BEAST MODE

Unleashing the imposing Huracán Sterrato on Lamborghini's 60th anniversary Esperienza Giro

- NICOLAS STECHER

Although the date on my iPhone reads mid-July and the sun shines brilliantly overhead, the wind surging through the cabin of this Lamborghini Huracán Sterrato feels as crisp as an autumn day. As we climb towards Independence Pass—the fourthhighest paved road in all of Colorado—the sensation unsettles, but in a positive way, as if the body is caught off guard. The paradox reminds me of off-roading across the Altiplanos of Chile; extreme altitudes create a bizarre and unique visceral experience where the bright sun juxtaposes against surprisingly cool and thin air. It makes you feel alive in a way few climates can.

The curving State Highway 82 ahead looks like someone dropped a bag of giant Skittles on the asphalt, as I’m mid-phalanx in a line of other rainbow-colored Lambos climbing the challenging Rocky Mountain pass. We’re all here participating in the latest Esperienza Giro, a three-day rally across Colorado celebrating the beloved Italian automaker’s 60th birthday. More than half the participating teams drive various Huracán offspring (first gens, EVOs, Performantes, Tecnicas and even a handful of STOs), but later in the day we will find ourselves in a heated run down Highway 72 towards Aspen following a gorgeous Murcielago—the oldest model on the Giro—the shimmering color of a fairy’s pupils.

We, meanwhile, are behind the wheel of the Sterrato—arguably the most coveted vehicle in this entire supercar cavalcade. The amount of questions and interest received during meals and breaks is off the charts; it’s clearly one of the most fascinating models Sant’Agata has ever conceived.