Carte Blanc: Blancpain Super Trofeo

An old article that I could not find in any post.

 

http://gulfnews.com/life-style/motoring/ca...r-trofeo-1.4771

 

Carte Blanc: Lamborghini Blancpain Super Trofeo

Roberto Giordanelli drives the wildest of raging bulls from the Lamborghini stable, the Gallardo Blancpain Super Trofeo.

 

Published: 16:03 May 4, 2009

 

Welcome to the world's fastest one-make race series. The Lamborghini Blancpain Super Trofeo is a motor racing package that leapfrogs you up the motorsport ladder. Your steed is a race-prepared version of the latest Gallardo LP560-4.

 

This European race series will be held for three years, with an option to go global after that. Unlike the race-hire system employed by the old Maserati Trofeo, where you only saw the car on race day, in this series, you buy the car and choose a team to run it for you. Lamborghini back-up, hospitality and advice comes with the package.

 

With an impressive race calendar, the 30-car grid of glorious-sounding V10 Gallardos will take place at six of Europe's best circuits and support either FIA GT or DTM race meetings. The six races are triple-headers, which means there are 18 races per year, each about 40 minutes long, plus practice and qualifying sessions. Drivers can go it alone or pair up, as there is a compulsory pit-stop. The series is for gentlemen drivers, however, a gentleman driver may choose to team up with a professional driver, but no car may have two pro-drivers.

 

Lambo dealers will run some cars, and the factory is entering a celebrity car. The minimum race licence requirement is International C, for level-headed driving.

 

There are normally two ways to budget for a race season: a) my way - never add up what you are spending and make a precise calculation and then multiply this number by five.

 

With the Blancpain Super Trofeo, there is a third way, and it is not as expensive as it appears. The cars cost Dh962,000 each (¬200,000), ready to race, and there are four colour choices. Insurance is available, so the car can always have a resale value. The purchase price includes driver hospitality, sponsors and guests in the Super Trofeo village after the races. There is a Dh120,000 (€25,000) entry fee, which covers the six triple-header races - less than Dh3,400 (€700) per driver, per race, for a two-driver team. You also have to pay for your crew, transport, extra testing if required and running costs. For a two-driver team, these costs could be halved. Lamborghini spare-parts trucks follow meetings so teams need not invest in mountains of equipment they may never need. Engineers are also on hand.

 

Lamborghini permits sponsorship decals on the cars, as long as the Blacpain windscreen and rear-wing decals remain. This creates an opportunity for income and/or tax-deductible spending. You could spend a lot more in an international race series.

 

This Lamborghini test day at Misano, Italy, was a pretty exclusive affair. Only a handful of international racers/journalists were invited.

 

I already had plenty of previous experience in several race Lamborghinis, including Gallardos from fast-road trim up to RWD GT2/3 spec. A RWD Gallardo is tremendous but there is currently no official place at Lamborghini for such a renegade.

 

Reducing weight is vital. A normal LP560-4 Gallardo has a kerb weight 1,410kg, while the stripped out Superleggera is 1,360kg. Our race-spec Gallardo is fitted with a full steel roll cage, which weighs at least 35kg, plus a plumbed-in fire system (10kg) and don't forget an on-board air-jack system (6kg).

 

Yet the car still manages to tip the scales at just 1,300kg (dry). State-of-the-art safety kit and an aero-pack are also fitted. Full data logging via a USB port means team drivers can compare traces and optimise their driving styles.

 

The 5.2-litre motor has a power increase from 552bhp to 570bhp, thanks to a new direct-fuel injection system. Combined with the weight reduction, this has hiked the power-to-weight ratio from 370bhp per litre for the road car, to 438bhp per litre for the racer - a useful and noticeable 20 per cent.

 

Transmission is permanent four-wheel drive with torque shifting fore and aft on demand. The maximum torque split is 30 per cent to the front and 70 per cent to the rear.

