The Lamborghini Huracán Sterrato is a People Pleaser on Wheels

For such a fast car, it can take forever to get anywhere in the Lamborghini Huracán Sterrato – and that’s perfectly fine.

It’s part of the unofficial responsibility that comes with driving such an outrageous version of what’s already a pretty radical machine in the first place. To give the people what they want is a rather minor commitment when looking at life’s big picture. After all, the mere existence of this particular car is a thing of fantasy for the vast majority of us who consider ourselves appreciators of the automobile. To be fortunate enough to find yourself behind the wheel means recognizing what it means to those you encounter and dazzling them with any number of its aural or visual delights.

Creating Memories

This story starts at the end, or at least somewhere close to it. It was a beautiful Friday morning, and I – rather reluctantly, it’s worth noting – had to return the Huracán Sterrato to the Volkswagen Group’s Canadian headquarters on the other side of Toronto. It had to be back before the end of the business day, which meant I still had a handful of hours to enjoy this very special supercar.

Before I could, however, I had to capture some social media content. (Such is the nature of this line of work, as I’m sure you can understand, dear reader.) I chose a secluded parking lot just off the highway – a quiet place where I could tuck away without garnering too much attention. As I tended to the task at hand, however, I was struck by a small and sweet voice in the distance.

“Mommy, look at that cool car,” the little voice shrieked with delight.

I turned to find a little girl standing in awe and pointing in the direction of the searing yellow supercar parked in front of me. She couldn’t have been much older than four or five and stood dressed in a mixture of patterns and prints that gave her away as a child who only recently started picking her own outfits.

With her mother just as surprised by the sight of the Huracán, I invited them over for a closer look. The little girl was entranced. While it was the paint that got her attention – the hue is rather boringly called Giallo, which is quite literally Italian for yellow – the details kept it, with her sense of awe hanging tangibly in the air.

And really, who could blame her? You don’t need to understand how unprecedented it is to appreciate the sheer outrageousness of the Huracán Sterrato. Whereas the equally cool Porsche 911 Dakar has deep historical roots, this Lamborghini’s lineage might well plot a course back to a video game. (Forza Horizon franchise, anyone?)

With body cladding bolted carefully – yet at the same time almost brutally – to the fenders front and back, this version of the Huracán looks like the kind of car that might feature in a Mad Max sequel set on the Sunset Strip. Add in the roof-mounted crossbars and intake scoop, as well as the louvred rear window cover and all-terrain tires, and there might not be a more preposterously perfect looking car on the market.

Capturing Content

The rest of the week was peppered with paparazzi levels of attention everywhere I went, with kids and adults alike gawking and fumbling with their phones just to snap a photo or record a video of the Huracán Sterrato. And each and every time I obliged – not because I particularly enjoy the attention, but rather because I like how much joy this car brings to complete strangers.

Stuck in gridlock traffic one day, I spotted someone with their entire arm extended out the passenger window of a car in the adjacent lane, recording video of the Lamborghini as it slowly rolled along. With a quick check of our surroundings for any unwanted attention, and the exhaust baffles open, I shifted into neutral with a pull of both paddle shifters. A couple quick stabs of the throttle sent him into a full frenzy, with the naturally-aspirated V10 behind me making beautifully ungodly noises much to his delight – and mine.

(Pro tip for prospective owners: the covered rear glass makes it all but impossible to keep an eye out for the ever-reaching long arm of the law. You’ve been warned.)

And on it went, with countless more examples of similar interactions with passersby of all ages. Some just wanted a glimpse, while others had questions, and more still were looking for content to share on social media. 

Final Thoughts

Piloting such a pure, unadulterated menace with a motor is special, plain and simple. And with a price tag north of $400,000, it better be. It’s not exactly perfect – the lack of cup holders alone is enough for it to fall short of flawless – but it’s close, with a drive experience that’s unsullied by superficialities. This is a race car for the road, and better still, it doesn’t need to be paved to be enjoyed.

Being privileged enough to bask in all that it offers from behind the wheel – innate connectedness, raw mechanical aptitude, and absolutely surreal performance – makes sharing its awesomeness a fairly small sacrifice. Giving a kid the chance to sit inside a supercar like this is an experience they may never forget. Hell, you could be helping to shape the next generation of gearheads, passing the torch of responsibility on to them for when it’s their turn to do the same.

Most people will never know what it’s like to drive a car like the Lamborghini Huracán Sterrato, but for those fleeting moments, it can make the unattainable seem suddenly within reach. Alas, with a great car comes great responsibility – and great reward.