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Lamborghini close to joining premier LMDh class in IMSA

According to Racer magazine, Lamborghini hasn't officially said yes to joining the LMDh class in global endurance racing, but folks behind the scenes have green-lit the project and an announcement could come next month. Publicly, the brand's head of motorsport for the U.S. said work on a factory endurance program is "90% of the way there," the remainder to be sorted out by finding the right customer teams to lead the charge. Assuming this is what happens, Lamborghini will join Volkswagen Group siblings Audi and Porsche in the class, plus Acura and BMW. Cadillac hasn't made its intentions public, but observers expect the American luxury brand to come clean during this month's 24 Hours of Le Mans and show its LMDh challenger. Hyundai's apparently on the sidelines and leaning in, too. If all are counted, this would give the premier class for the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship seven entries come 2024, and potentially add to the top-class LMH field in the FIA World Endurance Championship . As a refresher, there are two top-tier classes coming to global endurance racing. There's Le Mans Daytona hybrid (LMDh) that begins in IMSA next year, and Le Mans Hypercar (LMH) that started competing in the WEC on May 1 this year. LMDh cars use a spec chassis provided by one of four suppliers, Dallara, Ligier, Multimatic, or Oreca. LMDh teams can use any engine and electronics they want, but they will all fit a spec hybrid unit supplied by Bosch, a spec lithium-ion battery from Williams Engineering and a spec gearbox from Xtrac. Max horsepower will be limited to about 680. Audi and Porsche opted for a Multimatic chassis powered by a turbocharged V8, and Lamborghini is expected to follow its family members. Every team can create its own bodywork, the limit being a 4:1 ratio of drag to downforce and a single aero package for the year to keep costs down. The LMH class is based on roadgoing hypercars, a manufacturer required to sell 20 of the retail hypercars over a two-year period to qualify. Although output's capped to around 680 hp as with LMDh, manufacturers can develop their own engines, gearboxes and hybrid systems. Discrete bodywork is allowed with the same drag-to-downforce ratio limit. There will be balance-of-performance restrictions imposed on LMDh and LMH fields, and measures such as torque meters mounted on driveshafts to monitor overall output of each powertrain.

Lamborghini Sian's supercapacitor hybrid system explained by company's CTO

"We are a game-changer and a provocateur," Lamborghini's CTO, Maurizio Reggiani told Engadget. The automaker has a long history of making waves with traffic-stopping designs and more recently, innovative tech. At last week's Frankfurt Motor Show, the Italian company unveiled its Sian hybrid supercar. But it ditched the traditional battery pack in favor of a supercapacitor to power an electric motor, which is exactly what you would expect from the Italian company. Typically a hybrid uses a lithium-ion battery pack to store energy. Then when needed, it transfers an electrical current to a motor (or motors) to either help the gas-powered engine or take over propulsion entirely. It's a recipe that has successfully improved gas mileage and sold over six million examples of the Toyota Prius, not to mention countless other hybrids. "It's too easy to follow," Reggiani said. "If you want to move for the first time in electrification you must guarantee that the implementation will not destroy the DNA of a car and brand." With that in mind, the automaker went with a supercapacitor instead of a battery. According to Reggiani, the supercapacitor offers up three times the power of a battery pack from the same weight and packaging. Plus, it stores and discharges energy much quicker. The spent power can be fully regenerated very quickly during normal braking. Reggiani explained that this could be particularly useful while cornering. Going into a corner, the driver applies the brakes and replenishes any spent energy. Then, as the driver accelerates out of the corner, all the available power is there for acceleration. Then as the driver brakes for the next curve, the process starts all over again. Plus, the supercapacitor doesn't have to cool down like traditional battery, it's just ready to go at all times -- which is exactly what Lamborghini owners want. The output of the 48-volt motor installed into the gearbox is 34 horsepower which brings the total power output of the V12 Sian to 819 horsepower. While 34 horsepower doesn't seem like much, it means the vehicle can do zero to 62 miles per hour in under 2.8 seconds. That's Tesla Model S Performance and Porsche Taycan levels of fast. But there are other benefits. The electric motor reduces the torque hits of the gears shifting. You know those momentary losses -- then explosions of power -- you feel in the car as it speeds up, that's the vehicle going through its gears.

Lamborghini Huracan Evo RWD gets a range of modifications from Novitec

Lamborghini sees its rear-wheel-drive Huracan Evo as a masterpiece. German tuner Novitec views it as a blank canvas. It announced a panoply of interior, exterior and chassis parts developed specifically for the model. Novitec isn't intimidated by the Raging Bull's tail-wagging rear-wheel-drive coupe. It has tuned a long list of exotic cars, including the McLaren Senna and Ferrari's limited-edition SP1 and SP2 models. Its updates normally tilt toward the subtle side of the scale (we suggest calling Mansory if you're after pure extravagance), and its Huracan is no exception. It looks tamer than the factory-built, race car-inspired STO model introduced in November 2020. Carbon fiber add-ons give the coupe a more muscular look, and Novitec claims they also improve the aerodynamic profile. Side skirts lower the Huracan's ground clearance while channeling more cooling air to the rear brakes, for example. Out back, a redesigned wing increases puts more downforce on the rear axle than the factory unit. Not all of the updates are cosmetic. Novitec offers a set of lowering sport springs developed specifically for the rear-wheel-drive variant of the Huracan (whose front end is lighter than the all-wheel-drive model's). Alternatively, it joined forces with KW to design an aluminum coilover suspension system built with racing technology. Users who choose this option can dial in one of 13 compression and rebound profiles in the low- and high-speed ranges. Novitec did not modify the Huracan's naturally-aspirated, 5.2-liter V10 engine, which makes 610 horsepower and 413 pound-feet of torque. However, its catalog of parts includes a high-performance exhaust system available in stainless steel or in Inconel, a lighter material often found in Formula One cars. Both can be plated in .999 gold for better heat dissipation. Different exhaust tips (including some made with carbon) are on the menu, too. Emblems, wheel spacers, and what Novitec calls a virtually unlimited range of upholstery colors and materials round out the list of personalization options available. Pricing largely depends on the scope of the modifications requested. Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.