Lamborghini

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Lamborghini SC18 – A One-Off Lambo

Bespoke Lamborghini SC18 Built by Squadra Corse

The Lamborghini SC18 is the latest iteration of what we hope becomes a perpetual lineage of limited-edition and one-off raging bulls. In a relatively short and recent time in Lamborghini’s storied history, we have been treated to the likes of the Veneno (20 were made), and the one-off Egoista and Aventador J.

Commissioned by a very fortunate client, the SC18 is designed to be a completely road-legal car that maximizes track-oriented performance. It therefore seems serendipitous that Squadra Corse – Lamborghini’s racing division – would be the creator-in-chief for this bespoke project.

The canvas on which the SC18 would be imagined is the Aventador SVJ, which most notably is the donor of a 6.5L naturally-aspirated V12 engine; good for over 759-horsepower @ 8,800 rpm and 531 lb-ft of torque @ 6,750 rpm. A single clutch transmission with semi-automatic gearbox delivers power to the SC18’s all-wheel-drive system.

While the chassis is also shared with the SVJ, most of the body elements that are visible have been replaced with pieces that are inspired by the marque’s GT race cars such as the Huracan GT3 and Huracan Super Trofeo EVO. As such, the extensive use of carbon fibre and ultra aggressive splitters, vents and diffusers adorn the car with its massive rear wing providing the final exclamation point. A staggered wheel setup is used for the SC18, with Pirelli-wrapped 20” and 21” center-locking wheels used in the front and rear respectively.

There are no official figures at this time for the SC18 as far as performance and pricing are concerned. We expect that acceleration will be mostly similar, if not the same, as the ‘regular’ Aventador SVJ’s 0-62 mph time of 2.8 seconds, as well as its top speed of 217 mph. With lighter and more aggressive aero bits, we are guessing that the improvements will be most noticeable during the most demanding and g-force-inducing situations at the racetrack.

As for pricing, we don’t expect that type of information to be common knowledge given the nature of this project. With today’s production hypercars demanding 7-figure price tags, one can only begin to speculate what the client has shelled out for their Mona Lisa on wheels. Well, with its custom exhaust which offers a completely “unique” sound, I’m sure he or she is ultimately very happy with what they got.

November 20, 2018 / Comments Off

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Lamborghini Urus ST-X Concept: SUV Racecar Revealed

Lamborghini have announced a concept version of the Urus today. The Lamborghini Urus ST-X Concept is a race car primarily. The ST-X is accompanied by an announcement that Lamborghini are looking to commence a one-make race involving the Urus to begin in 2020.

The Lamborghini Urus ST-X Concept was unveiled at the Lamborghini Squadra Corse World Finals 2018. A racing version of the company’s new SUV, Lamborghini conceive a single-brand championship with an on-track and off-road element, taking place at FIA circuits in Europe an the Middle East.

Lamborghini set out a vision of an “arrive and drive” event formula where customer cars are prepared and technical support provided to allow owners to simply turn up at the track and race over the weekend.

Lamborghini Urus ST-X Concept

The Lamborghini Urus ST-X Concept does away with the complicated and fussy styling of the front grille, exposing the radiators in the process. Lamborghini have also fitted new side sills, front bonnet and rear diffuser. The paintwork is a matt finish Verde Martin with elements of exposed visible carbon fibre.

The V8, which sits under the new carbon fibre hood, gets the same output as the road version, 650 hp with 850 Nm of torque. With a planned 25 % weight reduction it should feel considerably quicker.

Lamborghini also plan to fit a new set of racing exhausts, 21 inch centre locking aluminium wheels as well as the usual motorsport safety elements, including steel roll cage, fire suppression system, and FT3 fuel tank.

Lamborghini will now work on the Concept to bring it to reality. They have set a target in the sense that they plan to put the Urus ST-X out for its track debut during the 2019 Lamborghini World Finals.

November 19, 2018 / Comments Off

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Lamborghini SC18 Alston is a ferocious first from Squadra Corse

Lamborghini has worked up a number of limited-editions and one-offs over the past decade, from the run-of-20 Veneno to the one-of-one Egoista and Aventador J. The standard production-car division worked up those previous efforts. Now, Lamborghini’s racing division, Squadra Corse, has dreamed up a one-off for the first time as a commission for a client. Called the SC18 Alston, the Aventador-based coupe starts at the marker laid down by the SVJ and takes a few barbarous steps beyond.

The point, apparently, was a road-going car with maximum track performance. Squadra Corse designers, working with the customer and Lamborghini Centro Stile, penned an aero package that borrows elements from Huracán race cars. The front hood air intakes were derived from the Huracán GT3 EVO, while the side and rear fenders, the fins and the scoops take inspiration from the Huracán Super Trofeo EVO. The three-stanchion wing hearkens to the Veneno, the rear taillight pattern and valance curve reference the Centenario, and the way the rear wing endplates rise from the fenders suggests the Bugatti Vision GT.

