August has been an intense month for Straight4 Studio guys, and the Murcielago is the fifth car announced. Previously, we had the AM DBR9, the Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo II, the Lister Storm GT, and the Lamborghini Huracan GT3 Evo2.
By the early noughties, Lamborghini’s history in motorsport had been a spotty affair. The 2004 Lamborghini Murciélago R-GT, however, signalled a turning point in the brand’s modern racing journey. Designed as a GT-spec’ race car, it was Lamborghini’s first serious factory-backed challenger in top-level GT racing in over a decade, and a sensuous effort to bring the fight to many of the world’s biggest motorsport brands.
Looking back a quarter-century, it’s probably safe to say the Murciélago R-GT never quite achieved the outright success for which it had been created. Equally, though, it is unquestionably a critical milestone for Lamborghini, symbolizing the Italian marque’s commitment to endurance racing, and one that paved the way for future GT3 and Super Trofeo successes.
Lamborghini’s Return to Racing: The R-GT Project
By 2004, Lamborghini’s last major involvement in top-tier sports car racing had been in the early 1990s with the ill-fated Lamborghini LC90 Formula 1 engine program and the Diablo-based GT cars built for European GT and Japanese Super GT. These efforts, though, failed to establish Lamborghini in global motorsports, and it was only after Audi’s acquisition in 1998 that interest was revived in developing a factory-supported race car.
With Audi’s financial backing and technical expertise, Lamborghini partnered with Reiter Engineering to build a race-ready version of the Murciélago, the company’s then flagship V12 supercar.
The result was the Murciélago R-GT, now waiting for you in Project Motor Racing.
The Race-Ready Bull
Unlike the road-going Murciélago, which featured all-wheel drive, the R-GT was rear-wheel drive only, complying with GT regulations. The switch to rear-wheel drive shaved off approximately 550 kg from the road car, bringing the car’s weight down to around 1,100 kg (2,425 lbs). Crucially, it also altered the car’s handling dynamics, making it both more agile but also a strenuously challenging beast to drive—particularly in endurance events.
The engine, meanwhile, was a banshee-wail of a 6L V12, derived from the road car but heavily modified for racing. Power was in the 600 hp range, depending on Balance of Performance (BoP) regulations, and that was mated to a 6-speed sequential gearbox, optimized for endurance racing.
The Murciélago R-GT also featured an aggressive aerodynamic package, including a mammoth rear wing—an indication, if any were needed, that the car’s handling was trending to oversteer chaos!
Competition
The Murciélago R-GT was primarily fielded in the European GT Championship and, while it showed glimpses of potential and pace, it struggled with mechanical failures, overheating issues, and inconsistent pace. However, it did manage to secure a shock victory at Valencia in 2004, proving that Lamborghini’s racing ambitions were legitimate, and in the right hands, the Murciélago R-GT could run with the best in GT racing.
Legacy
Valencia, though, proved to be a one-off for what remains one of Lamborghini’s only factory-backed GT cars. Today, the Murciélago R-GT it’s mostly seen as a bold but flawed attempt at returning Lamborghini to top-level endurance racing. But that shouldn’t diminish the Murciélago R-GT’s legacy because it played a pivotal role in Lamborghini’s motorsport evolution, creating the foundation for future GT3 success.
In GT spec’ GT racing in Project Motor Racing, the Murciélago R-GT is very much an underdog, but it’s also a singular ride: unpredictable handling, a peaky engine redlining at 8,000rpm, and a sound that is surely worth a second per lap, all make this one of those unforgettable cars you’re going to want to field at least once to appreciate what it takes to try and tame a true raging bull.
The Murciélago R-GT will forever remain the embodiment of the raw spirit of Sant’Agata Bolognese.
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