SSC controversy: doing research about record runs in the USA from the Nürburgring. Lamborghini STnO: Doing research about the Nürburgring runs from the United States. It all adds up people!

I have no doubt the STO is going to be an incredible car, and I'm very excited for the arrival of mine later this year. However, nothing is more important than honesty and transparency as we learned with the SSC Tuatara last year. Let's hope there's no intent to pull the wool over our eyes! EDIT: Removed "What a dumb controversy! ;)" because clearly too many people didn't understand that was a reference to the article written by Motor Trend last October, in reference to the video content made by Robert, Misha and myself when we suggested things weren't right with the SSC Tuatara 331mph record. This is not me defending or attacking Lamborghini either way, it was a joke, that too many people didn't understand. Sorry!

"It is all legal and stock" What did Top Gear say again? "They are Italians, they just lie"

Sorry it’s a bit late, time stamps were mad in this one! ;)

I'm glad you released this before Lamborghini claimed a record. You may have saved them a lot of embarrassment.

You sir are no longer just Robert Mitchell. I shall refer to you from hence forth as Inspector Robert!!! 🔍 🕵️‍♂️

Excellent work dude.

I'll leave the rumour here, that they wanted to give their drivers additional testing kilometres in advance of the 24h race. That's why the car was modified to be as close to a Trofeo as possible without being obviously visually a Trofeo. 😅

Lamborghini: quick robert is on vacation lets do a cheating lap. Robert: well well well not so fast i have eyes on the ground and i brought my tier one gear with me. xD

Earlier today, italians claimed that 'The gearbox was inspected thoroughly and proved all fine, Charles Leclerc will start from pole' and we all know how that went

Tier 1 journalism from mr Mitchell let's see what this manufacturer does with this report...fantastic motoring content as always...

Everyone talking about some controvers, I´m just sitting there like "damn, that was a nice move!" ( 13:05 the guy on the left stacking the tires )

Their parent company "changed" vehicles emissions, so nothing would surprise me.

Here we go 🙌

Man, I wish u were involved with YT and the Nürburgring earlier, to help us see and understand some of the other cars when they were out, lapping the ring in pursuit of record times like gtr, 918, and some others

The sto isn't being sold yet I don't think, perhaps these differences are final production stuff or perhaps the one with the differences is a track only model?

all i took from this video is that a black and yellow STO looks so much better than the tacky blue and orange from the press release..

Lamborghini forgot that “The Internet” knows and sees everything!

The fact that Lamborghini is owned by Audi owned by vw gives me really some dieselgate vibes here XD

This is a tier 1 analysis

Still the best STO spec that I've seen so far. Even if it's not a real STO.

"There is only one thing in the world worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about." Oscar Wilde. Is the market that competitive?

My respect for you cannot be measured. Please keep going Robert, the internet needs you!

Lamborghini loves special editions. This could be a new version where they remove more stuff like the motors for the window, race fuel etc and charge an extra 100,000 euros.

I have no doubt about your observations, Robert. It's just up to Lamborghini to explain what they were doing.

As an engineer we often test “production” model to identify possible improvements or a limited addition higher performance variant. I would give them the benefit of the doubt in this case simply because you don’t know the purpose of the session.

As for the legitimacy of the SSC... This thing where people say its not a "production car" because they haven't made 20, 50, 100 units... Is a total internet myth. Got nothing to do with the road legality of the vehicle. If you make a kit-car in your own garage, its a kit-car. Even if you make 50 of them. What makes the SSC Tuatara NOT a production car is that they have never done the steps... No crash testing, no emissions, no "federalisation" of any kind. And that's OK in the US. There are many ways to get numberplates on anything. Register it as a kit-car, or... As Hennessey and SSC does, Also SCG. Cameroon Glickenhaus, register it with show & display numberplates. Then its road legal only to drive to a car show and back home from a car show. But, hey... Its America so who cares. But in doing so, they are doing themselves a huge disservice in not going all-in and not ever establishing a lasting, real supercar brand that can stand alongside the big names. If you're not on public record as a production car should be, then you are not a production car. As for this thing... It looks like a raced-up development car. And that's... No good if they want to use it to set records. I don't mind a bit of tape or other minor tweaks. I mean... Any customer could do that themselves for a track day if it really makes a difference. As for tweaks and mods... Corvette ZR1 and Cadillac did that. After the 2008 US car collapse, Obama told them to be "internationally competitive" to deserve the 100 billion dollar bailout packages. So off they went to the Nurburgring to claim woooorld records. But the cars were as "showroom stock" as Lance Armstrong at Tour d France. The very few pictures that exist of those events show stripped-out development cars full of wires and computers. With racing harnesses and a bunch of visible mods. And like you say. Why would it have stopped there. They werent showroom cars at all. I seriously hope Lambo is above this. But also... Back in the day, anyone could get away with anything. You rented the track, everybody went home, nobody cared. But today. Isnt there a Nurburgring governing body that is supposed to take care of these events and make sure the cars are within limits?

