2022 Lamborghini Huracan Sterrato off-road supercar spied testing

The Lamborghini Huracan Sterrato concept car appears to be headed for production, spy photos indicate, as Lamborghini looks to an off-road-ready variant as one of two models intended to bid its V10 icon farewell.

First revealed as a concept in 2018, the Sterrato lifted the Huracan coupe a further 47mm off the ground, and added a wider wheel track, black wheel arch flares, off-road wheels and tyres, bash plates, stone deflectors and retuned mechanicals to improve its rough-road driving ability.

Now, it appears Lamborghini is preparing to put the concept into production before the end of 2022, as one of two final send-off Huracan variants before the model is replaced by an all-new plug-in hybrid supercar in 2024, expected to employ a downsized V8.

Images captured by Drive's spy photography partners show a Sterrato prototype testing in the Arctic Circle, with an increased ride height, smaller smaller alloy wheels, and more rough-road-friendly tyres – though the concept's prominent wheel arch extensions are missing from this test car.

The prototype features a skid plate of a similar shape and size to that of the concept – albeit with a temporary, rough-cut design unlikely to reach production – along with a roof-mounted intake feeding air to the supercar's 5.2-litre V10 engine.

Roof racks and LED bonnet lighting also feature on this particular prototype.

The Sterrato test mule spied is based on the Huracan Evo variant, with its facelifted front and rear bumpers – though it's not clear if this is a temporary move for testing, with Sterrato-specific bumpers to follow on later prototypes, or whether the production car will draw from this particular variant.

This could see the production Sterrato borrow the Evo's version of the Huracan's familiar 5.2-litre naturally-aspirated V10, which routes 470kW and 600Nm to all four wheels through a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.

On sticky road tyres glued to hot tarmac, Lamborghini claims a 0-100km/h time of 2.9 seconds for the Evo – though don't expect the Sterrato to match that time with off-road tyres on a loose surface.

The 2022 Lamborghini Huracan Sterrato is widely expected to be revealed before the end of this year, as one of two send-off special editions for the Huracan due this year, as confirmed to Car magazine by Lamborghini CEO Stephan Winkelmann.

The other variant is expected to target on-road driving, either as a more discreet version of the track-focused Huracan STO – possibly badged JV Stradale – or a revival of the Tecnica name, as revealed by Drive late last year.

Reports at the time of the concept's reveal suggested the Sterrato would enter production in a limited run of 500 to 1000 cars, each priced from €240,000 ($AU380,000) each, and incorporating 3D-printed parts to help ensure the program is profitable.

The production Huracan Sterrato won't be the only off-road-themed sports car or supercar on the horizon, as spy photos show Porsche is working on a rally-ready version of the iconic 911, set to wear the Dakar or Safari name when it launches in 2023.