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Rolls-Royce, Lamborghini utilities await approval from German parents [w/poll]

A cursory look at the top of the automobile market would suggest that the world's carmakers are gunning it full steam ahead into a new stratosphere of ultra-luxury and high-performance utility vehicles. After all, companies like Bentley and Maserati are preparing to launch their very first crossovers, while established players like Mercedes-Benz and Land Rover keep producing ever more expensive sport-utes of their own. But that's not the case across the board.
Rolls-Royce, for example, has yet to receive the green light to start working on its proposed CUV project. Though the dimensions of its sedans may already eclipse those of some crossovers, this would be the first time that Goodwood would produce a utility of its own. But while the British automaker's financial performance may have earned it a degree of autonomy, the final call may still come down to parent company BMW, which just might be waiting to see how Bentley fares with its upcoming crossover - and how much money it brings in to the Volkswagen Group - before deciding on whether or not it should proceed.
However, Rolls-Royce may not be alone in waiting for its German parent company to approve its high-priced ute. It's been two and a half years since we first laid eyes on the Lamborghini Urus (pictured), but the Italian automaker reportedly has not yet received approval from its parent company Audi and the greater Volkswagen Group to proceed with development and production. Envisioned to share its platform with the next Volkswagen Touareg, Audi Q7, Porsche Cayenne and the production version of the Bentley EXP 9 F concept, the high-riding Lamborghini was originally set to reach production as the marque's third model line in 2017. But while Audi drags its feet - potentially waiting to see how the Bentley version pans out - the Urus' launch keeps getting pushed back, if it's ever to be made at all.

Lamborghini Gallardo production ends on No. 14,022

The Lamborghini Gallardo made its debut at the Geneva Motor Show in 2003, after Volkswagen Group's Audi bought the Italian automaker. With a V10 engine, all-wheel drive and relatively high production numbers for a Lamborghini (about 2,000 per year), it easily became the the company's best-selling car. Ten years later, Gallardo production has ended to make room for a new super sportscar that has been seen testing and is widely referred to as the Cabrera (Lamborghini hasn't officially said what it will be called).
The last Gallardo to roll off the assembly line was a LP 570-4 Spyder Performante in Rosso Mars (Mars Red). It's No. 14,022 and will be going to a private collector. In the first four decades of Lamborghini's existence, before the Gallardo was released the year of the company's 40th anniversary, the automaker built an average of 250 cars per year. Do the math and you'll realize that almost half of the roughly 30,000 Lamborghinis built since 1963 are Gallardos.
The Gallardo was continually improved over the years, resulting in ever higher horsepower, direct-injected engines, rear-wheel-drive models and the open-top Spyder, such as the Gallardo LP 550-2 Spyder we tested in 2012.

Infographic: Comparing the Veneno, LaFerrari and P1 supercars

This year's Geneva Motor Show served as the launch platform for three of the world's latest and greatest supercars. The Italians brought us the Lamborghini Veneno and the Ferrari LaFerrari, while the British unveiled the production version of the McLaren P1.
To put the three in better perspective - as if any of us will ever fully comprehend trio of million dollar coupes - the Aussies at Motoring.com built an infographic (click above to enlarge) that outlines what makes each of these cars so spectacular. Using unique colors to represent each of the vehicles, the team put together a variety of charts that focus on vital statistics, pricing, total production run and other parameters all designed to ease the process of digesting an overabundance of exotic goodness. We have uploaded the graphic full size in this link.