I can’t wait to see how many different laps they edit together to make the perfect lap like last time

We have missed you Robert!

Amazing to see you back Robert! We were missing you since a real long time. And you came back with a big BAANG! 🔥🔥

Hats off to fact-based calling out of BS. Lamborghini’s made a mockery of lap videos before. If they can’t do an honest lap and again, there’s no point in heeding anything they publish. Good work. BRAVO Rob.

Good work pointing out all those details, but I don’t think they used a real super trofeo. That would be too bold and the work they would have to do to make it look/sound streetish would be off the charts: replace straight cut gearbox, replace race brakes with ceramics, replace the doors, make the interior look like the normal sto. Very likely suspension and underside areo mods but getting a glimpse of the inside of the doors and dashboard in the lexan-side-window-shot they didn’t seem to have gone full insane. Besides it is already a big step from just speeding up record lap footage to actually making a highly modified car do a record lap time

I saw a laptop, a 102 octane fuel and alot more aero than the photographed car claimed to be the sto

was already on my way to bed when i saw the notification that Robert had (finally) uploaded some content so guess who's staying up an extra 30 minutes 😹

Remember the front splitter on the merc black series was also not street legal but was used for their record run.

How can you hate on what Robert is saying? This man is simply stating facts, that's it. Incredible research and very well articulated.

I’m going with Lamborghini valuing the marketing hype of a Nurburgring lap record, and therefore doing some R&D into what it would take in terms of modifications and cost to produce an ultra limited run STO ‘evo’ to go after a record.

Lamborghini 🤝 sketchy lap times. Name a more iconic duo

I was so waiting for that Video! Great that it is finally there! Let`s see what happens now.

To think a certain journalist was blatantly accusing ferrari these kinds of notorious approach in producing numbers years ago. But now others are doing this as well just to produce certain numbers that a customer wouldn't even be able to produce in a single track day. Thank you Rob for doing this video it really enlightens everyone that manufacturers' lap times should be taken with a grain of salt as some manufacturers will go to lengths(modifications) just to say their car is the "fastest" around the ring.

They probably was going to try to pass it on until you call everything poor Lamborghini

It's been a while, but it's good to see you back again Robert!

This video might be the reason why we never saw any NRING times for the STO. Nice work, Robert!

Great analysis, I would have not caught that. Could you also analyze the Performante lap record from back in the day. I remember people said it was sus but I never thought anything of it until now. I hope it's genuine and not like this run where we don't know what's being tested.

Robert back again with another banger. You have done a great job identifying all of this possible "trickery". As a lambo fanboy I do hope that they have a logical explanation to counter all of these points. The STO does mean 'Super Trofeo Omologato'. Btw watching this late as a way of protesting for the lack of activity on the channel.

Lamborghini has definitely been caught in 4K hahaha

Robert, I will speak for the true car guys here. You are a bright spot on social media. Honest and true. We have to hold car manufacturer's accountable. I have a friend that owns a 911.2 GT2RS, a 488 Pista coupe and a Lamborghini Performante. We took all three to a local track where the new Ford GT was tested over and over again. Calabogie Motorsports Park. We actually joked about how there is no way the PIsta or the Performante can even come close to touching at the GT2RS at the track. It is in a different league. Lamborghini records have always been a joke to our circle of friends. The Performate had a hard time keeping to my friends bone stock 991.1 GT3RS lol. We need to expose them!

Absolute mad lad. A 7+ year old chassis with an NA motor will usually limit tunability. Good on Lamborghini for making a great sports car, but there's no chance this chassis can continue to break records in stock trim. Great work, Robert.

Great video. However, there could be a benefit to race fuel without changing the mapping. Knock is almost directly dependent on intake temperatures. If your intake temperatures are unusually high then the stock engine might begin to knock at its limits. They could have used the race fuel to make sure that the stock engine hit its absolute limits even if temperatures were very high. Do you know if it was a warm or cold day there? This still would be considered a “modification” but it is possible that they saw a benefit from race gas without changing the map of the car.

Hi Robert. Was waiting on this video. Well spoken, waiting on Lamborghini, s next move. Well done sir.