 

The suspension is adjustable and comes with three sets of springs: soft, medium and hard. For this test, I was on medium-strength springs, front and rear. OZ Racing's bolt-on wheels are fitted with wet or slick Pirelli race tyres. Competition-spec brakes discs are fitted with hard pads, race fluid and standard callipers. The servo is uprated and the ABS is reset to a more aggressive race spec.

 

You can guarantee utter reliability as the rev-limiter will save the motor on up-shifts and the paddle shift software will ignore inappropriate down-shifts.

 

Lamborghini's chief test driver, Giorgio Sanna, briefed me as I strapped in. Simplicity and user-friendliness were my first thoughts - a turn-key race car with nothing in the cockpit to fiddle with. A gear-shift light was absent but, with the freedom of the Super Trofeo, fitting one won't be a problem and would help the driver get the most from the machine. I made do with a tachometer (which I studied) and a speedometer (which I did not). The e-gear paddle shift is speeded up as per sport mode and the standard illuminated tell-tale informs you which gear you are in.

 

The 4.2-km Misano circuit has many tight turns and two fast ones. Lap time is enormously affected by how much corner-cutting is done in the tight turns, and how brave you want to be in the fast turns. The tight turns involve a trip across white lines, abrasive green tarmac, kerbs and grass - all of which the Gallardo is happy doing.

 

So let me describe a lap in the Super Trofeo. Click back the right-hand paddle into first and trundle out of the pit lane. The power delivery has no surge, just a linear pull to the 8,500rpm limiter. Bear in mind a 0-100kph of 2.8 seconds and 160kph in seven seconds to get the idea. It is up to the driver to change gear before 8,500rpm. Too soon and you are not using the machinery, too late and the limiter will dock you some time. Braking is any car's greatest weapon in the G-force war. It can be left shockingly late, as the smart race-spec ABS will let you bury the brake pedal all the way into the turn-in phase - no risk of flat-spotting tyres or spinning on the approach. Fantastic.

 

Misano's kerbs are kind, so rebellious corner cutting is the order of the day. Downshifting on the approach to corners is so easy and accompanied by auto-blipping that doesn't interfere with threshold braking. Easy. Powering away from a tight corner, you have two choices. One, a conventional smooth style that results in power understeer, pushing the nose wide on the exit. Or, two, a gentle flick on the steering and a boot full of power to provoke some power oversteer. Get it right and option two is quicker and more satisfying. Traction control would be superfluous with this 4WD race car and it is not fitted.

 

The fastest turn on the circuit is a sixth-gear eye-opener with a bump mid-turn and precious little run-off. This is where the downforce from the aero-kit really helps. The car's medium set-up was a good compromise. Soft springs would be your wet choice. Stiffer springs would be good for a dry billiard table. Or Michael Schumacher.

 

The set-up chosen was for easy, safe use. With an adjustable front anti-roll bar and 20-click bump and rebound damper setting, I am sure the quick drivers would go stiffer and only slacken off the adjustment in the wet.

 

Lamborghini's previous one-make series was from 1996 to 1999, with the ground-shaking monster, the Diablo GTR Supertrophy. Twelve years on, and I am still traumatised from driving one in the wet at Spa-Francorchamps.

 

This Gallardo Super Trofeo race car is so accomplished, comparisons with previous models are pointless. A novice would be instantly at home in the Lambo, while a pro would revel in extracting the best from it. A very clever package.

 

* Model: Gallardo Super Trofeo

* Engine: 5.2-litre V10

* Transmission: Six-speed e-gear

* Max power: 570bhp @ 8,000rpm

* Max torque: 540Nm @ 6,500rpm

* Dry weight: 1,300kg

* 0-100kph: 2.8sec

* Plus: Awesome performance, stellar handling.

* Minus: Strictly track-only.

 

thank you for the post, sounds like an awesome car, 0-100 in 2.8 sec

The only thing they have to do now is build it for the road and call it LP 600-4 SL

I bet Audi is waiting on the Ferrari 458 to hit the showrooms with it's 562 hp. Then....Audi/ Lamborghini will drop the 1350kg 570hp bombshell!! Lol