Lamborghini Huracan Sterrato vs 911 Dakar

Earlier this week Lamborghini pulled the wraps off an interesting new off-roader called the Huracan Sterrato. This model followed on the news that Porsche would be producing an off-road version of its famous sportscar, called the 911 Dakar. We take a closer look at how these two models from the same stable face off in Huracan Sterrato vs 911 Dakar.

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Appearance

This one is always going to be subjective. What may be pleasant to one person’s eyes may be horrendous to another’s. However, we have to say that both models seem to pull off their more rugged appearances quite well. The Porsche seems a more natural fit as there have been several off-roading 911s produced in the past; none for sale to the public. Porsche also offers the 911 Dakar with the option of nostalgic livery, reminiscent of it’s rally-raiding machines from the 1980s.

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Lamborghini’s Centro Stile, under the directorship of Mitja Borkert, has turned the sleek Huracan sportscar into a rugged all-terrain machine. A roof snorkel, wheel arch extensions and an additional pair of lamps on the nose lend an air of aggression that will let people know this isn’t an ordinary Huracan. Porsche will produce 2 500 Dakar editions while Lamborghini will make 1 499 Sterratos, so the Lambo wins the exclusivity battle.

Engines

The 911 Dakar uses the same engine as found in GTS derivatives. That is to say it uses a twin-turbocharged, 3,0-litre flat-six. This engine is good for 353 kW/570 N.m. Porsche’s eight-speed PDK gearbox sends torque to all four wheels. Sterrato’s naturally aspirated 5,2-litre V10 counters with more power at 449 kW but 10 N.m less torque. It also has a dual-clutch transmission that directs power to all corners.

Read our Lamborghini Huracan driving review at this link.

Performance

The Sterrato may have a power advantage, but the Porsche matches it perfectly in the acceleration stakes. According to their spec sheets, both cars take 3,4 seconds to reach the benchmark 100 km/h from standstill. The Porsche has a top speed of 240 km/h while the Lambo adds 20 km/h to that number.

Incidentally, they are both the slowest versions of their respective ranges. The reduction in top speed over their siblings is due to the off-road bias of their tyres. The 911 wears Pirelli P Zero Scorpions while the Huracan has Bridgestone Dueler AT002s. These provide traction on loose surfaces. Speaking of which…

The 911 Dakar has an additional 50 mm of ground clearance when compared to a Carrera. However, this increases by a further 30 mm at the touch of a button. The Huracan Sterrato has ride height that is 44 mm higher than a standard Huracan Evo. Both cars have additional off-roading modes on their ESC systems.

Porsche has added Off-Road and Rallye settings to the 911 Dakar. Off-Road is ideal for rougher terrain and automatically engages the higher ride height setting. Rallye is for loose surfaces and sends more power to the rear wheels for tail-out fun. The Sterrato has an updated version of the LDVI (Lamborghini Integrated Vehicle Dynamics) system with a recalibration of the Strada (highway) and Sport modes. In addition there is a rally mode for low-grip conditions.

Given the choice, which of these two off-roading sportscar would you choose? Let us know on the Double Apex on Facebook page.