre; an Alcantara interior with Lamborghini’s Carbonskin; carpets removed and replaced by floor mats in carbon fibre; and the fully carbon fibre lightweight door panels.
It’s the epitome of sporty luxury and you do feel you are getting your money’s worth.
A fully connected telemetry system allows the track driver to monitor and record his performance and to analyse the data via the Lamborghini Unica app.
All these are a reminder of the STO’s racing DNA along with a roll cage, door straps and a fire extinguisher that hopefully will never have to be used.
Yet it’s not bare-bones like a true blue track car. Being a road car as well, the cabin provides some creature comforts like air-conditioning, an infotainment system and optional cruise control.
Bucket seats are snug and supportive, and you are securely pinned into them via a 4-point seatbelt. Getting in is a little easier than getting out especially with helmet on.
The track sessions involved three STOs at a time with the chief instructor in the lead car. His advice for an enjoyable drive was to always steer smoothly and exit the corners smoothly.
With its 5.2-litre V10 naturally aspirated 640hp powerplant producing 565Nm at 6,500 rpm, the rear-wheel drive STO delivers an impressive acceleration of 0-100 kph in 3.0 seconds, 0-200kph in 9.0 seconds and a top speed of 310kph.
So you really need to know how to choose your cornering lines and how much speed to carry or you would feel the brunt from a mighty dose of oversteer should you miscalculate.
All the cars were set in the Trofeo drive mode, where all systems were optimised for dry asphalt and the fastest lap times on track.
There’s also the default STO mode for road driving and fun on curving roads and Pioggia (Wet) mode, which optimises traction control, torque vectoring, rear-wheel steering and the anti-lock braking on wet asphalt.
Right off the bat, the STO showed how planted and balanced its chassis was. There’s immense grip at both ends as the speed builds up alarmingly fast. And before you know it, you are pushing past 240kph.
This is accompanied by the intense wail of the engine, and the pop and crackles as you paddle-shifted rapidly down the 7-speed dual clutch gearbox to take the next corner.
As a point-and-shoot car, the STO’s steering is highly communicative and you will know precisely where the front tyres are placed as you gun the car for the horizons.
The power delivery is progressive without being overwhelming. This induces confidence putting you in charge of the car instead of the other way around. The ability to stop quickly, courtesy of powerful Brembo CCM-R brakes, reinforces that feeling, braking well consistently lap after lap.
It has been less than a day with the STO but it was enough to offer a glimpse of its breathtaking talent as a supercar built both for the track - and the wide open road.
