2021 Lamborghini Huracan STO First Drive Review: Race-Bred Fury

The Lamborghini Huracan Super Trofeo Omologata (STO) is not a race car for the road. It's a race car you can drive on the road. Ideally, to a racetrack to get the most out of it. Essentially, the STO is a homologated version of the Huracan ST Evo used in Lamborghini's single-make Super Trofeo race series with some of the Huracan GT3 EVO thrown in for good measure. It's a toned-down race car that's legal for the road, but there's nothing subdued about it. Lamborghini's pitch-perfect 5.2-liter engine sits midship, making the same 630 horsepower (SAE) as the Performante. If you're disappointed by that figure, wind your neck in for a moment before you head for the comments because the STO is stripped down to the point it's rear-wheel-drive only, weighs 2,952 pounds dry, and hits 60 mph in 3.0 seconds. It's wider than the other Huracan models, and the aerodynamics are topped off with an adjustable wing that delivers 926 pounds of downforce at 174 mph. To explore the crazy amount of detail in the STO's design, CarBuzz strapped in and spent a couple of hours with it on the Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) and canyon roads of Southern California.

The whole front end of the Huracan STO, called the "cofango" by Lamborghini, is one piece that consists of the fenders, hood, and bumper. It's a hunk of bodywork mainly consisting of carbon fiber that Lamborghini says is engineered to need 25 percent less to create the same structural rigidity as before. In fact, most of the bodywork has been replaced with carbon fiber panels, and weight saving goes as far as the 20 percent lighter ultra-thin windscreen and the rear window being replaced by a lightweight louvered panel. The air scoop on top is completely functional, as is every vent. Every piece of bodywork has a purpose, from the shark fin piece on top to the holes you can see the tires through on the back. The rear wing is mounted from on top just like the race cars, and the total effect is striking, to say the least. A Huracan on the road demands attention from eyeballs it passes. The STO absolutely commands it.

Lamborghini's V10 is 5.2 liters of engineering perfection. It's tried, it's tested, and matched with a sublime dual-clutch transmission operated by two large metal paddles; it's seamless. While the V10 makes the same 630 hp as the Huracan Performante, it makes slightly less torque. The 417 pound-feet of torque comes fully on tap at 6,500 rpm while the revs top out at 8,000 rpm. Out on the road, though, 5,000 rpm is the magic number. Off the line, the Huracan STO is blindingly quick, even without the all-wheel-drive system, but the brutality is not in the transmission. As the tachometer tips over 5,000 rpm, the V10 grabs both your attention and anyone's within a one-mile radius. The engine starts to howl, and the STO somehow gets even faster. When it needs to be smooth, it's smooth and won't get you out of shape on its own. In a straight line, there's a jolt, but all the drama and brutality is from that V10.

There are three modes accessible easily from the steering wheel. The standard drive mode is STO, and it's designed for the road and uses all of the available ESC systems. It also tones down the exhaust, but only to the level it will annoy neighbors rather than frustrate them when firing up and taking off down the street. Trofeo mode loosens the reins for the track on the ESC, stiffens the suspension, sharpens the response of the rear-wheel-steering system, and opens up the pipes so the Huracan STO can sing its song without restriction. The final mode is for the wet, and we suspect that is going to be necessary for a rear-wheel-drive realization of a road-going race car like this.

Looking at the Huracan STO from outside, then climbing into the stripped-down cockpit, it's easy to imagine it's going to be awkward to drive in an everyday manner. Look in the rearview mirror to realize you're not going to have anything but the vaguest idea there's a car directly behind you, and that doubt gets stronger. However, using the front lift function to give an extra four inches of clearance, getting out into the street, and then joining traffic on the PCH was surprisingly stress-free. Side visibility from the mirrors is excellent, as is looking over your right shoulder. The STO is wider, but it's a small car to start with. Moving with traffic is not an issue, but we wanted to get off into twisty road territory. It's on bumpy roads where you remember you're in the closest thing to a race car Lamborghini makes for the road, but we quickly realized we would be able to lay down some miles without getting our bones shaken.

