Lamborghini auto news

Report: Lamborghini kinda sorta confirms SUV concept coming in April

Rumors typically have a limited shelf life. Either they come to fruition, or they just die off. But not this one. The automotive press has been anticipating a follow-up to the Lamborghini LM002 (pictured above) for decades now, but with anticipation building, they appear to finally be coming to a head this year.

Although not quite an official confirmation, a spokesperson for Lamborghini's parent company Audi has indicated that all the speculation regarding the imminent arrival of a new Lamborghini crossover are, essentially, true. The concept version is expected to debut at the Beijing Motor Show in April with a retuned version of the V10 engine in the Gallardo and an eye on the likes of the Maserati Kubang and BMW X6 - only likely higher-end in its market position.

The decision-making process in Sant'Agata Bolognese was reportedly to build either a crossover or a sedan (previewed by the Estoque concept at the 2008 Paris Motor Show) as a third model line, but the current speculation suggests that Lamborghini could build both, with the four-door sedan to follow a couple of years down the line.

Official: First Mercedes-Benz SL63 AMG in America to be auctioned off at Boca concours

Of all the car shows around the calendar year, the Boca Raton Concours d'Elegance doesn't typically fall on our radar screen. But maybe it should, because the annual event in Florida - young as it is - has a history of offering firsts. Maybe not the first time a vehicle is seen in North America, mind you, but a first just the same.

Last year the event included the sale of the first examples of the Ferrari FF, Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Roadster and Audi R8 GT to be delivered in America. The year before that, it was the Audi R8 5.2 FSI (yeah, that's the one with the V10) and Ferrari California. And before that, the event's auctioneers sold off the first Audi R8 Spyder, Ferrari 458 Italia and Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG.

Noticing a pattern here? Organizers have no intention of dropping the ball this year, when they'll be auctioning off the first U.S. deliveries of the new Mercedes-Benz SL63 AMG. Now if you're thinking that we haven't even seen the new SL63 AMG yet, you're absolutely right. The new SL itself has been shown, but not the AMG version, which is expected to pack Affalterbach's 5.5-liter twin-turbo V8 with 571 horsepower on tap. Once the car has been unveiled and deliveries commence, the winner of the auction is guaranteed to be the first to get one in the United States.

As if that's not enough, there will also be an Audi R8 GT Spyder - one of only 50 slated for production and the only one in red to be made available in the U.S. - as well as a Lamborghini Aventador and a whole mess of special-edition Shelby muscle cars, with proceeds going to the Boys & Girls Clubs of America. Follow the link for more info, or head down on February 25th to see the bidding frenzy at the Boca Raton Resort & Club.

Rumormill: Lamborghini's next model to be "LB 736" SUV instead of Estoque?

It was hinted not long ago that Lamborghini would be bringing a couple of brand new baubles to the Geneva Motor Show. Speculation was that one would certainly be the Aventador Roadster, but the other was more difficult to predict - the standard cries being a production version of the Sesto Elemento, a new sedan or a crossover. Well, we still can't be sure what else is coming to Geneva, but if the magazine scan at the Teamspeed forum can be believed - it comes from Italian mag Quattroroute - a new crossover will be heading our way shortly after the Switzerland expo.

According to the article, Lamborghini will be getting an SUV based on the Audi Q7 platform (just like sister-brand Bentley is expected to do), and it will be revealed at the Beijing Auto Show in April. The ostensible codename is LB 736, and while the official engine spec hasn't been nailed down just yet, we hear it'll be a V10 or electrically assisted V8 with somewhere around 700 horsepower.

The body is reportedly standard Lamborghini-issue aluminum and carbon fiber, with aims of a curb weight under 2,000 kilograms (4,400 pounds), and the completed project will go on sale in 2015. There's a suggestion that it might also come to Geneva instead of Beijing, but since the image is a Photoshop - and, frankly, most of this is speculation - don't be suprised if what we see now is not exactly what we ultimately get... whenever it debuts.

Report: Turbocharged Lamborghini? Not this decade, says Winkelmann

Fear not, Lamborghini fans. According to Stephan Winkelmann, president and CEO of the brand, the company's vehicles will remain naturally aspirated "for now." Winkelmann recently spoke with Autocar, and said that the Raging Bull will remain turbo-free for at least the remainder of the decade. That means we won't see a forced-induction Lamborghini until 2020 at the earliest. That means that it's crystal-clear that the next-generation Gallardo, set to debut in two years or so, will not show up with a turbocharged engine as its heart.

That's interesting news for a number of reasons. Whispers kicking around the web have suggested that the next Audi R8 will receive a smaller-displacement, forced-induction powerplant in the near future and that Lamborghini would share that lump. According to Winkelman, that's not the case. However, with fuel and emissions standards tightening by the moment, Lamborghini may be forced to abandon massive naturally aspirated engines whether it wants to or not.

Rumormill: Lamborghini packing a surprise or two up its sleeve for Geneva?

It was quite a while back that Lamborghini promised it would have something new for every major auto show. That seemed quite the claim at the time, particularly for a company with a two-car model lineup, but with a few exceptions here and there, the Italian automaker has been keeping pace famously. So what has Sant'Agata Bolognese got in store for us for the upcoming Geneva Motor Show? A surprise - or two - from what we hear.

All indications are that the Aventador Roadster is ready to go. With 700 horsepower and no roof, that would be more than enough to garner its fair share of attention and then some. But that's not all.

