Lamborghini unveils stunning 2024 Le Mans LMDh Hypercar
Italian powerhouse reveals its contender for overall victory at Le Mans as the expanding picture for endurance racing in 2024 and beyond gains added colour – predictably so in Lamborghini’s case
Philipp Rupprecht
The 2024 Le Mans Hypercar grid was made complete as Lamborghini became the last brand to show off its new design during the Goodwood Festival of Speed.
With French brand Alpine pulling the covers off its new A424, during the centenary Le Mans weekend back in June and BMW already racing its M Hybrid V8 in America, Lamborghini was the last confirmed 2024 top-class entry yet to show off its new challenger. It did plenty to set tongues wagging when it unveiled the SC63 LMDh in Sussex.
Suitably lurid styling cues are in place. The car is built on a Ligier chassis and is powered by a twin-turbo V8 produced in-house by Lamborghini
Philipp Rupprecht
Featuring some trademark Lambo looks – such as those Y-shaped front and rear lights, the sharp angles of the bodywork and the fact the cars will run in lurid green – the SC63 is the most advanced racing product ever created by the firm’s in-house competition division, Squadra Corse.
Following the LMDh rules set, the SC63 is so far the first car to use the Ligier-supplied chassis as its backbone. It is powered by a 3.8-litre twin turbocharged V8 engine, which has been designed in-house by Squadra Corse. Bolted to that will be the spec hybrid system and gearbox demanded by LMDh rules. On-track testing is due to begin imminently.
Lamborghini has already confirmed the cars will be run by the Iron Lynx team, which switches allegiance from Ferrari, and ex-F1 drivers Romain Grosjean and Daniil Kvyat will be involved on the driving crew, along with Lambo’s GT regulars Mirko Bortolotti and Andrea Caldarelli. There will be full-season single-car entries for both IMSA in the US and the FIA World Endurance Championship next year, with the car due to debut in the WEC opener in Qatar in March, meaning it will miss the IMSA-opening Daytona 24 Hours.
“Motor sport is, to us, a valuable and demanding proving ground for our technology,” said Rouven Mohr, Lamborghini’s chief technical officer. “The SC63 is an exciting challenge from both a technical and human standpoint. The development of the engine, aerodynamically efficient bodywork and overall technical package is a process that has pushed us to raise our standards. Now it is time to put the wheels in motion, literally.”
A Hypercar entry of at least 20 cars is expected for next year’s Le Mans, with Lamborghini joining Alpine and BMW in the list of heavy-hitting newcomers, plus a boutique project from Isotta Fraschini. Le Mans will also drop the LMP2 category to make room, meaning the field will consist of just Hypercars and the new GT3-based LMGT3 field.