Observing the experiment changed the experiment. We'll now never know if Lamborghini were going to attempt to deceive and I'm quite certain Nurburgring will now never endorse an STO time from Friday's timed laps. I don't disagree with any of your observations, nor any of your caveats, but a significant part of me wishes you had said nothing until Lamborghini and/or Nurburgring completed making their move. Respect.

Here's an interesting thing to add about timing for race fuel. No matter the fuel and octane, an engine has a point where timing will not add more power. If that timing can be reached with pump fuel, then race fuel will never do anything. However, if the engine runs on say 100 RON with 24 degrees of timing being on the limit of knock, and 32 degrees will make more power, then yes race fuel will work for more power. But if the engine makes the most power at 24 degrees then 32 will just hurt power. Timing is very dependent on the design of the combustion chamber, valve event timing, the piston, the quench etc. Some cars will benefit from more timing and some even with race fuel, but others will not. Just a bit of trivia:-)

I have a 2011 997.2 C4S. I’ve locked the breaks on that car before. It has fully functional ABS, but there is a point when decelerating very quickly where even with abs the momentum of the car is still stronger than the ability of the abs to keep the wheels turning when I’m standing on the brake pedal. I love all your points, and maybe 10 year newer abs systems have improved even further, but I have experienced brake lock up on a passenger car with ABS.

Those trees behind you are so nice. What a nice place to be in.

The skeptics (not me) will say that the folks making these comments are KZfaqrs and we should wait for experienced Tier 1 Media, especially Motor Trend, to make comments. I agree with Schmee, let's hope the manufacturer is not trying to do some sort of scam. It is either a production car as delivered to the public (MB GT Black) or a modified car (Porsche GT2RS MR). I questioned how many cars must be built to be classified as a production car. I cannot find where SSC has built more than one car. Bugatti and others make a base car and then modified models of that so there may be hundreds. It seems that the FIA requires 2500 cars to be built to be homologated. Wouldn't an FIA GT3 race car be allowed to have ABS? Missed your comments and insights on things. You are able to explain things where anyone can understand. Is this from your new place in Florida? Looks like there are boat docks there too. Nice.

You need to disect UFO videos. 😂

“The Friday special” 😂

When they release the time of the aventador svj, I dindt trust then. Unless there is independent people like Robert. Nice video.

The only youtube channel I watch these days. Great content and I like the calm vibe of your videos with no bullshit.

Very good Clouseau, the thing is though they could well have been simply trying to test and benchmark something similar to a Weissach Pack or even looking to see what modifications do what on the laptime. As you rightly point out the visible changes are clear for all to see - especially the gurney flap and lexan windows. This makes it impossible for them to have ever claimed this as a production car record so your video whilst clever and accurate in many ways is also presumptive and a shot in the dark.

#TierOne analysis of sketchy record attempts did anyone had a close look at the tires? I think we could call this the STO DT edition with all that duct tape

Probably because the Perf lap was so obviously a mess; best parts of the lap stitched together, and sped up in places, etc. They have to go flat out this time to make it look like the STO is worth it.

This is the scientific way of saying....dont try to bs us.....you have an army of engineers....we have a Robert.

i have not watched the full video and 100% do not know most of whats happening tbh but, is it possible that this is another situation where everyone thought lambo took a heavily modified huracan to the ring and set an insane record and everyone was complaining about this same thing, then they came out with the performante which turned out to be the "heavily modified" huracan people were seeing

Telefon Rings "Yes! Hello! Stephan Winkelmann here!" -Silence- "Hello? Stephan Winkelmann here!" At the other End: HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA - You will never get a real lap together! HA HA HA ... "Andreas? Andreas Preuninger? Is that you? - Beeeeeeppppp- Telefon Rings again "Andreas! Stop it!" "Andreas who? Philipp Schiemer here from AMG!" "How can I help you?" "Just wanted to know if we can share the session next week. We want to do a dry lap with the GTR Black for fun and ..." - Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeepppp

Robert: “yo Lamborghini you’re cheating” Lamborghini: “copy we are checking. Slow button on”.

Would be sweet if they called this specially modified version the STOP...Super Trofeo Omologata Perfermonte!

Wow wow wow. Our whole office came to a standstill watching this video just now! I can only imagine the head scratching going on at Lamborghini HQ right now lol. Really great stuff again Mr Mitchell!