The power unit comes untouched from the Aventador SVJ, meaning a 6.5-liter V12 with 759 horsepower and 531 pound-feet of torque, shifting through the seven-speed ISR gearbox. An engine cover with 12 vents, also derived from the racing programs, keeps the fury cool, and a new exhaust design produces a new sound.

Lighter carbon fiber bodywork drenched in Grigio Daytona hides the internals and reduces weight. Screenprinted red accents on the body panels coordinate with accents on the center-lock wheels — 20 inches in front, 20 in back — and specially developed Pirelli P Zero tires. The cabin’s been dressed in Nero Ade Alcantara with red cross-stitching, and a pair of carbon fiber buckets.

There’s nothing not to like here, and we suspect this won’t be the last unique effort we see from the Squadra Corse brand.

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November 19, 2018 / Comments Off

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Lamborghini Aventador SVJ full onboard record lap at Nürburgring

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ventador SVJ laps the Nürburgring Nordschleife in 6:44:97 minutes under the formal scrutiny of Remak personnel who managed time and GPS certification using VBOX-Racelogic instrumentation. The new king of the ‘Ring’ driver was Marco Mapelli that managed the challenge with Lamborghini’s Research and Development team and the extensive tire support from Pirelli technicians and driver.

October 30, 2018 / Comments Off

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TopCar Lamborghini Urus Revealed with Military Green Paint and Camo Carbon!

The first tuned Lamborghini Urus has arrived! Russian tuner TopCar revealed their design for the Lamborghini Urus some time ago. The vision is now reality! Finished in a semi-matte Military Green colour, the Lamborghini Urus looks more extreme than what Lamborghini delivers through its showrooms.

TopCar have obviously been working flat out to put together their first tuning package for a Lamborghini. The package includes a new bonnet (or hood depending on which part of the world you come from), front and rear fender extensions, door moldings, rear top spoiler and diffuser. What’s more, TopCar plan to show another Urus soon which will add modifications to the bottom part of the front bumper, a larger rear diffuser, side skirts and a new front and rear bumperset.

Military Green Lamborghini Urus

12 pieces are currently on offer. Prices have also been announced and range from €9,160 for the carbon fibre front bumper to €1,400 for the door mouldings. All components are produced in carbon fibre and can be installed individually. If you like one element, but not the rest, TopCar can cater for you.

If you baulked at the price of the carbon fibre bonnet, you might want to look a little closer.

While the overall package is impressive, it is the attention to detail that makes the TopCar Lamborghini Urus so impressive to us. In the photos below you will notice that the carbon fibre work on the underside of the bonnet has been constructed in such a way as to create a camouflage effect. The effect is created by a special carbon Kevlar weave.

October 17, 2018 / Comments Off

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VW Group plan puts Porsche in charge of a ‘super-premium’ division

An Automobile report looks into what’s happening on the organizational and technical sides of the Volkswagen Group, and what those changes could mean for the premium brands. The wide-angle view is that Porsche appears to have been anointed to “coordinate the future activities” at Audi, Bentley, Bugatti and Lamborghini. Audi would cede Lamborghini guardianship to Stuttgart, and Ducati — via a new concern called Ducati Enterprises — would become the shepherd for VW’s other Italian investments. Executives target Jan. 1, 2019, to complete the reshuffle.

VW wants to save a boodle by tying up four of its five top-tier brands, and putting the one with the highest ROI in charge. Porsche, within its own house, wants to reduce expenditures by $2.3 billion per year over for four years, the savings already earmarked for improving internal processes like R&D and production. Having Porsche share those gains as well as lead development of platforms, components and future-tech strategies for the sister sports car brands could benefit everyone.

In the near-term, the brands have their own plans:

Bugatti CEO Stephan Winkelmann is said to want a Chiron Superleggera, a roofless and “completely reskinned” Chiron Aperta, and a track-only Chiron SS. The Superleggera could take the Chiron Sport‘s and Divo‘s Jenny Craig routines even further. The Aperta seems a natural successor to the Veyron Grand Sport, a natural evolution of the recently introduced Sky View roof, and a reskin might include numerous Divo cues. It’s also said Bugatti’s considering “an all-electric high-end model” in conjunction with Porsche, Rimac, and Dallara, but name one supercar or hypercar manufacturer that isn’t considering a lightning-fast EV.

