Lamborghini has launched its first hybrid endurance racing prototype that is set to compete in the hypercar class of next year’s World Endurance Championship.
The SC63 will be driven by former F1 drivers Romain Grosjean and Daniil Kvyat, alongside Lamborghini factory pair Mirko Bortolotti and Andrea Caldarelli.
The first glimpse of the 3.8-litre twin-turbo V8-powered machinery is taking place at the Goodwood Festival of Speed ahead of a test programme that is due to start within the next few weeks.
Aside from WEC and the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the car is also due to compete in the GTP class of the IMSA WeatherTech Sports Car Championship Endurance Cup, which comprises the 24 Hours of Daytona and 12 Hours of Sebring.
Renowned French manufacturer Ligier will construct the monocoque, whilst Italian team Iron Lynx will run the car in international competition.
“The SC63 is the most advanced racing car ever produced by Lamborghini and it follows our roadmap ‘Direzione Cor Tauri’ laid out by the brand for the electrification of our product range,” said Lamborghini chairman and CEO Stephan Winkelmann.
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“The opportunity to compete in some of the biggest endurance races in the world with a hybrid prototype fits 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 into the highest echelons and into the future of motorsports for our Squadra Corse.”
The engine is a ‘cold V’ configuration, meaning the turbos are mounted outside the vee angle of the engine, allowing them to be more easily cooled and serviced, whilst also lowering the mass and optimising the car’s centre of gravity.
Lamborghini claims such a solution, combined with a specifically developed aero balance, “has been identified as the most effective to achieve the best tyre grip, perfect balance, drivability and consistent speed both over a single lap but also across long-distance races.”
The bodywork has been designed by Lamborghini’s Centro Stile department, in conjunction with the race design team.
It features very clear brand styling cues throughout the car, including the iconic y-shaped lights at the front and rear.
“From the beginning, my personal briefing to the design team was that the car needs to be highly functional, but we wanted to create a car that is immediately recognisable as Lamborghini,” said head of design Mitja Borkert.
“The main recognition of the front and rear of the SC63 is driven by the y-shaped signature light. The size of the cabin and the main character of the car is driven by the sporting rules, but we have also implemented our own brand styling cues throughout the car.
“Integrated into the side panel of the body you can see a NACA duct that was inspired by the air intake of the Countach. When you look at the rear wheel arch, we gave the impression of acceleration towards the front, and this relates to the wheel arch design language of Lamborghini that can also be seen on the Revuelto.”
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