AIMS: Lamborghini’s $2.3m Sesto Elemento for Oz

AT LEAST two of the 30 expressions of interest for the strictly-limited production run of 20 track-only Lamborghini Sesto Elementos were placed by Australians, according to the Italian firm’s Australian-born commercial director, Fintan Knight.

Speaking with media at the Sydney motor show last week – where the Sesto Elemento made a surprise Australian debut – Mr Knight revealed the 999kg carbon-fibre “track prototype” has a $2.3 million starting price and is being presented to “certain selected clients in Australia”.

He explained that, because the number of potential buyers for the Sesto Elemento exceeds the number to be built, the selection process will “start with our loyal clients and collectors first”, and suggested there is also an element of ‘first come, best dressed’.

“The time when the order is submitted is relevant and we work through that list until all of the numbers are occupied,” he said, adding that the cars are hand-built in pairs, each taking around three months to complete.

“In fact, every one of them will be different from each other because of the way it is made.”

Australia is Lamborghini’s 13th-largest market and Mr Knight said the brand has a 14 per cent share of the supercar segment here, compared with a global average of 7.5 per cent.

The name Sesto Elemento translates from Italian as ‘sixth element’ as a reference to the place of carbon in the periodic table.

Using a 419kW 5.2-litre V10 engine and all-wheel-drive system from the Gallardo Superleggera, it is able to hit 100km/h in just 2.5 seconds – a second quicker than the larger, V12-powered Aventador flagship.

Mr Knight recently drove the Sesto Elemento at Lamborghini’s test track and described the experience as like riding a powerful sports bike.

“Because it is just 999 kilos, in a corner it is amazing it is like a motorcycle, you are sitting on it, although you have the cage of a car around you – you are just steering the chassis.”

He said the Sesto Elemento has the further advantage of stiffness due to the fact it has a third of the parts compared with a Gallardo Superleggera – and those parts are made from carbon-fibre that is 0.4mm thinner than normal yet retains rigidity.

“I would love to see it going around Bathurst because I can imagine what that is like at the end of the straight,” said Mr Knight.

“That is the interesting thing with the car, it is not just the 999 kilograms, it is the complete lack of inertia in the corners.”

The Sesto Elemento was revealed for the first time as a concept at the 2010 Paris motor show and confirmed for limited production at last year’s Frankfurt show.

As none of the cars built will be road legal, the Sesto Elemento’s $2.3 million price tag makes it a seriously pricy track toy.

“This is an extremely collectible car and many of our clients have facilities at their disposal that allow them to use the car,” he said.

“In addition to that, within our framework of motorsport events in Europe (we) allow the owners to showcase their cars in front of the fans who come to our motor racing events.”