Lamborghini, deep into work on follow-ups for the Huracán and Aventador, might get a bit of a bump with the new plan. The carbon “monofuselage” for the next V12 flagship is said to be too far developed and too complex to scrap. It puts two electric motors on the front axle, batteries in the middle, and a naturally aspirated V12 with around 770 horsepower plus another e-motor with 402 horsepower in back.

The Huracán is said to get a version of the same carbon architecture at the moment, but the corporate reorganization might press pause on it. Automobile says options include continuing the Huracán/Audi R8 twinning, but that depends on Audi saying “Ja” to a third-gen R8 with Lamborghini bones. Beyond that, the Huracán could move to the Mimo II platform created by Porsche for the in-limbo-since-2011 mid-engined 960, or the entire premium group could get a new aluminum architecture for a “modular multi-brand sports car.”

Bentley and Audi need the most help at the moment. The UK carmaker needs to flesh out its current financial issues and vision for the future, and the latter relies in large part on the former. Audi remains in upheaval — the Automobile piece calls the brand “seriously overstaffed and worryingly over budget.” — and we can’t know when that will end. The ex-CEO who made the brand VW’s highest earner remains in jail, and we wouldn’t be surprised by any new bombshell that drops when he gets his days, or weeks, in court.

A total reintegration, if it all comes off, means monumental work. Yet according to a Bloomberg corporate analyst, potential rewards from going all the way with the plan might make it impossible to resist. Bloomberg said that if VW created a premium group and floated it on the markets, the result “could be valued at more than 120 billion euros,” when the stock market capitalization of the entire VW Group right now is 67 billion euros.

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September 11, 2018 / Comments Off

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Lamborghini Aventador SVJ Officially Revealed

Lamborghini have officially released details of their long await Aventador SVJ. The release comes at the start of Monterey Car Week 2018 and off the back of news that it broke the Nürburgring-Nordschleife lap record for production cars. What’s more, a special edition version will be available of this special edition supercar!

The Lamborghini Aventador SVJ will make its debut today at “The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering”. The Aventador SVJ, uses the traditional SV badging, adding the ‘Jota’ suffix. A special edition version, named SVJ 63, is also set to be unveiled on the concept lawn at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. It pays homage to Lamborghini’s founding year of 1963 and will be replicated just 63 times.

Lamborghini Aventador SVJ

The newest generation of Lamborghini’s V12 powered Aventador will be available in a limited edition run of 900 copies. Each will come fitted with a 770 hp naturally aspirated V12 engine producing 720 Nm of torque. Dry weight is reduced to 1,525 kg which will allow a 100 km/h sprint in 2.8 seconds and a 200 km/h sprint in just 8.6 seconds. Top speed is comfortably above 350 km/h.

Compared to the older Aventador SV, the SVJ gets a 40% improvement on downforce at both axles with an improved drag coefficient. Lamborghini have acheived this will a new front bumper incorporating side fins. The biggest improvement is achieved through the Aerodinamica Lamborghini Attiva (ALA) system. The upper body optimisation alone contributes to 70% of the downforce improvements.

You will notice bigger side air intakes and a new front side fin. There is improved underbody aero with vortex generators which work in conjunction with front diffusers and the extreme-design rear diffuser. The rear wing emulates the Lamborghini Veneno in design and the side winglets have been optimised to reduce turbulence. The exhaust system saves a significant amount of weight.

Lamborghini’s new ALA system ‘Aerodinamica Lamborghini Attiva 2.0’ is its most advanced yet. It features new optimized air inlets and aero channel designs together with bespoke calibrations.

The Lamborghini Aventador SVJ gets a new titanium intake valve, a modified intake cylinder head duct and an optimized seven-speed Independent Shifting Road (ISR) gearbox. It’s suspension is reworked with a 50% improved anti-roll bar and 15% higher damping force range. The SVJ also features Lamborghini’s rear-wheel steering (LRS) and four-wheel drive system.

Lamborghini’s driving modes, Strada, Sport and Corsa, are joined by an EGO option allowing custom setups. The Navigation System and Infotainment System include AppleCarPlay together with a Lamborghini telemetry system as an optional extra.

The first customers will take delivery of the new Lamborghini Aventador SVJ at the beginning of 2019. In Europe, it will cost 349,116 euros net of tax.

August 24, 2018 / Comments Off

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Dusty Lamborghini Countach uncovered after decades

Check the attic carefully, because your grandparent’s just might have an Italian supercar hidden in plain site. That seems to be the case with this Reddit user – who goes by the name egriegin – when she posted a photo of one very dusty Lamborghini Countach, with the intriguing headline “Despite the dust and rush, grandma’s 1981 Lamborghini Countach is the coolest.” So what’s the story? Well, don’t get too excited, because the car is not for sale (yet).

