The Lamborghini Essenza SCV12 is an 820bhp race car that comes with free driving lessons

Lamborghini has officially lifted the wraps from its new 819bhp Essenza SCV12, rear-wheel drive, track-only hypercar.

Limited to just 40 units, it’s understood — because Lamborghini doesn’t quote a price — each example will cost somewhere between €2 and €3 million; that’s £1.8m to £2.7m to you and me.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Boasting a highly tuned engine, aggressive aero package and a unique carbon fibre chassis — influenced, Lamborghini says, by the Miura Jota and Diablo GTR — the SCV12 also gets its own power unit. Squeezed behind the driver is a heavily upgraded version of the naturally aspirated 6.5-litre V12 found in the Aventador SVJ. It’s good, apparently, for a whopping 819bhp, thanks to its new ECU, better fuel system and improved exhaust. The engine is the most powerful V12 from Lamborghini to date.

The car is also fitted with a ram-air scoop on its roof to push extra air through the engine’s intake manifold to increase performance; hence why the SCV12 performs without forced induction. It also means the car’s power output increases the faster it’s driven.

And remember those 819 horses? Well unlike Lamborghini’s more ‘tame’, four-wheel drive road-going hypercar, the SCV12 sends all of its power to the rear wheels via a six-speed sequential gearbox.

While the SCV12’s platform is made entirely from carbon fibre, its body features a host of aerodynamic appendages. In addition to finned side skirts and front and rear canards, there’s also a braced front splitter, a deep rear diffuser and an enormous carbon fibre rear wing. Such is the downforce that Lamborghini says the hypercar generates more than a GT3 racer.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

When it comes to stopping, the driver will be pleased the car is fitted with a set of enormous Brembo brake discs with six-piston calipers. There’s also specially developed slick Pirelli tyres and a unique set of staggered magnesium wheels that measure 19 inches in diameter on the front axle, and 20 inches on the rear.

The cockpit is that of a thoroughbred racer. There’s an F1-style steering wheel, plus a control panel for the centre console which lets the driver alter the behaviour of the car’s throttle, clutch and traction control systems. And there’s also a switch to disengage the car’s ABS.

As you would expect, there’s next to no creature comforts. In addition to the pair of Alcantara bucket seats and racing harnesses, essentially the only other bit of comfort is the Alcantara trim for the dashboard.That said; given the SCV12 is essentially a track car for millionaire playboys or girls, Lamborghini has decided to keep the car’s air conditioning system.

Oh. And remember the multi-million price tag — how could you not? — well the buyers won’t even be able to park their new car on there own driveway. Oh no.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Instead, Lamborghini will keep each SCV12 in a dedicated storage facility in its hometown of Sant’Agata Bolognese. The company’s engineers will then deliver each car to a series of scheduled track events throughout the year to let its owner drive it. So it’s definitely not a car for taking out at the weekend to impress your mates down the pub.

But get this. Each car will have its own personalised garage, meaning owners can monitor their car 24 hours a day via webcam, using the firm’s dedicated smartphone app. Exciting, eh!

Far more exhilarating is the fact each buyer will also be offered the chance to take part in an advanced driver training programme, under the supervision of the five-time Le Mans 24-Hours winner, Emanuele Pirro, as well as Lamborghini’s Squadra Corse engineers.

Related topics: