Lamborghini to tackle endurance racing with Huracan GT3

Lamborghini has confirmed its intention to tackle the Blancpain Endurance Series in 2015 with its Huracan GT3. The hottest Huracan will be rubbing panels with McLaren's 650S GT3 and BMW's Z4 GT3 across five different tracks, including the legendary Nurburgring.

Underpinning the GT3 Huracan is an aluminum and carbon fiber chassis, with an integrated FIA approved roll-cage. The car's chassis incorporates a modified front subframe, which accomodates a high performance water radiator, and a modified rear subframe for improved aerodynamics.

The chassis is clad in composite body panels developed by Dallara Engineering, which incorporates a fully adjustable aerodynamics package that covers the massive rear wing, front diffuser and front louvers. This adjustability allows teams to set their cars up for a wide variety of tracks and conditions with a minimum of fuss and effort. Another benefit of the new aerodynamics package is a big improvement in brake cooling. As with the Huracan Super Trofeo, the GT3 is also fitted with high performance oil coolers for the engine and gearbox.

Powering the GT3 is the a modified version of the V10 found in the road-going Huracan's. A special Bosch control unit manages the engine along with traction control, gearbox mapping and the TFT display in front of the driver. Transmitting the V10 's power to the rear wheels is an FIA-approved, six-speed, sequential gearbox and three-plate clutch.

On top of the engine management system, Bosch also supplies the 12-stage ABS system that manages the Huracan GT3's 380 x 34 mm front steel discs and 355 x 32 mm rear steel discs. The 1,239 kg (2,732 lb) GT3 is also fitted with a pneumatic lifting system.

While Lamborghini will be hoping to keep its Huracan GT3s out of the crash barriers, in the event of an accident drivers can rely on their carbon frame 8862 seat, OMP fire extinguisher system and (if things go really wrong) medical access hatch in the roof to keep them safe.

If this sounds goods to you, Lamborghini is asking €369,000 (US$418,935) for the privilege of owning a GT3, and that doesn't account for the cost of tires, fuel, transport and maintenance that go hand-in-hand with high-level racing.

The Blancpain Endurance Series kicks off in April with a round at Monza.

Source: Lamborghini