August 13, 2018 / Comments Off

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Millions of dollars of smuggled exotica crushed in the Philippines

Here at Supercars.net – in case you haven’t noticed – we love supercars.

That’s why this footage of millions of dollars worth of supercars, classic cars and other precious metal is so painful to watch.

More than 60 luxury and high performance cars and motorbikes were destroyed by Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte as part of an anti-corruption campaign.

The expensive metal had been smuggled into the country illegally in attempts to evade the country’s tax regime that makes buying and importing high value cars prohibitively expensive.

Any car costing more than 2.1 million Philippine Piso (around $39,550) is classified as a luxury vehicle, and hit with a PhP 512,000 tax, plus a further levy of 60% on any amount above PhP 2.1 million.

For something like a base model Porsche 911 Carrera, on sale in the US from $91,100, that would push its cost from the PhP 4.8 million price tag up to PhP 8.25 million – or $155,400 at today’s exchange rate.

The Philippines tax on luxury cars means vehicles like the Porsche 911 Carrera are significantly more expensive to buy

If you can’t bear to watch the footage then turn away – in the clip cars sentenced to a crumpled end by bulldozer include a Lamborghini Gallardo, a Porsche 911 Carrera S, a Mercedes-Benz S-Class, Nissan 350Z and a Ford Mustang from what we can see.

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And this isn’t the first time Duterte has put on such a public display of automotive destruction in the name of combatting corruption. As the clip below attests, he has form for this kind of thing.

Beware – clip includes graphic footage of a C3 Corvette meeting its end.

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August 2, 2018 / Comments Off

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Watch the Lamboghini Aventador SVJ break the Nurburgring lap record

The revolution will be televised. Lamborghini has posted the video of the Aventador SVJ breaking the Nürburgring lap record. With factory-backed race driver Marco Mapelli behind the wheel and a host of Pirelli engineers in support, the kaleidoscope-colored coupe posted a time of 6:44.97. Apparently the only difference between the production-spec SVJ and the record-setter is the tires: The retail SVJ will come with Pirelli P Zero Corsa rubber, the lap-flyer got shod with what we expect to be optional P Zero Trofeo R hoops. That’s a little more than two seconds faster than the 6:47.3 set by the Porsche 911 GT2 RS — that car having taken the lap record from the Lamborghini Huracán Performante.

Since Lamborghini hasn’t revealed the Aventador SVJ, and won’t until Monterey Car Week in August, we still don’t have details on the special-edition car’s specs. It is clear, however, that the SVJ is lighter and gets more grunt from its 6.5-liter V12 than the 3,836-pound, 740-horsepower Aventador S. We can look forward to a long list of carbon fiber and whiz-bang materials applications, plus info on the carmaker’s tweaked ALA 2.0 active aerodynamics system ported over from the Huracán.

For now, though, the unofficial teasers and the official teasers have been proved. We have high-definition video of what the SVJ is capable of on the German track in the right professional hands, and VBOX telemetry information to go with it. Enjoy.

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July 31, 2018 / Comments Off

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Lamborghini debuting limited-edition hypercar soon?

Rumor, anonymous sources, and Internet probing point to Lamborghini preparing a new limited-edition hypercar in the vein of the Centenario, Veneno, and Sesto Elemento. At the Frankfurt Motor Show last year, the carmaker’s head of R&D told Car Advice, “Soon we will present to our most important customers a new version of what we call a one-off.” The Supercar Blog reports Lamborghini did just that a few weeks ago at a private event in Italy. An anonymous source said the vehicle is codenamed LB48H, and looks like the 2017 Terzo Millennio concept.

Assuming all of this is true, whatever’s coming won’t be a genuine one-off. Remember, the Sant’ Agata brand made 40 Centenarios, four Venenos, and 20 Sesto Elementos. The only true one-off for recent sale was the 2012 Aventador J.

According to The Supercar Blog, Lamborghini will make 63 of this newest revelation. We checked the production runs for every Lamborghini, no previous model got exactly 63 units. But the company started production in 1963 with the 350 GTV. The same way the Centenario referenced the 100th anniversary of Feruccio Lamborghini’s birth, the LB48H could celebrate the company’s beginnings in the second millennium — a natural tie-in with the Terzo Millennio (Third Millennium) inspiration.

The name, and an Instagram post, bolster suspicions. Lamborghini’s already said the next-gen Aventador due in 2020 and Huracán due in 2022 will get naturally-aspirated engines with hybrid power. We also know alphanumeric Lamborghini vehicle names identify aspects of the car. In the hybrid Asterion LPI 910-4 concept from 2014, the LP stood for longintudinale posteriore, as with current production models, the I stood for the Italian word for hybrid, Ibrido, the 910 for the horsepower. With the LB48H, we take the the L we know, we’ll take the H for Hybrid. So what do the B and 48 represent?