Lamborghini could pull a fast one and sell the differences as "options" or a "super trofeo/track pack"

Excellent investigative journalism! #TierExclusive

As multi Lamborghini owner and being biased, I do agree with your observations. Many valid points. I do hope they will play fair. If the car does set record but fails to set similar great times at Laguna Seca or Big Willow, your thinking will proven to be correct.

I think they got caught out. Traditional tier 1 media would never have said anything for fear of losing future access but now anyone can call them out this will probably disappear.

Always great insight from Robert!

I’m just waiting for Motor Trend to cover the story 🤓

No manufacturer is safe from this man’s honesty and integrity.

the clientele who buy street lambos will believe everything they are told and for the ride in the first gear through the shopping street the STO is definitely enough. Very few of these vehicles will ever see a racetrack.

Personally I would have waited until they do set a lap time and see what they used. I think this might be a lot about nothing. Have faith Robert. Call them out when it actually occurs and not when everything is unofficial

Robert pulls on Superman's cape :)

It does raise a major question mark when a major Manufacturer like Lamborghini does this kind of thing. Your analysis of two of the ‘same’ cars would be impossible for somebody uninformed with this kind of stuff to even remotely recognise, and that surely raises concern from a customer perspective if the car they’re buying isn’t what it’s supposed to be; so props for bringing this to light as myself and thousands of other viewers would have been oblivious whether we could afford one or not. Maybe they’re not doing a record as you said, and perhaps they’re testing a more finalised spec of the car prior to its release, but also to use equipment that won’t be on a production car is also even more questionable like the lexan etc. A weird approach, but hopefully Lamborghini are testing bits n bobs, maybe for developments in wider areas, and won’t be flexing the record in a non production model. I agree though, as it currently stands I can’t see this car beating any records unless they up the power and add the bits n bobs mentioned today (optimistic at that point too). Excited to see what they do as they’re always a contender at the NB-NS so hopefully it’s not a frankenmule, and the real deal!

I feel like Robert is the most honest, genuine and nicest guy on this platform

My man Robert calling out the Lambullshit, no pun intended

Robert, if Lamborghini is bringing a modified STO to do a lap time, they must have modified the SVJ for sure because there is no video to check the analytics of the lap time. They must have done the same with Aventador too. And no picture of which car they used for the lap time. That’s really really disappointing.

THIS IS SO SATISFACTORY

Love the youtube tier 1 press, ´ve been a really big fan of your insights and review Robert, for sure one of my favorite channels ;)

Use the spec to open a new Skunkworks class to all Manufacturers and see what the rest can do. Be good to see Ferrari's effort.

Every manufacturer does stuff like this for 'ring record runs. I'm sure if Lamborghini offered you a flight out to Italy, you would change your opinion in an instant just as you did with SSC.

Lamborghini executive’s watching this like 👁👄👁

I don't know why Lamborghini does this, not just with the STO but both of the Aventador SV and the SVJ were modified, it's not like people view them as record breaking cars like Porsche but fun crazy over the top Italian exotics, they would be selling those cars like hotcake without all this deceiving shit.

I don’t think they would use that car as the timing car lmao, they are too big of a corporation to do something like that

Robert... I was not expecting you would make a video🤣🤣😂 And even though, i am NOT here before you, im still here before Misha and Tim. Lol

The mistake made by the Nurburgring authorities is to have initially implied that the Manthey GT2 RS time was Ok. Now that leaves a huge gray area for others, and it creates incredible confusion in the minds of people who are not specifically informed. I think only times of "OEM" cars should be validated.

Maybe it comes with a Demon-style crate with a bunch of tools, lexan windows, gurney flaps, foam air duct plugs, extra ECU/TCU for race fuel and ABS, and a very expensive roll of racers' tape? (but seriously, nice spot on this one, will be curious to see/hear the explanation if one is actually put forth).

Your claims are only just that, claims. Everything you pointed out can be modified by any car brand. Including your beloved Porsche. I believe almost every car that makes a record attempt at the track is NOT STOCK.

Welcome back now do what you do best and make Lamborghini understand that nobody is invincible when it comes to cheating

Robert Mitchell you have an attention to detail second to none… I thought perhaps the car not being fully painted like a road going car would be was one of them but I was way off maybe haha

that run was even done when several cars like AMG One, 911s, Bugattis, and even a Hyundai and the buffed up GRMN Yaris we're still on the track which means it's just theoretically impossible to achieve such record

Sorry Robert I only trust Motor Trend you’re just a KZfaqr

Could they sell this as an optional package?

Once again the most authoritative supercar voice on KZfaq. Fine work. Considering VW doesn’t really have a clean record when it comes to cheating, this is to be expected. They are totally sketchy.