Lamborghini unveils track-bound Urus ST-X concept

The ST-X will compete in 2020.

Lamborghini has released a close-to-production concept that previews a race-going variant of the Urus SUV. The design study wasn't made merely to turn heads; it's an accurate preview of a race car that will make its competition debut in 2020.

The Urus ST-X concept is based on the regular-production Urus introduced in 2017, but Lamborghini reduced its weight by 25 percent. The firm hasn't revealed how it achieved the not-insignificant feat of shedding about 1,200 pounds from the Urus, though it points out the weight reduction makes the SUV even more dynamic both on and off the road.

Other upgrades include a steel roll cage, an integrated fire suppression system, and an FT3 fuel tank. The Italian firm also added a sport exhaust system with hexagonal tips positioned below the rear doors, a rear wing, and 21-inch center-locking alloy wheels. We wouldn't be surprised to see these add-ons trickle down to a limited-edition, street-legal model sooner or later.

Technical specifications are vague. Lamborghini notes the ST-X keeps the same twin-turbocharged, 4.0-liter V8 as the standard Urus. It makes 650 horsepower and 627 pound-feet of torque, figures that are on par with the ones posted by the series-produced model, but it receives bigger air intakes to improve cooling. The eight-cylinder spins the rear wheels through an eight-speed automatic transmission.

We'll see the Urus ST-X in action for the first time in 2019, and it will start racing in 2020 in a single-brand championship with both on- and off-road events. Lamborghini will hold events on FIA-approved circuits in Europe and in the Middle East. Buyers who participate in the series will buy into an "arrive and drive program" that includes the car and technical support, but pricing information hasn't been released yet.