Lamborghini Squadra Corse, the Italian automaker's motorsports division announced a one-make series based on the Urus race SUV it previewed.
The Squadra Corse division had a field day with the unveiling of the bonkers one-off SC18 Alston Aventador, along with an equally outrageous Urus ST-X race SUV concept. This super-SUV is being prepared for a one-make race series Lamborghini is planning for its European and Middle Eastern customers in 2020. The FIA-approved Super Trofeo championship has been a popular motorsports event among fans and owners of the raging bull ever since it debuted in 1996 with the Diablo SV-R.
Lamborghini says the Urus ST-X is made for a "single-brand championship (that) combines racetrack and off-road track." We don't know yet whether a single track will include tarmac as well as dirt, or if the overall series will include both kinds of tracks. A single race spread across dirt and asphalt would sure be a blast to watch.
Squadra Corse went through the Urus's design with a fine-toothed comb, deciding which bits need to go and which could become lighter. The concept ST-X gets a steel roll cage, fire suppression system, and FT3 fuel tank. Quick release latches on the hood and a modified rear hatch replace traditional locking mechanisms on the SUV. Squadra Corse pulled out the stock Urus's grille and aero and replaced it with angular mesh. A rear wing sits above the backlight, and the 10-spoke 21-inch wheels get center-lock wheel fasteners.
The rear diffuser drops exhaust outlets, with the pipes now exiting just before the rear wheels. The exhaust system weighs 25 percent less than that of the stock Urus, on par with Aventador's. Although the hood gets two air intakes, the 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 still puts out the same specs, at 641hp and 850Nm.
Lamborghini will put the Urus ST-X on track during the six-race World Finals in 2019. The mixed-surface series will host arrive-and-drive races, providing "driver-customers maximum flexibility and support during weekend events." Such levels of customer involvement programs are sure to ring good sales and loyalty for the super-SUV.
