The New Hybrid-Based WeatherTech Championship Class Fits Well with Automaker’s Future Production Plans
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Lamborghini Squadra Corse announced that it will use a twin-turbo V-8 engine in its LMDh prototype that will begin IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship competition in 2024. The engine will be paired with the single-source hybrid powertrain system common to all LMDh entries in the Grand Touring Prototype (GTP) class that debuts in 2023, producing a maximum output of approximately 680 horsepower (500 kilowatts).
In a news release issued Monday, Automobili Lamborghini said the introduction of the new hybrid platform in the WeatherTech Championship falls directly in step with the company’s future development of its passenger vehicle line.
“With Automobili Lamborghini embarking on a future of hybridization in its road car production, the LMDh represents a specific energy/performance project based on the experiences of the upcoming generations of its sports cars, fully aligning with the Cor Tauri company strategy,” the news release stated. “Squadra Corse, therefore, by making the step into a motorsport landscape driven by hybrid propulsion and is the perfect fit with Lamborghini’s transition to hybrid technologies.”
The single-source hybrid powertrain system for all LMDh cars includes an electric motor unit (MGU) developed by Bosch Motorsport, with power management and energy storage supplied by Williams Advanced Engineering and a seven-speed gearbox from Xtrac. Lamborghini previously announced an alliance with Ligier Automotive to develop the chassis for its entry into WeatherTech Championship and FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) competition.
The car will make its competitive debut in the 2024 IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup races as well as the WEC.
Four other manufacturers – Acura, BMW, Cadillac and Porsche – are all developing LMDh prototypes for the new-for-2023 GTP class starting with January’s Rolex 24 At Daytona.