Tuesday 20th September 2022

Lamborghini Hypercar entrant to get all-new V8

Squadra Corse confirms development of its first bespoke racing engine for 2024 LMDh car

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We’ve been banging on about the new Hypercar class for what seems like years now (and it is) but the LMDh end of the competition - distinct from the more expensive LMH prototypes - is really hotting up. In recent months we’ve had BMW disclose that its new twin-turbocharged V8 will be a derivative of the old DTM unit (awesome) and Porsche fully unveil the (no less awesome) 963, which also gets a blown V8 that has roots in an older naturally aspirated engine - and that’s without mentioning the all-new V6 that Honda has cooked up for the Acura ARX-06 or the 5.5-litre V8 Cadillac is working on.

Now Lamborghini has joined club awesome by confirming that its own future LMDh project will be powered by a twin-turbocharged V8. This is significant not just for its own sake, but also because it will be the first racing engine fully developed in-house by Squadra Corse, the motorsport division that celebrates its tenth anniversary next year. Plainly the new unit will be distinct from the venerable V10 that features in the firm’s existing racing cars, although Lamborghini has not announced the size of the incoming V8. We only know that it’ll get a 90-degree vee and, as the regulations stipulate, weigh at least 180kg. 

Of course, whatever the final technical specifications, the new engine will be twinned with a class-mandated Energy Recovery system featuring an electric motor developed by Bosch, storage and control unit courtesy of Williams Advanced Engineering, and a seven-speed hybrid gearbox from Xtrac. Additionally, it will need to weigh 1030kg without driver and fuel, be no more than 2m wide and 5.1m long, and use its combined 681hp output to get to a top speed of 211mph. Lamborghini will partner with French constructor Ligier Automotive when it comes to the chassis. 

The latter was teased alongside the engine announcement on Monday, although the team has still not applied a name to its new contender, which is lined up for a WEC entry in 2024 after testing kicks off next year. Naturally, Lamborghini was at pains to remind everyone that it is ‘embarking on a future of hybridisation in its road car production’ and that competing in LMDh aligns not just with its latest company strategy, but also the experience of developing an upcoming generation of sports cars. That’s all as maybe - but for now, we’ll continue fixating on the thought of Acura, BMW, Cadillac, Porsche, Alpine and Lamborghini all vying for the lead at Le Mans. And Daytona. 

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• Porsche unveils new 963 LMDh racer for 2023
• 2023 BMW M Hybrid V8 previewed

[sege]

So it's a Ligier then, not a Lamborghini.

Or is a Citroen SM actually a Lamborghini? ...as my mate in high school used to to claim?

Spoiler: No.

[Puddenchucker]

sege said:

So it's a Ligier then, not a Lamborghini.

Or is a Citroen SM actually a Lamborghini? ...as my mate in high school used to to claim?

Spoiler: No.

You do realise that the regulations only permit a chassis supplied by Dallara, Oreca, Multimatic or Ligier to be used for LMDh?
Lamborghini couldn't enter a car with their own chassis in this class even if they wanted to.

[spikyone]

Puddenchucker said:

sege said:

So it's a Ligier then, not a Lamborghini.

Or is a Citroen SM actually a Lamborghini? ...as my mate in high school used to to claim?

Spoiler: No.

You do realise that the regulations only permit a chassis supplied by Dallara, Oreca, Multimatic or Ligier to be used for LMDh?
Lamborghini couldn't enter a car with their own chassis in this class even if they wanted to.

In fairness, they could've built a true Hypercar like Toyota and Peugeot. For me, the Hypercar regulations have been a failure because most of the LM entrants are running in the LMDh class.

Though obviously, the same criticism that the OP made of Lamborghini could also be applied to Porsche, BMW, Cadillac, and everyone else that's gone down that route.

[Vee12V]

As much as I applaud more OEMs joining the program, I find the so called hypercar class a complete failure. This feels like a branding exercise more than anything else.

[AmosMoses]

Wonder if this new V8 will be used in the Huracan replacement? Wouldn’t surprise me and be a great bit of marketing for them.

[Red6]

I really wanted Lamborghini to enter with this.

[mat205125]

Vee12V said:

As much as I applaud more OEMs joining the program, I find the so called hypercar class a complete failure. This feels like a branding exercise more than anything else.

Agreed.

After hoping that the change in regs would fill grids with race versions of Aventadors, Huayras, 720s, and Koenigseggs, the new hypercar rules are a bit of a disappointment to be honest.

[Sandpit Steve]

Really looking forward to the new Le Mans categories next year. It does appear that they’ve managed to do a good job of balancing the spec and prototype elements of the design, to get at least half a dozen factory teams involved. It will be like it was decades ago.

Now all we need, is the return of the drivers running across the track at the start!

[Davo456gt]

surely a Dallara chassis would have made more sense, as he worked for Lamborghini a long time ago ?

There's a 4 litre V8 twin turbo engine in the Urus - a Lamborghini tuned Audi V8 (as in RS6 etc) - is that what they will use as a base ?

[satfinal]

Vee12V said:

As much as I applaud more OEMs joining the program, I find the so called hypercar class a complete failure. This feels like a branding exercise more than anything else.

Why? We actually get racing this way. even if it is "just" a few chassis manufacturers (grossly oversimplifying that, also ignore the more bespoke LMH class) would you prefer Toyota run by themselves? LMP1 was at a dead end, nobody was interested anymore.

Nothing has failed here, it's been a big success and LMDH hasn't even competed yet.

[MG CHRIS]

mat205125 said:

Vee12V said:

As much as I applaud more OEMs joining the program, I find the so called hypercar class a complete failure. This feels like a branding exercise more than anything else.

Agreed.

After hoping that the change in regs would fill grids with race versions of Aventadors, Huayras, 720s, and Koenigseggs, the new hypercar rules are a bit of a disappointment to be honest.

That was never going to happen specially when the same manufacture make more money supply gt3 cars. Return of gt1 cars was never going too happen. Heck even gr1 turned into manufactures building race cars and produce few road examples to meet homologation rules at the time.

[Vee12V]

MG CHRIS said:

Heck even gr1 turned into manufactures building race cars and produce few road examples to meet homologation rules at the time.

And that's exactly what it should've been.

[TyrannosauRoss Lex]

Red6 said:

I really wanted Lamborghini to enter with this.

Truly one of the ugliest cars I've ever seen.

[GroundEffect]

Vee12V said:

MG CHRIS said:

Heck even gr1 turned into manufactures building race cars and produce few road examples to meet homologation rules at the time.

And that's exactly what it should've been.

But at least two of the companies are doing just that.

Toyota:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toyota_GR_Super_Spor...

Vanwall:

https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/new-cars/vanwal...

[MG CHRIS]

Vee12V said:

MG CHRIS said:

Heck even gr1 turned into manufactures building race cars and produce few road examples to meet homologation rules at the time.

And that's exactly what it should've been.

The manufactures weren't interested in building road version once Aston pulled out they had to go this route. As long as we have full grids and different teams all that really matters.

[ArnageWRC]

satfinal said:

Why? We actually get racing this way. even if it is "just" a few chassis manufacturers (grossly oversimplifying that, also ignore the more bespoke LMH class) would you prefer Toyota run by themselves? LMP1 was at a dead end, nobody was interested anymore.

Nothing has failed here, it's been a big success and LMDH hasn't even competed yet.

Nail on head!! One of the few on here who gets it. It seems what people want is not possible - it's just far too expensive. It's going to be a fabulous era - even allowing for the BoP pantomime.