According to the trusty old rumormill, Lamborghini has got something else in store for Geneva. Just what it is, we don't know. It could be the final production version of the Sesto Elemento, which likely wouldn't be very different from the concept version we've already seen. It could be, as is usually the case, another special edition Gallardo. But it could be a proper new debut.

If it is, we could be looking at the new third model - be it a sedan or a crossover - or maybe the Gallardo's replacement. We'll have to wait and see just what Lamborghini has in store, but if Stephan Winkelmann and company plan on sticking to the formula, they could opt to show the Aventador Roadster at another show and keep the spotlight on whatever surprise they're allegedly working on.

Video: Watch a twin-turbo Lamborghini Gallardo race an Aventador

There's no doubt a stock Lamborghini Gallardo doesn't have the guts to go toe-to-toe with its more powerful sibling, the Aventador. But make no mistake: That's nothing a couple massive turbochargers can't fix.

The twin turbos come courtesy of Heffner Performance, and they turn the Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera into a monster with more than 600 horsepower force fed through the V10 engine and to all four wheels. For the sake of comparison, the naturally aspirated Aventador offers up 691 horsepower straight from the factory.

There's no data on which Heffner kit this Gallardo has been fitted with, so we can't say exactly how many horses it's hiding underhood - it could be as many as 1200. At any rate, after watching the video, all we know is that it's more than 691. See for yourself... and keep the racing confined to the racetrack, please.

Continue reading Watch a twin-turbo Lamborghini Gallardo race an Aventador

Video: Liberty Walk shows us how Japan does Lamborghini customs

Anywhere you find rabid car culture you'll find rabid tuners. Japan's no different, where the make-it-hotter ethos applies to everything. When it comes to Lamborghini, Chrysler, and yes, even the Suzuki Every kei car, Wataru Kato's 18-year-old Liberty Walk shop wants to be the last word in entertainment - not only for owners, but also for visitors.

Liberty Walk designs its own parts and applies them to a range of vehicles that go from the understated to the unbelievable. Kato says he wants his shop to be an amusement park for kids who just want to be around supercars. (We assume he means kids of all ages.)

Follow the jump for a video showcasing his work. If we make it there, we might start by asking to play with Kato's white Ferrari F40...

Continue reading Liberty Walk shows us how Japan does Lamborghini customs

Video: Watch the story of the flaming Lamborghini that won this year's Targa High Country

Not too long ago, we caught the dramatic finish to the Targa High Country in Australia. The last stage of the event featured one very on fire Lamborghini Gallardo piloted by Jason and John White as the duo sped to the finish line. Why didn't the team stop and put out the fire? For starters, White notes there were more fire extinguishers at the finish line than there were in the car. Additionally, the teammates beat out their closest competitor by just 10 seconds. That may be a lifetime on a track, but in targa, ten seconds can be come and go in an instant.

Now the Whites have released a video of the events that led up to the race's dramatic conclusion. The short clip follows the team through the more dramatic moments of the 2011 Targa High Country, including multiple tight passes, wide open driving and tight, technical stages. Check it out after the jump.

Continue reading Watch the story of the flaming Lamborghini that won this year's Targa High Country

Video: Lamborghini Aventador runs all the way up to 230 mph

You ever get the feeling that automakers are understating the performance capabilities of their cars? Some do, and some don't. But it appears that Lamborghini has undershot the v-max on its latest mid-engine V12 supercar, the Aventador LP700-4.

Although Sant'Agata says the Aventador should be capable of topping out at 350 km/h (217 mph), the folks over at Sport Auto, as you can see from the video after the jump, took one all the way up to 370 km/h - that's 230 mph.

As super a car as the Aventador is, those are the kinds of speeds typically recorded by another class of supercar altogether: cars like the McLaren F1 (231 mph), Koenigsegg CCR (241 mph) or Bugatti Veyron (254 mph)... but without the million-dollar price tag that typically goes along with those kinds of bragging rights.

Continue reading Lamborghini Aventador runs all the way up to 230 mph

Report: Murci, Murcy Me: Man wins Lamborghini, wrecks it hours later [w/video]

The Thrill Of Victory. The Agony of Defeat. Rarely does one person get to experience such highs and lows within mere hours of each other, but when it happens, the comedown is often all the more painful. Just ask Santaquin, Utah resident David Dopp. The Frito-Lay truck driver won a green Lamborghini Murciélago LP640 Roadster, grand prize in the "Joe Schmo To Lambo" contest operated by Maverik gas stations and teamgive.org last month.

Dopp, father of six, was finally presented the car on Saturday afternoon, after which he set about driving it around the neighborhood, giving rides to friends. His elation wouldn't last. Less than six hours after taking delivery of the Lamborghini, Dopp lost control of the 640-horsepower Italian, hopped a curb and spun it into an embankment 75 feet from the road. A witness, Miles Davis (yes, really), said that skid marks were evident on the road and that the car ended up facing the wrong direction. Neither Dopp nor his friend in the passenger seat were injured.

Police say the accident was likely "speed-related," although Dopp reportedly says he was only doing 40-50 mph when he lost control of the car on a section of road with a 35-mph speed limit. Dopp maintains he might have hit some black ice or gravel.

While the extent of the damage to the Lamborghini is not immediately clear, local publication Instaquin notes that Dopp has full insurance. To see Dopp's Murci pre-crash, check out the video after the jump.

Continue reading Murci, Murcy Me: Man wins Lamborghini, wrecks it hours later [w/video]