A few weeks ago, we went into the Top Gear vault and reminisced about Richard Hammond testing the Lamborghini Murcielago LP670-4 SV. Well, we’ve unlocked the Top Gear vault once again and returned with one of the programme’s most remarkable performance cars tests (at least for this writer) involving the Sesto Elemento.
The Gallardo Superleggera-powered Sesto Elemento was unveiled by the Italian car manufacturer at the 2010 Paris Motor Show and limited to just 20 units worldwide. Despite the fascination surrounding the Sesto Elemento ever since it was unveiled, the car has only ever been seen out in public on a handful of occasions, such as when it raced a LaFerrari on a Qatar highway.
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Unlike other recent limited-edition Lamborghinis, like the, Reventon, Veneno and Centenario, the Sesto Elemento is not street-legal. Also unlike those other vehicles, it is far more than a version of a series production model with new skin. With these reasons in mind, it makes it all the more remarkable that Top Gear was somehow able to source a Sesto Elemento. Not only did they source one, but Hammond was able to drive it at the Imola circuit before it was taken to the TV show’s test track in the UK and set a blistering lap time of 1:14, putting it second only to the Pagani Huayra.
Sitting at the heart of the Sesto Elemento is the 562 hp, 5.2-liter naturally-aspirated V10 engine of the Gallardo Superleggera. While no modifications were made to the engine, Lamborghini did design various new chassis, body, drive shaft, and suspension components for the car out of carbon fiber to reduce its overall weight to 999 kg (2202 lbs). All the exterior and interior body panels were bespoke from other Lamborghini models.