► First sight of Lambo’s 2024 hybrid racer
► Packs a V8 twin-turbo hybrid engine
► All the latest tech news and info on the SC63
Lamborghini is the latest manufacturer to sign up for endurance racing’s Hypercar rules, and this is its new racecar; the SC63. Short for Squadra Corse 63, the new race car subscribes to the hybrid LMDh rules (the same as spec-focused rules as Porsche and Cadillac, but not the same as Ferrari and Toyota, for example) and will compete in 2024 in both the WEC and IMSA championships.
Ahead of appearances at the 12 hours of Sebring, 24 hours of Le Mans and much more, the SC63 will undergo a rigorous testing regime – and it’s just completed its maiden run at Imola. Our new pictures show the hypercar in carbonfibre testing form, but it’ll race in the bright green and black livery you’d expect from Iron Lynx and Sant’Agata.
For more on the new SC63, keep reading.
Everything you need to know
Starting in 2024, it’ll initially start as a two-car project: one car will compete in the WEC series, with the other taking part in the IMSA series. LMDh cars are eligible in both.
It looks like a Lamborghini!
As seen in the teaser shots released earlier this year, the SC63 features the same Y-shaped headlight design as Sant’Agata’s most recent cars. This is no accident; one of the requirements of the new Hypercar rules is a likeness to road car projects. The result is a car that features all the hexagons and design flourishes you’d expect from a Lamborghini, albeit on a Le Mans prototype-shaped canvas.
‘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 recognizable as Lamborghini,’ said Mitja Borkert, Lamborghini’s Head of Design at Centro Stile. 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 been seen on the Revuelto.’
The 2024 Lamborghini LMDh prototype will use a chassis made with partners Ligier Automotive and carbonfibre specialist HP Composites (one of four chassis suppliers mandated by world endurance authorities). It’ll be light – 1030kg (dry) – and capable of hitting 211mph down the Mulsanne Straight, according to Lambo engineers’ projections.
What about the powertrain?
Well it’s a hybrid of course, just like the Revuelto and soon to be revealed replacement for the Huracan: ‘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 Stephan Winkelmann, Lamborghini chairman and CEO. ‘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.’
What’s the engine?
The LMDh rules allow a good amount of freedom in the engine department, and Sant’Agata has taken the opportunity to develop an all-new powertrain for the SC63. Lamborghini’s new race car is powered by 3.8-litre twin turbo V8, with the turbos mounted outside the V in what’s called a ‘cold V’ configuration. Lamborghini says this helps with the car’s centre of gravity, which in turn improves drivability over a long stint.
When paired with a hybrid system, the powertrain tops out at 500kW (670bhp) (the maximum amount allowed by the LMDh rules) and the rest of the car, such as the MGU, battery and ‘box is standardised to lower costs.
Who is driving it?
Lamborghini’s factory GT drivers Mirko Bortolotti and Andrea Caldarelli have teamed up with ex-F1 drivers Daniil Kvyat and Romain Grosjean, and all have worked to give the car the largest ‘operating window’ possible. As you’d expect, all four have been in driver in the loop sim testing ahead of a physical test. Other drivers will be announced later this year.