Lamborghini Essenza SCV12 Is 830hp Of V12 Engineering Magic
Lamborghini promised something outrageous from the Essenza SCV12, and sure enough the track-only hypercar promises to drop jaws whether standing still or at speed. Latest in the Italian automaker's series of limited-edition, super-exclusive coupes, it boasts both the most powerful V12 that Lamborghini has ever made, and engineering that not only borrows from, but actually surpasses "proper" race cars.
"Essenza SCV12 is the ultimate expression of the V12 naturally aspirated engine, the symbol of our brand since 1963," Maurizio Reggiani, Chief Technical Officer of Automobili Lamborghini, explains. "It is a project in which we combined the pursuit of engineering perfection with refined aerodynamics, futuristic design, and innovative solutions such as the carbon monocoque without internal roll-cage."
The V12 is good for more than 830 horsepower, and it's no hyperbole to say that Lamborghini designed the car to be driven fast. Thanks to the RAM effect, in fact, there's actually a "significant" uplift in power from the engine, the automaker says, as air forced into it acts as a natural supercharger.
Unsurprisingly, then, serious consideration has been given to aerodynamics. That starts with a double air intake on the front hood with a central rib, helping to split the hot airflow from the radiator away from cold air being routed to the air scoop on the roof. A splinter and two lateral elements are on the front, while the sides get special fins that adjust the flows for engine and transmission cooling. At the rear, there's a vast and adjustable double-profile wing.
The bodywork is formed by three key elements, designed by the Lamborghini Centro Stile team to support quick replacement during pit stops. It'll be offered with Verde Silvans, Grigio Linx, Nero Aldebaran Gloss, and Arancio California launch livery. Lamborghini's favored hexagons and Y-motifs feature throughout, but there's been a focus on making them structural as well as design elements: the new carbon fiber monocoque chassis, which does away with the need for a separate roll cage, is a good example of that.
Push-rod rear suspension gets mounted directly to the transmission, an X-trac sequential six-speed gearbox routing power from the V12 to the rear wheels. That helps keep rigidity up and weight down. Indeed, with a power-to-weight ratio of 1.66 hp/kg and 2,645 pounds of downforce at 155 mph, the Essenza SCV12 actually has more downforce than a GT3 car.
Special Pirelli slick tires are fitted to magnesium rims – 19-inches at the front, and 20-inches at the rear – while Brembo Motorsport brake discs and calipers are used. Inside, there's an FIA homologated OMP seat, with a carbon shell, while the driver gets a multifunction steering wheel with a display that Lamborghini says was inspired by those inside F1 cars. The Y-styling abounds, with the instrument panel and dashboard mounted on asymmetrical carbon frames in that shape, that manage to be both efficiently load-bearing and striking to the eye.
Just forty of the Essenza SVC12 cars will be produced, and owners won't just get a very powerful car. They'll have access to tracks around the world, while the hypercars themselves have a special home in a new hanger at Sant'Agata Bolognese. There they'll benefit from a personalized garage – with webcams for remotely checking in on the coupe – and dedicated services, while access to the Lamborghini Squadra Corse Drivers Lab by Tecnobody will give them the same athletic training that the automaker's pro drivers benefit from.
Deliveries will begin in 2021, and as is so often the case, if you need to ask "how much" it's probably not something you can afford.
