Lamborghini LMDh prototype to use V8 twin-turbo hybrid mill

Lamborghini Squadra Corse, the Italian luxury sportscar brand’s motorsports division, announced that the Lamborghini Le Mans Daytona h (LMDh) prototype car will be equipped with a V8 twin-turbo hybrid powerplant. 

The Lamborghini  LMDh, which measures 2,000 millimeters (mm) wide and 5,100mm long, with a wheelbase of 3,148mm, will be tested and driven by Andrea Caldarelli and Mirko Bortolotti.

The revelation of the Lamborghini LMDh prototype’s engine details and the car’s dimensions are the first technical specifications shared by the house of the raging bull for its upcoming venture into the Hypercar class of the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) and the GTP class of the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.

In accordance with the LMDh regulations as issued by the Automobile Club de l'Ouest (ACO), the IMSA, and the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA), the car will feature a hybrid power unit consisting of an internal combustion engine and an Energy Recovery System (ERS) with a maximum combined output of 681 horsepower (hp) and a top speed of 340 kilometers per hour (kph).

Alongside the single source ERS kit, Lamborghini has elected to use an eight-cylinder, 90-degree V-angle twin-turbo internal combustion engine developed by the company’s motorsport department.

Major ERS components included in the LMDh homologated standard Kit cover several areas, with the electric motor (MGU) developed by Bosch Motorsport. Power Management and energy storage are supplied by Williams Advanced Engineering while the seven-speed P1359 hybrid gearbox is developed by Xtrac.

The engine alone weighs 180 kilograms (kg). Without fuel and a driver, the car weighs 1,030kg.

The base car (spine) is engineered together with Ligier Automotive and carbon fiber elements are produced in Italy by HP Composites, Squadra Corse's long-term partner in GT3 and Super Trofeo platforms.

The decision to team up with Ligier Automotive enables Lamborghini Squadra Corse to enter the top class of endurance racing with an established chassis provider. Additionally, the competent and flexible structure of Ligier Automotive (with specific touch points between Squadra Corse) made the partnership a logical choice for the LMDh project.

With the LMDh prototype, Lamborghini will not only expand its reach into the world of motorsports but also gain crucial experience that the marque can use as it embarks on the hybridization of its road car production.

Therefore, Squadra Corse’s move to enter a motorsport landscape driven by hybrid propulsion perfectly aligns with Lamborghini’s transition to hybrid technologies.

Photos from Lamborghini

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