duPont REGISTRY February 2023

Off-road supercars are now a thing. Does their existence mean we’re approaching the end times, or will the term “crossover” come to represent the coolest combinations of vehicle types that off-kilter engineers can think of? Don’t look now, but we think it’s the latter. In fact, this month’s cover features what may be the first ever crossover: the all-new Lamborghini Sterrato (page 12). Part Huracán and part WRC rally car, the Sterrato literally elevates Lamborghini’s supercar game — by 1.7 inches. It also features off-road tires, a Rally driving mode for low-trip surfaces, and a V12 engine making 602 horsepower. In fact, Lamborghini has confirmed the Sterrato is its last pure-combustion car. Hot on the Sterrato’s heels is the new Porsche 911 Dakar (page 22), an homage to the brand’s 1984 Paris-Dakar…

This story begins in June 2019 with the unveiling of the Sterrato Concept. When first revealed, the unique concept car seemed too outlandish for Lamborghini to give a production run. While it resembled a Huracán, it was the vehicle’s tailored off-road attachments that seemed unheard of for a supercar. Did that mean the world didn’t want to see the Huracán Sterrato come to life? No. Did that stop Lamborghini from making what appeared implausible actually happen? Absolutely not Lamborghini formally introduced the Huracán Sterrato as a full-fledged production car in November 2022. Designed for all environments, the new Lamborghini Huracán Sterrato does not shy away from dirt roads. In fact, this beast shows its true brilliance when traversing roads never before seen by previous Huracán models. To equip the Sterrato with capabilities…

473 Horsepower 420 lb-ft Torque 3.2 sec 0-60 mph Drawing inspiration from the 1984 Paris-Dakar Rally and the first 911 ever to count on an all-wheel-drive system, the 2023 Porsche 911 Dakar aims to allow its owners to explore more than just race tracks and twisty roads. The factory-built off-roading sports car counts on the same twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter flat-six engine found in the 911 GTS. It develops 473 horsepower and 420 pound-feet of torque, which goes to all four wheels via an eight-speed PDK. It’ll rocket to 60 mph in 3.2 seconds and continue on to a top speed of 150 mph, which is limited thanks to all-terrain tires. The Dakar also gets rear-axle steering, engine mounts out of the 911 GT3, and Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control. Its most significant changes live in the suspension.…

If you think about a red car, you likely picture a Ferrari, and if you think about a Ferrari, you likely picture a red car. The Italian marque has become synonymous with the color red over decades, and the hue has been central to its history for just as long — even before Ferrari was a company. The story of Rosso Corsa, Ferrari’s legendary red, started over a century ago, when Italy’s official motorsport color was formally deemed red after the 1907 Italian Peking to Paris–winning car flaunted red paintwork. From then on, Italian racing adopted red as its official color, in the same way that France has used blue and Britain green. Ferrari’s time under the Alfa Romeo umbrella saw the creation of a great many red racing cars, and…

1. BMW M4 CSL As soon as it became available, I made a beeline for the 2023 BMW M4 CSL. The CSL suffix, which stands for Coupe, Sport, and Lightweight, indicates that this is the lightest and most athletic M4 yet. With a production run of only 1,000 units worldwide, it is the rarest CSL the brand has ever produced and likely a car I’ll never see in the flesh again. Thanks to its extensive use of carbon fiber–reinforced plastic throughout the exterior and interior, the CSL shed around 240 pounds compared to the M4 Competition, tipping the scales at 3,640 pounds. It counts on the same twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six engine as the M4 Competition, but thanks to higher boost figures, the CSL develops 543 horsepower and 479 pound-feet of torque. On the…

NYCK DE VRIES AlphaTauri Hailing from the Netherlands, Nyck de Vries replaces Pierre Gasly at Scuderia AlphaTauri this season. De Vries had already seen some action on the Formula 1 grid, having replaced Alex Albon at Williams for the Italian Grand Prix in 2022. It was an impressive showing: De Vries placed ninth and actually scored points for the team. OSCAR PIASTRI McLaren Oscar Piastri’s entry into Formula 1 was surely interesting. In 2022, Alpine reported that Piastri would replace Fernando Alonso in 2023. This was apparently news to Piastri, as he noted that he had not signed a contract. After a hearing with the FIA’s Contract Recognition Board, Piastri was free to sign with any team and ultimately landed with McLaren, where he takes fellow Aussie Daniel Ricciardo’s seat. LOGAN SARGEANT Williams Racing It seems the United…