[Video] Hear Lamborghini’s Le Mans racer testing at Imola | GRR
The new Lamborghini SC63 made its world debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed presented by Mastercard only last month. But nothing stands still in motorsport, so even though that was just a few short weeks ago, the team has already moved onto the next crucial stage: testing.
Lamborghini hasn’t competed at the very top level of sportscar racing or at Le Mans since… well, actually it never has. So this is a pretty big deal for the company that has established itself as a bit of a force in GT racing over the last decade or so with the Huracan.
But, while that GT3 car is well known for a distinctive sound emitted from its V10 motor amidships, the new car – built to LMDh regulations to race in the Hypercar class at Le Mans – will not provide quite the same aural entertainment.
Like many cars in its class, the SC63 has a V8, one with some pretty big turbos – see also the Porsche 963 and BMW M Hybrid V8 – so it doesn’t exactly scream its way around Imola. But it’s a pleasant noise nonetheless.
What is fun to see from that video is that it looks like quite a feisty beast. We’re not exactly sure which of Lamborghini’s drivers is testing it – the company has signed up ex-F1 ace turned IndyCar racer Romain Grosjean for example – but they’re definitely working to extract pace. Out of Acqua Minerale, as the Italian circuit climbs hard up toward the Variante Alta chicane, the SC63 is letting its drivers know that it is very much rear-wheel-drive.
It’s all black for now, but we already know the factory Scuadra Corse cars will be in lurid green, and looking this fast in testing with still at least five months to go until it could make its debut at Daytona is a good sign. But also, when you think about it, if the car races at Daytona, it is only five months until we see it in action. Exciting!
Welcome to Goodwood Elevenses, a helping of motoring-related amusement to help break up your day. Watch the last video: Ford Mustang GT350 is the best-sounding V8 ever