Lamborghini Urus ST-X previews wild SUV race car

Lamborghini Squadra Corse has followed its dramatic one-off SC18 supercar with the Lamborghini Urus ST-X -- a wild concept for a race car based on the car-maker's first SUV.

Created to compete in a one-make championship that could start in 2020, the Lamborghini Urus ST-X has been designed, developed and engineered to race on specially-prepared, FIA-approved mixed-surface race circuits including an off-road track.

The new format, said to make its debut in 2020 in Europe and the Middle East, is claimed to cater for "arrive and drive" wealthy amateur racers who, the car-maker hopes, will prefer the Lamborghini Urus ST-X championship over other series like the Ferrari Challenge.

As well as the car, Lamborghini Squadra Corse says it will also offer full technical support for the championship over the race weekend.

Claimed to be "mechanically optimised" compared to the regular Lambo SUVs, the race-spec Urus ST-X comes with an FIA-approved roll cage, fire extinguisher system and a motorsport-ready fuel tank.

Other changes over the standard car are larger air-intakes to feed the hungry twin-turbo 4.0-litre V8 that produces the same 478kW and 850Nm as the road-going version. But, thanks to a stripped-out interior, the race division claims a substantial 25 per cent weight saving over the production model.

Featuring a bright-green livery, the other changes externally include a carbon-fibre bonnet and cool side-exit exhausts.

That should see the SUV weigh in at around 1650kg and help the race-spec Urus hit 100km/h in around three seconds.

Lamborghini Squadra Corse says its Urus ST-X Concept will make its track debut at the 2019 Lamborghini World Finals late next year.