Lamborghini open to ST-X-inspired super-Urus

Race tech could seep into the production model.

The ST-X concept Lamborghini unveiled in late 2018 was developed solely to compete in an Urus-only race series scheduled to kick off in 2020. While the main reason it exists is to win races, Lamborghini confirmed the model could ultimately influence a hot-rodded variant of its high-riding model.

Maurizio Reggiani, the head of the Italian firm's research and development department, shared insight about the ST-X (pictured) with Digital Trends. Asked whether the lessons learned from racing the ST-X on and off the asphalt could seep into a super-Urus, he smiled and replied yes. He stopped short of providing more details about the model, and he didn't confirm it's currently being developed, but a look at the ST-X gives us a decent idea of what to expect from the model.

Reggiani's team focused primarily on shedding as much weight from the Urus as possible. They achieved a 25-percent weight reduction by using composite materials like carbon fiber, and by removing parts not needed on the track such as the sound-deadening material. Lamborghini likely couldn't get away with selling a stripped-down Urus with exposed floorboards, but it's not too far-fetched to imagine a lighter variant with more carbon fiber parts to keep weight in check.

The big mystery surrounding the ST-X is what's under the hood. Reggiani told Digital Trends that his team's goal was to keep as many Urus parts as possible, and that figuring out which ones to replace was one of the hardest parts of the project. With that in mind, we don't know what the model is powered by, but it's likely nothing crazier than the stock engine with a little bit more power. Don't expect to find the Aventador's naturally-aspirated V12 between the fender. An ST-X-inspired Urus would presumably keep the twin-turbocharged, 4.0-liter V8 engine, too.

If it does release an ST-X-ified Urus, Lamborghini wouldn't be straying far from tradition. The company wasn't born on the track, but in recent years it has channeled lessons it learned while racing to its production cars. The GT3-spec Huracan notably had a formative influence on Performante model introduced in 2018.