While 62 mph comes in 3.0 seconds, 124 mph comes in nine seconds. Thankfully, you certainly don't need to use all the power to have a good time on the road with the STO. The power is a given, and the grip is a given from the big Bridgestone Potenza tires and the beautifully tuned MagneRide suspension. What's surprising is how balanced the whole car is, from its single-ratio steering setup to how it handles corner entry and exit. Turning in, you can be as precise as you want and get on the power early with confidence while unwinding the wheel. With the rear-wheel steering, the initial turning is borderline absurd and wholely grin-inducing, then exiting and dragging out the revs keeps the grin in place. On the track, the sweet spot to keep the engine on the boil is in the upper rev range, but on the road, there's enough punch to keep the smiles going between opportunities to wind the V10 out over the magic 5,000 rpm.

The STO can be driven quickly and smoothly on public roads, although it always feels like it wants to go faster and faster. And faster. Then faster, still. The engine note is addictive in the upper range, and it feels like it'll grip forever. It won't, of course, and the racetrack is where the edge of grip should be explored. On canyon roads, it's light and limber, and we were confident on dry, warm roads to drop the STO into Trofeo mode. Braking is perfectly progressive and linear from the race-based Brembo CCM-R system and, once they're warmed up, the six-piston calipers can grip hard enough for your eyeballs to start feeling the pressure. We're confident you couldn't get them to fade on the street with going absolutely bananas downhill if you can find a stretch long enough. They're designed to lap a track fast and consistently.

Back on PCH and heading home after hours spent in the canyons, it feels like that time in the canyons should have been a warm-up for some track time. It certainly works as a road car and a backroad bomber, but it's not going to test you as a driver unless you're prepared for the danger of going off the road in uncontrolled conditions and possibly spend time in jail.

You could daily drive an STO if you desire and be comfortable on long trips, but that's not what it was meant for. Despite it being capable, there's always the sense that it's merely waiting to be fully unleashed. Like a well-trained attack dog that's sweet with kids and vicious when unleashed upon a home invader. The fact that there's only enough cargo room to store a helmet for track days and not much else tells you all you need to know.

It takes a bit of practice for someone tall not to make a fool of themselves clambering in and out of Huracan STO, but it's possible. Once inside, the full carbon fiber sports seats are ridiculously comfortable and not over-aggressive in their side bolstering. Carbon fiber is the main theme inside the STO, but luxury isn't. The carpet gives way to (optional) carbon fiber mats, while anything else that needs upholstering is finished with Alcantara and Lamborghini's Carbonskin. Infotainment is delivered through Lamborghini's new Human Interface Interface graphic system through a small touchscreen. It's easy enough to navigate and does the basics just fine. Dig deeper, though, and there's a wealth of information available on the car's status, including things like individual tire pressures and braking temperatures, and an optional telemetry system so you can look over all your track exploits and hone your skills.

The perfect driving position is easily found through manually operated levers and dials, as motorized luxuries mean extra weight. It's hard to miss all the switches being influenced by jet aircraft design, and the interior wraps around the driver and passenger appropriately. Tall people need not worry about fitting inside; headroom is plentiful as you're sat low. The roof comes over and, certainly for this six-footer, removes the need for a sun visor, but the view of the road is perfect with the short hood dropping away steeply. Pulling the door closed involves tugging on a strap, as does opening the door again. The weight saving there is debatable over a couple of extra pieces of plastic or carbon fiber, but it adds to the sense of occasion and reminds you what the car is really about.

Let's not beat about the bush. It'll cost you $327,838 to get into a Huracan STO before taxes and delivery. Start adding options like telemetry, custom colors or livery, and a full carbon fiber pack ($26,000), and the STO can get close to being a half-million-dollar car. The pearl-effect white paint on our test vehicle is a $14,000 option, and the lift system is another $4,000. Everything added up on the test car has a final price of $404, 533 dollars.

The Huracan STO is not a special edition with some extra badges and a bump in power. It's not hyped up with absurd numbers, not created to be a collectible, or designed for supercar posers. It's a genuine blend of race car and road car that doesn't deliver the raw horsepower of rivals but does deliver a track car that is genuinely fun to drive on the road and not frustrating in traffic. It's a crazy ride and one for enthusiasts looking for something that feels old school before Lamborghini heads on down the road of electrification. It's something for people dedicated to shaving hundredths of a second off of lap times or exploring their wild side in a controlled environment, and for people that want to enjoy the drive there and back or take it down their favorite roads in between track days. Lamborghini has created something special and, if you have the means, it's an excellent way to spend over a third of a million dollars.