On June 18, Miguel Costa, who appears to head Lamborghini’s Lisbon, Portugal dealership, published an Instagram post that said, “We made it possible! Soon!” For hashtags, he wrote, #masterpiece, #lamborghini, #lamborghinilisboa, and #lb48h. The #masterpiece and #lb48h hashtags soon disappeared from the post. When Jalopnik asked Lamborghini about the situation, the automaker said, “We are not confirming this.”

The Italian automaker uses these specials to preview design and technology elements headed for the range; the Centenario introduced rear-wheel steering that made its way to the Aventador S, for instance. The car itself is expected to cost around $2.5 million and go into production by the end of this year, with deliveries at the end of next year. We’re told that more viewings for prospective clients will happen soon in New York and Tokyo, and by the time we see it, it’ll be sold out.

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June 29, 2018 / Comments Off

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Electric Lamborghini? Maybe Next Time

So just when we thought we’d have a competitor to the Tesla Model S, we get terrible news. Auto News reports that Lamborghini has no plans to go full electric because battery technology today can’t provide the power that Lamborghini customers expect. Maurizio Reggiani, Director Research and Development, says,

“Our target is to deliver a super sports car, and these specifications don’t exist with a battery package in terms of energy and power”

Right now, Lamborghini is waiting on vast improvements in electric technology before going down the path of producing a full-electric supercar. The hard part is that roaring V10 and V12s provide something that electric cars don’t: sound which can convert to a supercar’s ‘soul’.

Is this nonsense or do you feel that a supercar should emote something to the driver to be connected? Is brute force enough to provide that emotion?

Let us know!

June 7, 2018 / Comments Off

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VIDEO: Lamborghini Urus 2018 Review

Shock, horror: Lamborghini has made an SUV. The new Lamborghini Urus is the company’s first off-roader since the LM002, but this time it’s totally different. The twin-turbocharged V8 Urus is based on other VW-group SUVs, like the Audi Q7, Porsche Cayenne and perhaps it’s closest luxury rival, the Bentley Bentayga. Lamborghini wants it to be the best handling car in its class, and among the best 4x4s off toad too. We try it on track, on the road, and off road too, to see if Lamborghini’s claims stack up.

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May 7, 2018 / Comments Off

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Lamborghini confirms next-gen Aventador and Huracan to be PHEVs

It’s official, Lamborghini CEO Stefano Domenicali confirmed to Top Gear magazine that the next-generation Aventador and Huracán will get plug-in hybrid powertrains. Autocar reported last October that the next Huracán would get “next-generation” batteries to aid its naturally aspirated V10 when it debuts around 2022. The fate of the Aventador S’s successor, however, was unclear beyond the certainty of it featuring a mid-mounted V12. Now we know it will get a naturally aspirated V12 with electric help when it arrives in 2020 or so, and both cars will boast a small all-electric range.

Top Gear imagined how much each coupe could gain — both in weight and in power — by mating each car’s current engine with the 134-horsepower electric motor and 14-kWh lithium-ion battery pack from the Porsche Panamera Turbo S e-hybrid. TG figures the Aventador S replacement would go from 730 hp and 508 pound-feet of torque to 860 hp and 566 lb-ft. That’s the good news. The bad news is that Porsche said the hybrid system adds 661 pounds to the weight of the Panamera. Tack that onto the Lamborghini, and an Aventador S goes up a weight class to 4,354 pounds. The new Huracán output stretches from 602 hp and 412 lb-ft to 728 hp and 471 lb-ft, and 3,796 pounds.

Judged on the results of that purely imaginary fancy, Top Gear says the numbers “well and truly stack up.” We think that given the chance to add 130 horsepower at the price of putting a Harley-Davidson Fat Boy in the trunk — or the weight of second complete engine — we might ask if there were other tradeoffs available. We’re certain Lamborghini’s working all the angles, though, and confident the Sant’ Agata carmaker will translate its actual figures into another duo of brutal, bewitching sports cars.

The brand is looking beyond the near-term hybrids to what could come after, as well. Domenicali said he doesn’t believe there will be sufficient potential in electric powertrains until 2026, but he’s ready with concepts like the Terzo Millennio whenever the powertrains are. Lamborghini’s also working with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to “write an important page in the future of super sports cars for the third millennium,” suspected to center on lightweight materials, solid-state batteries, and alternative fuels. On that last note, Domenicali’s already eyeing the potential of using hydrogen fuel cells in the distant future.

