Lamborghini mulls Le Mans hypercar entry
Aventador-based SC-18 could potentially evolve into WEC top class entrant for 2021 season
Lamborghini is bidding to join Aston Martin, Toyota and Glickenhaus on the grid at Le Mans in 2021 with a new hypercar class entrant that could be based on its one-off SC-18. The Italian brand is already investigating whether evolving the Aventador-based machine would be a viable starting point for its entry, with Lamborghini boss Stefano Domenicali hinting that a decision will be made by the end of this year.
“There are discussions and we are looking to understand the regulations to see if it is of interest,” Domenicali told Autocar during the recent Goodwood Festival of Speed. “There is nothing to say until the evaluation is finished, and at that point the answer could be yes or no. For now, it is possible.”
If the company gets the go-ahead the SC-18 V12 track machine would have to face competition versions of Aston’s Valkyrie, Toyota’s GR Super Sport and the 007 hypercar set to be built by Scuderia Cameron Glickenhaus. It would have to conform to the regulations of the World Endurance Championship season that begins in September 2020, where hypercar-based racing cars using hybrid powertrains will head the field in place of today’s LMP1 cars.
Domenicali said that his firm wouldn’t have the financial freedom to fund the project without using the SC-18’s track-focussed base, but it certainly looks to be a good starting point for such a machine, as it already uses aerodynamic features pinched from Lamborghini’s Huracan GT3 and its twelve cylinder has 770hp. Lambo would have to undertake the complex process of introducing a hybrid system, but it’s something that would fit with the firm’s long-term plans of naturally aspirated, hybrid road cars – and it’s not like there’s a lack of EV technology available in the VW Group.
By any standard, the prospect of Lamborghini lining up on the grid in France a little under two years from now is an exciting one. Le Mans 2021 is shaping up to be quite the race...
Top level road cars being used as a test bed for emerging technology and being flogged around famed circuits for 24hours sounds like a return to form for the this series.
Be great to see epic scraps between manufactures (eg Ford and Ferrari from the 60s) again using cars that you see on the roads.
k and desirable.Every time a manufacturer says they might enter I'm thinking "is that going to be the slow car that forces the whole field to turn down their engines for BoP?". I'd like to really see what these cars can do, not see them all neutered because someone has entered with a relative snail (not saying that will be Lambo, but who knows?)
Seeing what are effectively full on prototypes anyway, held back by having to meet regulations for road use, is less appealing to me than watching racing cars unencumbered by road car regulations.
The problem with the current LMP1H regulations is that they're too complicated and costs is far too high, so there's not enough marketing return for the expenditure. Reduce the amount of expensive technological development needed to be competitive in LMP1 and the manufacturers would come back, without the need for some tenuous 'road' car link.
I agree, it would be nice to see them back but without the arrogance of their last appearance.
M
Seeing what are effectively full on prototypes anyway, held back by having to meet regulations for road use, is less appealing to me than watching racing cars unencumbered by road car regulations.
The problem with the current LMP1H regulations is that they're too complicated and costs is far too high, so there's not enough marketing return for the expenditure. Reduce the amount of expensive technological development needed to be competitive in LMP1 and the manufacturers would come back, without the need for some tenuous 'road' car link.
Every time a manufacturer says they might enter I'm thinking "is that going to be the slow car that forces the whole field to turn down their engines for BoP?". I'd like to really see what these cars can do, not see them all neutered because someone has entered with a relative snail (not saying that will be Lambo, but who knows?)
Every time a manufacturer says they might enter I'm thinking "is that going to be the slow car that forces the whole field to turn down their engines for BoP?". I'd like to really see what these cars can do, not see them all neutered because someone has entered with a relative snail (not saying that will be Lambo, but who knows?)
M
IMHO cars built to prototype Hypercar rules rather than road Hypercar rules will have an advantage due to FWD KERS keeping front tires warmer and lighter less stressed (650HP vs 800HP) petrol engines. Even though we'll make road legal examples that's the route we're going down.
Our petrol engine will be 3L TT V6 with a FWD KERS system.
This will give you a clue as to what we'll be announcing soon...
IMHO cars built to prototype Hypercar rules rather than road Hypercar rules will have an advantage due to FWD KERS keeping front tires warmer and lighter less stressed (650HP vs 800HP) petrol engines. Even though we'll make road legal examples that's the route we're going down.
Our petrol engine will be 3L TT V6 with a FWD KERS system.
This will give you a clue as to what we'll be announcing soon...
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