Alexandre
Highly anticipated, Lamborghini Squadra Corse today unveiled its first hybrid endurance prototype, the SC63.at the Goodwood Festival of Speed.
The SC63, which will start testing in the coming weeks, is destined to compete in the Hypercar category of the 2024 FIA World Endurance Championshipincluding the 24 Hours of Le Mans. She will be up against Ferrari 499P which has already caused a sensation!
The LMDh project represents a new concept in racing and is in line with the new 2021 strategy: a "one-stop shop". roadmap for electrification leading the company to hybridize its entire model range by the end of 2024, while improving driving emotions and performance at the same time. Thanks to SC63, this approach has also been applied to the sports program. representing a new pillar of the Lamborghini Manifesto: Driving Humans Beyond.
" The SC63 is the most advanced racing car ever produced by Lamborghini and follows our 'Direzione Cor Tauri' roadmap for the electrification of our product range." says Stephan Winkelmann, President and CEO of Lamborghini.
He adds " The opportunity to take part in some of the world's greatest endurance races with a hybrid prototype fits in with our vision for the future of high-performance mobility, as demonstrated for road-legal cars with the launch of the Revuelto. The SC63 LMDh is the step towards the highest echelons and the future of motorsport for our Squadra Corse."
The SC63 is powered by an all-new 3.8-liter twin-turbo V8 engine. which was developed by Lamborghini specifically for the racing program. The engine is a 'cold V' configuration, which means that the turbos are mounted outside the V-angle of the engine, making them easier to cool and maintain. What's more, the 'cold V' solution optimizes the car's center of gravity. Perhaps this engine will be found in the future Huracan?
The power output of the engine and hybrid system, which is standard on all LMDh category cars, is limited by the regulations to 500 kW (680 hp). The LMDh regulations specify a standard gearbox, battery and motor-generator (MGU), in order to contain prototype development costs.
Under the skin, Lamborghini's engineers were able to exert their influence on every aspect of the car. Although the gearbox is standard on all LMDh, there's still room to optimize for different stablesThese include gear selection and mechanical differential slippage.
Lamborghini chooses renowned experts Ligier to develop and build the monohull.
The body was designed by Lamborghini's design department, Centro Stile, in collaboration with the racing design team. It features clear brand styling elements throughout the car, including the iconic Y-shaped headlamps at the front and rearwhich can be found on the new Revuelto.
The cars will feature a familiar livery, in keeping with the branding seen on the Huracán GT3. SC63s in Mantis greenwith a black Nero Noctis stripe on the cockpit, front hood, carbon diffuser, rear spoiler and wing. The cars will also carry the green, white and red colors of the Italian Tricolor..
Additional help came from Lamborghini factory drivers Mirko Bortolotti and Andrea Caldarelli, plus new drivers Daniil Kvyat and Romain Grosjean. The latter two have recent experience of hybrids in Formula 1 and were able to help the engineers, in particular by designing the steering wheel controls to enable the driver to control the necessary functions of the hybrid system.
From 2024, one car will compete in the FIA World Endurance Championship. The second car will compete in the IMSA Endurance Championship. Lamborghini is relying on the Iron Lynx team, presented as a partner at the Lamborghini Grand Finals 2022, to enter the cars in both series, and The driver line-up will include Bortolotti, Caldarelli, Grosjean and Kvyat. Further pilots will be confirmed later in 2023.
One more happy competitor. 👍
The headlights aren't that great either.