Broad Arrow Auctions, a Hagerty (NYSE: HGTY) company, is thrilled to offer an exceptional and noteworthy group of supercars and sports cars at The Amelia Auction this 1-2 March 2024 at the Ritz-Carlton in Amelia Island.
The “Racer X Collection,” a selection of twelve exceptional vehicles that pays homage to the owner’s deep-seated love for cars, inspired by the iconic Speed Racer series and rooted in the owner’s childhood fascination with the adventures of Speed and the mysterious Racer X. This collection presents modern and vintage sporting classics including this stunning 2021 Lamborghini Sián, estimated at $3,000,000 – $3,750,000,
First unveiled, appropriately online, in September 2019, the company’s new and highly advanced Sián model took its name from local Bolognese dialect, in which it translates as “flash” or “lightning”. Significantly, the car represented the first production Lamborghini to incorporate any form of electrified motive power–a shift of seismic technical magnitude further reflected in the company’s use of a non-bovine name for the first time in many years. Such technical complexity determined the Sián as no ordinary Lamborghini if indeed such a thing exists, and this was reflected in its minimal production run. Just 82 Siáns would be constructed, with the 19 Roadsters and 63 coupes scheduled symbolic of the year in which Ferruccio Lamborghini founded his eponymous company.
Designed by former Porsche General Manager of Advanced Design Mitja Borkert, the Sián drew heavily on both the philosophy and mechanics of its track focused Aventador SVJ sibling. Having previously drawn widespread praise for its class-leading torsional rigidity, the Aventador’s carbon fiber monocoque chassis was retained, into which a revised version of Lamborghini’s legendary 6.5-litre V12 engine was inserted. First seen in 2011, the Type-L539 unit benefitted from continual development throughout the Aventador’s lifecycle, and the fitment of new titanium intake valves, a new exhaust system, and a re-mapped ECU further boosted power from the 759 horsepower of the Aventador SVJ to some 774 for the unit fitted to the Sián.
Nevertheless, it was in the addition and operation of its hybrid element that the Sián’s technical fascination lay. Ingeniously, the car incorporated a small electric motor into its seven-speed single-clutch transmission, the power for which was taken from an onboard supercapacitor rather than a conventional hybrid battery pack. However, while a supercapacitor’s ability to store energy is more limited than that of a battery, it can both recharge and deploy at a far greater rate. In the case of the Sián, this enabled the supercapacitor to be fully recharged with every brake application.
Although only relatively modest in its output, the electric motor operated simultaneously with the conventional V12 engine to “torque-fill” between gearchanges, and provided an additional power boost upon acceleration at speeds up to 80 mph. In addition to augmenting the car’s total power output to some 808 horsepower, making the Sián the most powerful production Lamborghini yet seen, the entire system was further distinguishable for its relative simplicity and functional weight of just 75 pounds.
Unsurprisingly, such technical competence was far from restricted to the car’s engine compartment. The Sián’s electronically-controlled Haldex four-wheel drive system featured a rear mechanical self-locking differential, while its four-wheel steering system and push-rod operated twin wishbone suspension were carried over directly from the esteemed Aventador SVJ. Braking was still provided by massive six-piston front and four-piston rear calipers, with each operating onto giant Carbon Ceramic discs, albeit with the entire system appropriately modified to accept the regenerative requirements of the Supercapacitor.
Externally, the Sián pushed aerodynamic and stylistic boundaries in typical Lamborghini fashion; the car’s appearance is a magnificently angular fusion of the traditional and the futuristic. In terms of the former, references to the mighty Countach abounded, not least in the trapezoidal front bodywork recess, side-mounted air intakes and extravagant triple taillights. Yet in the case of the latter, the utilization of intricate Y-beam headlights inspired by the Terzo Millennio concept car, an electrochromic roof panel and a finned rear deck–complete with active cooling flaps–all showcased emerging technology tipped to feature on the next generation of potentially rather more modestly priced Lamborghinis.
Predictably, such prodigious power–and a highly accomplished four-wheel drive system–afforded the car spectacular performance, with 60 mph arriving in just 2.8 seconds and a top speed of 217 mph. Supplemented by a finely-tuned Electronic Stability Control system and switchable driving modes of Strada, Sport, and Corsa, the car offered three distinct characters yet demonstrated excellent drivability and superb roadholding in each, not to mention an incomparable accompanying soundtrack. However, it was the car’s admirable ability to “torque fill” which drew particular praise from journalists; the somewhat disjointed operation of the single-clutch gearbox on the Aventador SVJ being a recurring criticism since rectified by the Sián.
As one of only 63 Sián coupes ever produced, this stunning example was configured in conjunction with Lamborghini’s in-house Ad Personam studio at the fabled Sant’Agata factory. Boasting the desirable exterior Carbon package, the car was finished externally in Rosso Efesto, fading to Carbon, and was further complemented by Nero Ade with Rosso Alala Alcantara trim, black brake calipers and black wheels each with a red Diamond cut silhouette.
Unsurprisingly, such modifications did not come inexpensively; the total additional cost amounting to some $236,720. Subsequently imported into the United States by Automobili Lamborghini America LLC of Herndon, Virginia it was distributed to Lamborghini St. Louis, prior to its onward delivery to the consignor in 2022. In his ownership it has been used only minimally–its odometer reading a scant 244 miles at the time of cataloging–although it appeared as a feature display at the Petersen Automotive Museum last year as part of their “Hypercars: The Allure of the Extreme” exhibition.
Few if any cars possess such monumental presence as the Sián, and fewer still justify such bravado with commensurate levels of technical ability, performance or levels of finish. Further enhanced by its status as the most complex, most powerful and, arguably, the most technically significant production Lamborghini yet constructed, it would appear that its future collector appeal is all but assured. As such, the availability of a near-unmarked, delivery mileage, single-owner example such as this represents a highly significant opportunity indeed, and one which should be given due consideration by any committed Supercar or Hypercar devotee.
This collection also features standout models such as the Hennessey Venom F5 Coupe, Lamborghini Sián, Porsche 911 Sport Classic, and the revered Shelby Cobra 427 S/C, to name a few. Each car resonates with the spirit of those thrilling moments that first ignited the owner’s passion for automobiles and creates a unique opportunity for enthusiasts to acquire pieces of automotive history that exemplify the nature of Speed Racer’s iconic adventures and the enigmatic allure of Racer X. To view more thrilling cars on offer at Broad Arrows Amelia Auction, please visit their website at broadarrowauctions.com and be sure to register to bid for this exciting event.