Note the absence of the word “turbocharger” from any discussion of the brand’s future out to the 2030s. Said Chief Technical Officer Maurizio Reggiani, “As long as I’m technical director, our super sports cars will not have a turbocharged engine. It’s about emotion. If you don’t have emotion, then you have nothing.”

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April 24, 2018 / Comments Off

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1999 Lamborghini Diablo GT

Number 12 of only 80 examples ever produced, this impeccable 1999 Lamborghini Diablo GT is being offered on auction by RM Sotheby’s on 12 May 2018 in Monaco. With only 171 miles under its wheels from new, this all-black badass ride is likely the lowest mileage Diablo GT in existence, making it even more unique & desirable.

Known as the wildest iteration of the Diablo, the completely race-oriented GT model features a modified aggressive carbon fiber bodywork and an enlarged V12 engine sending 575-hp (465 lb-ft of torque) to the rear wheels, matched with a 5-speed transmission.

Other details include a carbon fiber front air dam with large brake ducts, huge air extractor in the front luggage compartment lid, widened fenders, rear carbon fiber diffuser & spoiler, ram air duct protruding above the roof, and special 3-piece OZ wheels. Diablo GT’s stripped-down interior has carbon fiber panels and race-spec bucket seats with 4-point seatbelt harnesses, and probably smells like victory!

Bid Here

Photos by Tim Scott / RM Sotheby’s

April 7, 2018 / Comments Off

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Official: 2019 Lamborghini Huracan Performante Spyder

Bologna is coming out with something crazier for 2019!

Revealed during the Geneva Motor Show, Lamborghini has created a brutal, hard-core version of the Huracán, just with the ability to feel the air slice through your hair. Well, you might as well be, since this is a roof-less version called the Huracán Performante Spyder.

Lamborghini-Huracan-Performante-Spyder — Lamborghini Huracan Performante Spyder

While we gaze upon the beauty that is a convertible Lamborghini, let’s look at some cool tech involved with this:

Active aerodynamics called ‘Aerodinamica Lamborghini Attiva’, which shapes the air in favor of the car for drag reduction and increased downforce
Still has a naturally aspirated V10 engine from the Performante hardtop, producing 640 horsepower and a dual-clutch transmission
Has carbon fiber goodies everywhere, to reduce weight in comparison to the regular Spyder version (77 lbs. lighter)
Still expensive at $308,859 plus taxes

While the crew here at Supercars.Net are looking forward to this new release, we’ll just live vicariously through others. For now, let’s enjoy what Lamborghini is offering to their clientele.

March 7, 2018 / Comments Off

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Lamborghini drops the top on the Huracan Performante Spyder

How could Lamborghini make its Huracán Performante even more special? Simply by introducing a topless Spyder variant. The manufacturer suggests the engine note can be heard better with the top open. The Performante is the hot Huracán, its 5.2-liter V10 producing a handsome 640 horsepower, and our 2017 review described the Performante as the character-adding boost the Huracán model line so required. Part of that is due to its ALA active aerodynamics system, or Aerodinamica Lamborghini Attiva. Lamborghini says the downforce-aiding system, which features active flaps on the splitter and the rear wing, is retained in the Spyder version.

As seen in the regular Huracán Spyder, the fabric roof is electro-hydraulic, and according to the manufacturer it only takes 17 seconds to deploy, which can be done at driving speeds of up to 30 mph. Much like the BMW i8 Roadster’s setup, it also has an independently movable rear glass, which functions as a wind deflector when the roof is opened. But there’s more to wind control than just the glass: there are two movable, speedster style fins that rise up from behind the seat backs, continuing the roofline from where it left off. The fins also include an integrated duct that works to reduce cabin turbulence, and two wind guards dampen “aerodynamic pulsations.” Lamborghini says this is to enable conversation even at high speeds, even as one imagines there would be precious little idle chatter when the Performante really performs.

The removal of the fixed roof has added 275 pounds to the dry weight of the Performante, but compared to the regular-issue Spyder, the car is 77 pounds lighter thanks to extensive, Performante-specific use of carbon fiber. Lamborghini says the top speed of 202 mph is unchanged; 0-62 mph takes 0.2 seconds more and is now reached in 3.1 seconds. The 200-kph or 124-mph benchmark takes 9.3 seconds. The first cars will be available in the summer, with a suggested retail price of $308,859.

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March 6, 2018 / Comments Off

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Pope Francis gets a papal-themed Lamborghini Huracan

Lamborghini picked a special recipient for the newest and rarest version of its Huracán RWD, giving an ultra limited-edition version of the supercar to Pope Francis in a ceremony Wednesday at the Vatican attended by company executives.

