If a couple of years back someone told me about a circuit-racing championship where big-sized SUVs battle it out for the top spot on the podium, I might have laughed it off. But Lamborghini wants to break stereotypes by introducing a one-make championship in which racing drivers will go against each other in race-prepped Urus hyper-SUVs. During the 2018 World Finals, the Italian marque unveiled the Urus ST-X Concept – a racing version of the brand’s first hyper SUV. Lamborghini announced that it will debut a one-make championship in 2020 that will combine both race circuits and off-road tracks. The new format of racing will be held in Europe and the Middle East on specially prepared FIA-approved circuits. Lamborghini will stick with the “arrive and drive” formula designed to offer customers with a complete package including car and technical support during the race weekends.
In comparison to the standard Urus, the race-ready version has been mechanically optimized and equipped with all the FIA-approved safety elements, which include steel roll cage, fire suppression system, and FT3 fuel tank. The racing SUV also comes with 21-inch, center-locking alloy wheels shod with Pirelli tires. The 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 also gets bigger air-intake along with a new exhaust system to produce 640 horsepower and 850 Nm of torque. The Urus ST-X Concept also gets a rear wing to aid downforce. Lamborghini claims the ST-X will be 25 per cent lighter than the road-going machine. The racing version of the Urus will make its track debut during the 2019 Lamborghini World Finals.
