Lamborghini LB744 gets unique 'monofuselage'
Aeronautic influence creates lighter, stronger carbon tub for Aventador replacement
You’d be forgiven for picturing the worst when thinking of Lamborghini and carbon fibre, but the good folk of Sant’Agata have been pretty pioneering with the black stuff over the years. Then did awful things to Uruses with it. The Aventador was carbon tubbed, don’t forget, and Lamborghini actually patented and used Forged Composites (teeny tiny bits of carbon soaked in resin) as far back as 2008.
For the 1,015hp LB744, Lamborghini says it has employed carbon fibre in a unique way. With inspiration from the world of aviation, the new car will be underpinned by something called a ‘monofuselage’, a monocoque entirely created from multi-technology carbon fibre. Apparently it’s going to be lighter and more torsionally rigid than the Aventador chassis, to the benefit of driving dynamics. Which is quite some promise, given how spectacular the later SV and SVJs were. With, let’s not forget, around 250hp less.
Specifically, the monofuselage is said to be 10 per cent lighter than the Aventador’s chassis, with torsional stiffness up 25 per cent to 40,000Nm per degree, ‘guaranteeing best-in-class dynamic capabilities’. The old aluminium front subframe has gone, too, replaced by a carbon item - Lamborghini says this new model is the first super sports car to be fitted with one - which further benefits to weight and rigidity. A CFRP (carbon fibre reinforced plastic) rocker ring ‘encloses and connects the Forged Composite elements’.
Even where aluminium is used (at the back of the car), there’s a focus on less weight and more stiffness. Plain old autoclave, prepreg carbon is going to be employed for the roof; Lamborghini has decades of experience there, of course, but just as importantly the more traditional method ‘gives the customer maximum versatility in roof customisation’. So it’ll still be an old-school Lambo in some regards.
So significant is the chassis overhaul, in fact, that Lamborghini believes the LB744 represent ‘year zero’ for a new era of carbon in cars - a whole reset. No doubt other supercar manufacturers would have something to say about that, but then it wouldn’t be a new Lamborghini without some swagger.
There’s even a new acronym for the fresh start: AIM, or Automation, Integration, Modularity. The details of which involve lots of complex phrases like ‘preheated polymers’, ‘compression moulding’ and ‘discipline of composites’; stick with it, though, and the interesting stuff comes under Modularity, where Lamborghini talks of more flexible technology ‘to respond to all the product requirements and characteristics’. Which sounds like a lot of the LB744’s clever construction stuff will be used for plenty of future Lamborghinis, presumably including the Huracan’s plug-in replacement. Exciting times ahead, indeed.
Maybe its the Audi and VAG parentage?
Maybe it's the all wheel drive powertrain?
Maybe it's the styling of the models which feels a little too "form" led, rather than "function"?
Maybe it's how common they have become, and thereby detracting from the "WOW" factor if one is seen on the road?
Maybe it's also due to the types of people and social media types that buy them, and make a habit of smashing them off their rev limiters in urban settings?
Whatever mix of the above it might be, I just can't seem to put them into the same category as Ferrari, McLaren, and others ......... Similarly, I can't slot them next to the likes of Pagani or even Bugatti, as bargain alternatives that offer not-much-better performance in the real world.
All of the above unfairly detracts from the incredible engineering going into these cars, and their persistence with NA V12 engines.
And almost always people moan about the function vehicles looking crap. You can't win.
Maybe its the Audi and VAG parentage?
Maybe it's the all wheel drive powertrain?
Maybe it's the styling of the models which feels a little too "form" led, rather than "function"?
Maybe it's how common they have become, and thereby detracting from the "WOW" factor if one is seen on the road?
Maybe it's also due to the types of people and social media types that buy them, and make a habit of smashing them off their rev limiters in urban settings?
Whatever mix of the above it might be, I just can't seem to put them into the same category as Ferrari, McLaren, and others ......... Similarly, I can't slot them next to the likes of Pagani or even Bugatti, as bargain alternatives that offer not-much-better performance in the real world.
All of the above unfairly detracts from the incredible engineering going into these cars, and their persistence with NA V12 engines.
And almost always people moan about the function vehicles looking crap. You can't win.
Plenty of motoring press have been vocal about the Gordon Murray GMA T50 being bland / dull and lacking of "drama". For something so niche and low volume, I can see Murray taking those comments as confirmation he's been successful, however if we was trying to shift thousands of units in the Hurracan and Aventador market and price point, I can see why his cliental might be looking for something a little more "showey"
Skipping back to the bit about forged carbon, my memory of the history of the trials was it started off as a route to recycling carbon fibre aircraft scrap? As there is plenty of material especially in modern aerospace that ends up needing recycling and it's always mixed short strands by the time it's processed (especially if finished structures are shredded & pyrolyzed) so something was needed to absorb the supply of short fibre. Lamborghini maybe picked up on this process & the cosmetics but the background started elsewhere & isn’t glamorous.
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