The new Popemobile, it’s not. Fittingly, according to Catholic News Agency, it’s the seventh version of the Huracán, the Italian company’s entry-level model. It’s set to be auctioned at RM Sotheby’s on May 12, 2018, with orders from the Holy See to split the proceeds between three charitable causes: restoring villages on the Nineveh Plain in Iraq, helping victims of human trafficking and supporting missionary work in Africa.

The papal Huracán RWD is done in Monocerus white with Tiberio yellow stripes running along the hood, roof and body, reflecting the colors of the flag of Vatican City. It was blessed and autographed by the pontiff in the presence of Lamborghini Chairman and CEO Stefano Domenicali, board members and two employees who helped build the car.

The Huracán is the successor to the Gallardo, Lamborghini’s best-selling model of all time, with a design inspired by the hexagonal form of the carbon atom. It’s powered by a naturally aspirated, 5.2-liter V10 that makes 602 horsepower and 413 pound-feet of torque. Normally, the sports car starts $199,800. But a version blessed and autographed by the pope? Priceless…

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November 15, 2017 / Comments Off

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2018 Lamborghini Huracán Performante Second Drive | The Lambo of the moment

Down the front straight, past the pits, over the start/finish line, sixth gear at 140 mph. Suddenly, the shrieking wail of the 2018 Lamborghini Huracán Performante’s mid-mounted V-10 and hits me right between the eyes. It’s an easy shot, since I’m wearing an open-face helmet.

Speed is not a problem for the Performante. This new lighter and more powerful version of the Huracán is the best-performing Lambo of all time. It just set the new production-car record around the Nürburgring Nordschleife of 6 minutes, 52.1 seconds. That’s 35 seconds quicker than the standard Huracán. And Lambo says it can accelerate from 0 to 62 mph in 2.9 seconds, which is as quick as the Aventador S. Its 202-mph top speed still lags the top end of the V-12-powered Aventador by 15 mph, but does it really matter?

Completely flat, smooth as glass and just 1.8 miles around, Thermal’s South Palm Circuit isn’t exactly the Nordschleife, but the bathrooms are much fancier. Built in 2014, the luxurious Thermal Motorsports Club outside of Palm Springs, Calif., is an ideal facility for us to taste the 2018 Huracán Performante. If owners of the $274,390 supercar want a safe and controlled environment to wring out their new toy, chances are it will be at private amusement parks such as this.

In the age of twin-turbos, the Huracán’s naturally aspirated V10 is a (glorious) anachronism. In the Performante, it has been cranked up to 640 hp at 8,000 rpm and 442 lb-ft of torque at 6,500 rpm, a 30-hp and 40-lb-ft increase over the standard all-wheel-drive model, and it’s all above 6,000 rpm.
Displacement remains 5.2 liters, but Lambo’s engineers added lighter titanium intake valves, more aggressive camshafts, a less-restrictive air intake and a lighter freer-flowing exhaust system. The engine’s compression ratio remains a stratospheric 12.7:1, and it runs into a very aggressive rev limiter at 8,500 rpm.

The Performante is 88 pounds lighter than the standard Huracán Coupe thanks to liberal use of the company’s patented Forged Composite, which it calls the lightest, strongest and most innovative material ever used by Lamborghini. Chopped fibers embedded in a matrix of resins, it’s sort of like carbon fiber 2.0, although its finish looks like high-tech camo with golden flecks. It’s all over the Performante, including its massive rear spoiler, rear bumper and diffuser, front spoiler and its engine cover, which weights 21 percent less than the piece it replaced. Inside you see more Forged Composite on the dash, doors and console.

Lambo also stiffened up the Performante’s suspension by 10 percent, the sway bars are 15 percent more aggressive and the A-arm bushings are 50 percent stiffer. But the coolest piece of the Performante, and what’s really going to wow the crowd at local Cars and Coffee, is the new active aerodynamics system.
Officially called Aerodynamica Lamborghini Attive (ALA), the patented system opens and closes a flap in the front spoiler depending on conditions. When closed, the spoiler creates downforce for high-speed cornering and full brake conditions. When the small electric motor opens the flaps, which takes 0.2 second, it redirects the airflow through an internal channel and the underside of the car. This reduces drag, increasing acceleration and top speed.

The fully automatic system also controls two internal ducts connected to inner channels of the rear wing. When the flaps are closed, the fixed rear wing works in a traditional manner, creating downforce and aiding cornering and braking. Lambo says it generates 750 percent more vertical downforce than the wingless standard Huracán Coupe.

In high-throttle conditions, ALA opens the flaps, which routes the air through the rear wing’s inner channels and through ridges underneath the wing, reducing drag. But here’s the cool part: The air channel is split left and right and the flaps work independently, allowing aero vectoring for high-speed cornering. The ALA system can increase downforce and traction on the inside wheel, counteracting the natural cornering forces.

