The Lamborghini SC63 is an LMDh sports prototype racing car designed by Lamborghini and built by Ligier to compete in the Hypercar and GTP (Grand Touring Prototype) classes in the FIA World Endurance Championship and IMSA SportsCar Championship, respectively.
 The No. 63 SC63 being driven at the 2024 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps | |||||||||||
| Category | Le Mans Daytona h | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Constructor | Lamborghini (Ligier) | ||||||||||
| Designer(s) | Mitja Borkert (Head of Design)[1] Jin-ho Seo (Exterior Designer)[2] Rouven Mohr (Chief Technical Officer, Lamborghini)[3] | ||||||||||
| Predecessor | Lamborghini Countach QVX | ||||||||||
| Technical specifications | |||||||||||
| Chassis | LMP2-based[4] carbon-fibre monocoque | ||||||||||
| Suspension (front) | Pushrods, KW dampers and torsion springs with power steering | ||||||||||
| Suspension (rear) | Pushrods , KW shock absorbers and torsion springs | ||||||||||
| Length | 5,100 mm (200.8 in) | ||||||||||
| Height | 1,170 mm (46.1 in) | ||||||||||
| Wheelbase | 3,148 mm (123.9 in) | ||||||||||
| Engine | Lamborghini 3.8 L (231.9 cu in)[1][2] 90° V8 twin-turbocharged, DOHC mid-engine, longitudinally-mounted | ||||||||||
| Electric motor | Rear-mounted 50 kW (68 PS; 67 hp) spec MGU supplied by Bosch | ||||||||||
| Transmission | Xtrac P1359 7-speed sequential semi-automatic[1] | ||||||||||
| Power | 500 kW (680 PS; 671 hp) | ||||||||||
| Weight | 1,030 kg (2,271 lb) | ||||||||||
| Fuel | TotalEnergies (WEC) VP Racing Fuels (IMSA) | ||||||||||
| Lubricants | Pertamina Fastron | ||||||||||
| Brakes | Brembo carbon 380/355mm with Brembo Monobloc 6-piston calipers | ||||||||||
| Tyres | Michelin slicks with Ronal one-piece forged alloys, 29/71-18 front and 34/71-18 rear[5] | ||||||||||
| Competition history | |||||||||||
| Competition | FIA World Endurance Championship, IMSA SportsCar Championship | ||||||||||
| Notable entrants | |||||||||||
| Notable drivers | |||||||||||
| Debut | 2024 Qatar 1812 km | ||||||||||
| Last event | 2024 8 Hours of Bahrain | ||||||||||
| |||||||||||
Background
editOn 17 May 2022, Lamborghini formally announced an entry into both the World Endurance Championship and the IMSA SportsCar Championship starting from the 2024 season, using a car designed to the LMDh regulations.[11] One month later, during the 2022 Le Mans press conference, it was confirmed that Lamborghini would work with Ligier as their chassis supplier, making Lamborghini the first manufacturer in the LMDh ruleset to select Ligier as their partner.[12]
Further details about the prototype emerged in September 2022, with Lamborghini announcing that it will be utilizing a hybrid powertrain, consisting of an 90° V8 twin-turbo internal combustion engine and standardized hybrid drivetrain components provided by Williams Advanced Engineering, Bosch and Xtrac, for maximum possible combined output of 671 hp (500 KW).[13] In November 2022 it was announced that Iron Lynx would be responsible for running the factory effort in both the WEC and IMSA.[14]
The partnership would begin with factory-supported GT3 programs in the 2023 IMSA SportsCar Championship and the 2023 GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup, which would expand into dual efforts in the 2024 FIA World Endurance Championship and the 2024 IMSA SportsCar Championship.[14] Lamborghini's Head of Motorsport, Giorgio Sanna, said that the manufacturer would be aiming to run a single car in the 2024 editions of the WEC and IMSA, with a double-entry planned for the 2024 24 Hours of Le Mans,[14][15]
The car was revealed on 13 July 2023, the first day of the 2023 Goodwood Festival of Speed.[16] In interviews post the launch of the car, Sanna stated that Iron Lynx would remain the sole operator of the SC63 during its 4-year life cycle which ends in 2027. He also commented that it was uncertain whether or not the car would debut at the 2024 24 Hours of Daytona.[17]
The SC63 completed its first shakedown at Vallelunga Circuit in early August 2023. It was followed by the car's first full test Imola on 10 & 11 August 2023. Driving duties for the test were split between Mirko Bortolotti, Andrea Caldarelli and Daniil Kvyat, covering over 1500km. There were a number of notable modifications as compared to the demo-spec of the car at Goodwood, with a more squarish cockpit, flaps on the roof before the air intake and new elements on the rear wing.[18]
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The Lamborghini SC63 on display at the 2023 Goodwood Festival of Speed
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Front-left view of the SC63
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Side view of the SC63
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Rear-left view of the SC63
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Rear-end display of the SC63
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The SC63 at the 2024 Sahlen's Six Hours of The Glen
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The SC63 competing in the 2024 24 Hours of Le Mans
Racing results
editComplete IMSA SportsCar Championship results
edit(key) Races in bold indicates pole position. Races in italics indicates fastest lap.
