Youngtimers Modifies Supercars to Hit the Dirt
Typically, supercars like the Nissan GT-R don’t find themselves going off-road. True, some supercars, like the Audi R8 and Aston Martin V8 Vantage can be daily-drivable. But that’s on the pavement. However, as the Gambler 500 Miata, rallying Porsche 924, and numerous Safari 911s show, taking a sports car into the dirt is definitely possible. Classic Youngtimers Consultancy asks, why can’t the same be done for supercars?
Youngtimers Consultancy’s off-road supercar builds
Netherlands-based Classic Youngtimers Consultancy typically deals with used supercars and classic cars. However, once in a while, the shop doesn’t just sell but also modifies. In fact, the Dutch shop has modified several supercars for off-road duty so far.
The first, Autoweek reports, was an all-wheel-drive 2004 Bentley Continental GT. Youngtimers didn’t modify the car’s 6.0-liter twin-turbocharged W12—though, with 552 hp and 479 lb-ft, additional tweaking wasn’t strictly necessary. Instead, the shop installed a rear skid plate, new exhaust system, as well as a 3” suspension lift kit. In fact, the whole suspension was modified, both to give increased travel and to prevent damage from obstacles or debris. Even the coolant system was relocated to prevent it from catching on a random rock, Jalopnik reports.
Youngtimers also gave the Continental GT new wheels and larger off-road tires, which required fitting fender flares. A custom roof rack with spare tire, as well as 4 Hella off-road lights, finish the build.
After the Bentley, Youngtimers modified a 2004 Lamborghini Gallardo, The Drive reports. Like the Continental GT, the Italian supercar got a suspension lift, knobbly off-road tires, and fender flares. The off-road Gallardo also received a roof rack with a spare wheel, as well as several off-road lights and roof-mounted light bar. Like the Bentley, the Gallardo has AWD. However, it pairs that with a 5.0-liter V10, rated at 493 hp.
The Nissan GT-R build
And now, Youngtimers has another off-road supercar ready, Hagerty reports. This time, it’s a Nissan GT-R, believed to be a 2009-2011 model, Autoblog reports. Originally, its 3.8-liter twin-turbocharged V6 made 485 hp. But now, the AWD supercar develops over 600 hp; that’s more than the current GT-R Nismo.
In addition to the extra power, the GT-R now rides 4.7” higher, and rides on larger-than-stock off-road tires. And, like the Gallardo and Continental GT, it has a roof-mounted rack with a light bar and spare wheel, as well as 2 extra bumper-mounted lights.
However, although Youngtimers has let several supercars enjoy some mud, it’s not the only organization doing so.
Other off-road supercars
While Youngtimers may have modified a Gallardo, it’s not the first to take a Lamborghini supercar off-pavement. And we’re not just talking about the LM002 and Urus, which are a truck and crossover/SUV, respectively. Lamborghini itself has created an off-road supercar: the Huracan Sterrato.
Like the Huracan Evo, it’s based on, the Sterrato has a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission, AWD, and a 631-hp 5.2-liter V10, Car and Driver reports. However, the Sterrato’s AWD and stability control have been modified for off-road environments, Motor Trend reports, as has the suspension.
The Huracan Sterrato rides on off-road Pirelli tires that are taller than the standard Huracan ones. Fitting these new tires required not just fender flares, but also moving the front axle forward and fitting new control arms. In addition, the Sterrato features several aluminum skid plates. The one in the rear is also a functional diffuser, MT reports.
It’s not just new supercars that receive the off-roading treatment, though. One Houston, Texas dealer modified a 1975 Ferrari 308 GT4 into something like a Safari Ferrari, The Drive reports. In addition to off-road tires and extra ride height, the 308 GT4 has racing harnesses, a fire extinguisher, new bumpers, and a CB radio.
Pricing and availability
As of this writing, Youngtimers’ GT-R is still available, listed at the equivalent of $107,760. That’s quite a bit more than the average R35 of that age costs. However, it’s actually cheaper than the Lamborghini Gallardo, which sold for roughly $125,000.
As for the Huracan Sterrato, Lamborghini has been considering a limited-production run, Motor1 reports. However, as of this writing, no concrete details have emerged. And considering the normal Huracan Evo starts at roughly $268k, a production Sterrato likely won’t be cheap.
But it does prove that, with enough effort, you can take almost any car anywhere.
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