After 10 laps, it’s hard not to be madly in love with this ridiculously antisocial supercar. Lambo says it weighs 3,047 pounds dry, and out on the track it feels small and light. Not exactly Miata miniature, but it’s tossable and it likes to turn on the brakes. It also understeers a bit on power out just to keep you alive, but it will drift if you chuck it in and get back on the power quickly. Do it, it’s also easy to catch with a small amount of counter steer.

Our codriver agrees. Sinya Sean Michemi races a Huracán in Lamborghini’s Blancpain Super Trofeo North America. “Compared to the original Huracán, it feels quite a bit less understeery,” he yells over the Performante’s screaming V-10, which is mounted just inches behind our heads.

Most of the corners on this circuit are handled in second gear, although there are two good, long straights where we touch sixth gear and get to enjoy the upper-rpm pull and full song of the big V-10. The straights also reveal the silky and rapid gear changes from the Lambo’s dual-clutch 7-speed, which Lambo geared perfectly to keep that goddess of an engine above 6,000 rpm.

There’s also a three-apex right-hander with a fast third-gear entry at the end of the backstraight. It’s the most challenging section of the track, and the Performante’s stability is impressive as we enter hard on the brakes and drop it down to second to finish the corner hard on the power. It’s massive 20-inch Pirelli P Zero Corsa’s are incredibly forgiving, and the compliance of the suspension over the track’s tall curbing is a nice surprise.

It’s almost stupid how easy it is to drive this car fast. The Huracán’s gargantuan cross-drilled carbon-ceramic brakes are foolproof, with telepathic pedal feel and awesome heat resistance even after constant lapping on a 100-degree day. There was a time not too many years ago that Lamborghini brakes would have caught fire and failed under such conditions.

Lamborghini’s ANIMA system offers three modes: Strada, Sport and Corsa. In Strada, Lambo says traction and stability are prioritized, and it’s easy to find the point at which its electronic watchdogs step in on the track. In Sport, the all-wheel-drive system offers a more rear-wheel-drive bias, and the stability control system loosens up enough for some light rotation. Also, the transmission will upshift for you, even in manual mode. In Corsa, the transmission is completely manual, and the stability control allows for plenty of oversteer.

Lamborghini says demand for the Performante is high. However, buyers should know that there’s a Spyder version coming and it’s sure to steal thunder from this hardtop, especially in the States.

But the Performante’s real issue is Lamborghini’s new SUV, which will begin to overshadow the supercar the instant it is unveiled on Dec. 4. The much-anticipated Urus is the Italian automaker’s most important new product since the Countach in 1974, and according to Alessandro Farmeschi, the COO of Lamborghini North America, it’ll double the company’s production when it goes on sale next year.

When that bomb drops, the Huracán Performante will no longer be the Lambo of the moment. Its 15 minutes will be up. Hell, that game clock is already ticking. But until then, let’s enjoy the Performante for what it is: Lamborghini’s best sports car ever. It’s a masterpiece—a masterpiece with unfortunate timing.

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November 1, 2017 / Comments Off

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Lamborghini prototype’s exhaust suggests Aventador Performante is in the works

Lamborghini made waves with the introduction of its Huracán Performante, and more specifically, its stunning Nürburgring lap time that challenged million-dollar hypercars. Now, based on these new spy shots, it seems Lamborghini will build upon the success of the Huracán with a Performante version of the bigger, more powerful Aventador. Although the early roadster and later coupe look stock, they feature an exhaust that gives away what’s under the skin.

At the back, we can see the standard center-exit exhaust used on every normal Aventador, and even the previous top-tier Aventador, the SV. But above that is a strange metal box with slats and a pair of circles cut out. This box appears to hide the car’s real exhaust. And if that’s the case, they’re positioned in the very same location as on the smaller Huracán Performante.

Using the Huracán Performante as a model, we expect the Aventador version will make more horsepower than the regular Aventador S. The Huracán Performante made 28 more horsepower than the standard all-wheel-drive version, so we wouldn’t be surprised to see just as much of an increase for the Aventador, which would put it at about 770 horsepower. The Aventador Performante will also likely use the Huracán’s fancy active aerodynamics that can adjust downforce on the left and right sides independently in corners, and naturally there will be a giant wing at the back.

Another interesting thing to note about these prototypes is the use of both a coupe and a roadster. We’ve seen a nearly production-ready Huracán Performante Spyder out testing, so it wouldn’t be out of the question for Lamborghini to do the same for the Aventador. But it’s surprising to see Lamborghini testing one this early when we only ever saw Huracán prototypes in coupe guise ahead of the coupe’s full reveal.

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September 15, 2017 / Comments Off

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