| Year | Entrants | Class | Drivers | No. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Pts. | Pos. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Lamborghini – Iron Lynx | GTP | DAY | SEB | LBH | LGA | DET | WGL | ELK | IMS | ATL | 986 | 11th | ||
| 63 | 7 | 11 | 8 | 15 | |||||||||||
| 7 | 11 | 8 | 15 | ||||||||||||
| 7 | 8 | 15 |
Complete FIA World Endurance Championship results
edit(key) Races in bold indicates pole position. Races in italics indicates fastest lap.
| Year | Entrants | Class | Drivers | No. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | Points | Pos |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Lamborghini Iron Lynx | Hypercar | QAT | IMO | SPA | LMN | SAP | COA | FUJ | BHR | 8th | 11 | ||
| 63 | 13 | 12 | Ret | 10 | 17 | 14 | Ret | Ret | ||||||
| 13 | 12 | Ret | 10 | 17 | 14 | Ret | Ret | |||||||
| 13 | 12 | 10 | 17 | 14 | Ret | Ret | ||||||||
| Ret |
References
edit- ^ a b c Goodwin, Graham (13 July 2023). "Lamborghini Reveal SC63 Hypercar and GTP Contender At Goodwood". dailysportscar.com. Archived from the original on 13 July 2023. Retrieved 13 July 2023.
- ^ a b Smith, Christopher (13 July 2023). "Lamborghini SC63 LMDh debuts with 3.8-litre turbo V8, will race at Le Mans". Motor1. Archived from the original on 13 July 2023. Retrieved 13 July 2023.
- ^ "Lamborghini unveils SC63: hybrid racing prototype to compete at apex of endurance". Lamborghini. 13 July 2023. Retrieved 5 May 2024.
- ^ Newbold, James (18 December 2022). "Inside the spec hybrid spine of LMDh cars". Motorsport.com. Archived from the original on 7 August 2023. Retrieved 8 August 2023.
- ^ "SC63". Lamborghini.com. Archived from the original on 13 July 2023. Retrieved 13 July 2023.
- ^ a b "Lamborghini announces drivers Bortolotti and Caldarelli for the LMDh program". Lamborghini.com. 21 July 2022. Archived from the original on 12 July 2023. Retrieved 12 July 2023.
- ^ "Lamborghini Squadra Corse announces Romain Grosjean as official Factory Driver with Iron Lynx Team". Lamborghini.com. 6 December 2022. Archived from the original on 12 July 2023. Retrieved 12 July 2023.
- ^ "Daniil Kvyat unveiled as latest addition to Lamborghini Factory Driver roster". Lamborghini.com. 13 April 2023. Archived from the original on 11 June 2023. Retrieved 12 July 2023.
- ^ Klein, Jamie (14 December 2023). "Lamborghini Completes LMDh Roster with Mortara, Cairoli – Sportscar365". sportscar365.com. Archived from the original on 14 December 2023. Retrieved 14 December 2023.
- ^ Klein, Jamie (14 December 2023). "Lamborghini Completes LMDh Roster with Mortara, Cairoli – Sportscar365". sportscar365.com. Archived from the original on 14 December 2023. Retrieved 14 December 2023.
- ^ "WEC: Lamborghini announces LMDh programme". Federation Internationale de l'Automobile. 17 May 2022. Archived from the original on 11 June 2023. Retrieved 12 July 2023.
- ^ "Ligier To Provide Chassis For 2024 Lamborghini LMDh | dailysportscar.com". www.dailysportscar.com. 7 June 2022. Archived from the original on 9 July 2022. Retrieved 12 July 2023.
- ^ "Lamborghini LMDh prototype car will fit a V8 twin-turbo hybrid engine". Lamborghini.com. 19 August 2022. Archived from the original on 12 July 2023. Retrieved 12 July 2023.
- ^ a b c "Lamborghini and Iron Lynx join forces for LMDh programme in FIA WEC and IMSA from 2024". Lamborghini.com. 7 November 2022. Archived from the original on 12 July 2023. Retrieved 12 July 2023.
- ^ Lloyd, Daniel (1 February 2023). "Lamborghini to Start With Single Car Entries in Hypercar, GTP – Sportscar365". sportscar365.com. Archived from the original on 1 April 2023. Retrieved 12 July 2023.
- ^ "Lamborghini Reveal SC63 Hypercar and GTP Contender At Goodwood | dailysportscar.com". www.dailysportscar.com. Archived from the original on 13 July 2023. Retrieved 13 July 2023.
- ^ Watkins, Gary (14 July 2023). "Lamborghini won't expand LMDh plan beyond Iron Lynx in WEC and IMSA". www.motorsport.com. Archived from the original on 14 July 2023. Retrieved 14 July 2023.
- ^ Watkins, Gary (14 August 2023). "Lamborghini reveals details of WEC, IMSA LMDh challenger's first full test". www.motorsport.com. Archived from the original on 22 August 2023. Retrieved 22 August 2023.