The 2015 Lamborghini Huracan has been assigned the near-impossible mission of replacing the mighty Gallardo->ke375 as the company's entry-level supercar.->ke177 Before the 610-horsepower machines even began rolling off the Italian assembly lines, Lamborghini was already developing new, faster versions. First on its list was the 2015 LP620-2 Super Trofeo, the race car that comes with a one-make series of its own to displace the Gallardo's. With the 2015 racing season just around the corner, the Italians revealed yet another iteration of the Huracan: the GT3. As the moniker suggests, we're still in racing territory, but this time in a more disputed department -- the Blancpain Series -- in which Lamborghini->ke44 faces competition from a handful of manufacturers, Audi->ke14 and McLaren->ke284 included.

The brand-new race car comes to replace the Gallardo FL2, the company's sole offering for privateers in both the Blancpain Endurance and Sprint Series. Gentlemen racers, it's time to grab your helmets, there's a new kid in town!

Based on the road-going Huracan that arrived in 2014, the GT3 comes with all the goodies specific to an endurance race car, including an aggressive body kit, a stripped interior and a curb weight of only 2,731 pounds.

Updated 01/21/2015: Lamborghini released the official details on the new Huracan GT3, which was unveiled at the company's headquarters in Sant'Agata Bolognese. Click past the jump for the new details.

Click past the jump to read more about the 2015 Lamborghini Huracan GT3.

2015 Lamborghini Huracan GT3

Specifications
  • Make: Array
  • Model: 2015 Lamborghini Huracan GT3
  • Engine/Motor: V10
  • Horsepower: 500
  • [do not use] Vehicle Model: Array
Pros
Cons

Exterior

Visually, the Huracan GT3 is downright menacing. Made from composite materials, including carbon fiber, the body has been developed in collaboration with Dallara Engineering for the best possible airflow penetration and maximum traction. Compared to the road-going Huracan, the GT3 is basically all-new, with only the roof section, and the headlamp and taillight assemblies remaining unaltered. The front bumper has been fully redesigned, now incorporating a single, center-mounted air dam, a new splitter and side canards. The vented front bonnet is also new and the front fenders feature louvers similar to those of the Huracan Super Trofeo's.

Massive side skirts show up from under the doors, while the rear fenders showcase massive intakes for improved cooling. The rear is by far the sexiest section of the Huracan GT3. While the taillights and the grille below retained their production layout, the apron is entirely different, now housing a massive diffuser and center-mounted exhaust tips. The internals showing through the cut out apron and the meaty tires give the GT3 a distinct personality, even for a Blancpain racer. The louvered hood and the adjustable rear wing contribute to its purposed appearance, an image a lot of drivers will despise throughout the racing season.

Lastly, the GT3 is wrapped in a gorgeous green livery similar to the Miura's classic Lime Green. The Italian tricolore flag adorns the sides and the lower front bumper, while various brands add their own colors, mostly grey, white and yellow to the wedge-shaped body.

Interior

Although Lambo has yet to publish photos of the GT3's interior, preliminary details suggest the cockpit comes in a no-nonsense, track-ready configuration that focuses on driver comfort and safety.

The Alu-Carbon chassis, which provides additional stiffness and lightness, comes with a fully integrated, FIA-compliant roll-cage. No surprises here. A new multifunction steering wheel engineered in cooperation with OMP Racing enables the driver to operate the braking and traction-control systems, among many other functions, while a revised TFT display provides all the vital information about the GT3.

A carbon-frame seat, equipped with safety belts also provided by OMP, provides the utmost lateral support in twisty stuff. The adjustable pedals provide enhanced comfort during those long endurance stints. Added safety features include an OMP fire extinguishing system and an innovative roof hatch that enables quick assistance by medical personnel in the event of a crash. Fingers crossed this system won't be used anytime soon.

Drivetrain

Motivating the Huracan GT3 around the track is the same 5.2-liter, V-10 engine offered in the road car, but it is now fixed on the chassis by rigid mountings. Additionally, the mill is managed by a Bosch Motorsport control unit that also governs the sequential six-speed gearbox, traction control, as well as the TFT displaying all the vital data on the dashboard. A three-disc racing clutch replaces the standard unit, while all wiring and connectors are designed specifically for endurance racing.

There's no word on output and performance figures, but expect the V-10 to generate less than the road car's 610 horsepower. An output of around 500 ponies is more likely given the FIA's regulations for the Blancpain Endurance Series. The Huracan GT3 should find it easy to sprint from 0 to 60 mph in around three seconds on its way to a top speed of around 200 mph.

Suspension and Brakes

Besides getting the mandatory rear-wheel-drive configuration for the Blancpain Endurance Championship, the Huracan GT3 is also equipped with a host of race-bred chassis components, including retuned suspension braking systems. The latter consists of 15-inch steel discs up front and 14-inch steel discs in the back, backed by six- and four-piston calipers, respectively, and equipped with Bosch ABS. The system features 12 different settings, which can be activated using the multifunction steering wheel. The Huracan GT3 comes with a pneumatic lifting system too.

Prices

The Huracan GT3 costs €369,000 in Europe, excluding taxes, which converts to $427,328 as of 01/21/2015. Lamborghini has yet to announce U.S. pricing and availability information as of January 2015.

Competitors

Audi R8 LMS Ultra

The Audi R8 LMS Ultra is the car to beat in the Blancpain Series. The German machine is quite popular with private teams and can easily outnumber opposition coming from any other company. Based on the familiar R8 supercar, the LMS Ultra is the lightest and most powerful iteration of Audi's halo car. The added aerodynamic bits make it look downright evil, while the upgraded, 5.2-liter, V-10 engine -- similar to the Huracan's -- sends no less than 562 horsepower to the rear wheels. That's 12 ponies more than the R8 V-10 Plus and more than enough to outgun race cars such as the Lamborghini Gallardo LP2 or the Bentley Continental GT3.

The unit mates to a six-speed sequential gearbox operated by paddle shifters located behind the steering wheel and a host of race-bred systems and electronics.

McLaren 650S GT3

With the Huracan GT3 on its way to European tracks, we're in for yet another battle between Lambo's new supercar and McLaren's outstanding 650S. The latter also evolved into a GT3 racer, which is set to hit the track in 2015 as a replacement for the aging, yet still enticing, 12C GT3. The 650S also marks the introduction of McLaren's new racing technology, which includes a revised suspension system, new-generation track tires and a cockpit updated to FIA's latest requirements.

Just like the 12C GT3, the 650S GT3 makes use of the same twin-turbo, 3.8-liter, V-8 engine found in its road-legal sibling. The unit has been detuned to crank out only 493 horsepower, but that should be enough for the carbon-fiber McLaren to hit mind-boggling speeds. A six-speed sequential transmission is in charge with routing the oomph to the rear wheels, with a state-of-the-art braking system to provide the stopping power.

Conclusion

If you are a fan of racing and Lamborghinis, the Huracan GT3 is likely to quench your thirst for full-blown track rigs. Sure, the Huracan has big shoes to fill with its predecessor having stormed the racing courses the world over for a full eight years, but all these recent lessons should have enabled Lambo to build a GT3 race car worthy of its racing heritage. It'll take a full racing season to find out whether this is true or not, so we'll just have to wait to find out how the Huracan GT3 fares against its competitors. For now, all we can do is sit back and admire Italy's newest track monster.