Lamborghini Countach Replica Built On Fiero Gt V6 on 2040-cars

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Lamborghini weighs first factory-backed Le Mans entry

Lamborghini could expand its racing program by competing in the World Endurance Championship (WEC). The Italian company has never been able to justify funding the development of an LMP1-spec prototype from the ground up, but the hypercar category the WEC will launch in 2020 makes competing in high-profile races like the 24 Hours of Le Mans much more affordable. The new class created to pick up where LMP1 will leave off has piqued the interest of Lamborghini boss Stefano Domenicali. He told British magazine Autocar that his team is taking a careful look at the regulations, and company officials will decide whether to go racing by the end of 2019. The hypercar category will replace LMP1 during the 2020/2021 season, and its guidelines call for racers that look like production models. They'll need to weigh under 2,160 pounds, and they'll be allowed to use active aerodynamic technology, which Lamborghini already uses on production models like the Aventador SVJ, the Huracan Performante, and the Huracan Evo. Domenicali hinted a car similar to the one-off, Aventador-based SC18 (pictured) introduced in late 2018 could take Lamborghini racing. It shows the company has "a base for what could be an interesting approach," he told Autocar. Created at the request of a customer, the SC18 delivers 770 horsepower and 531 pound-feet of torque thanks to the Aventador's naturally-aspirated, 6.5-liter V12. If Lamborghini chooses to race, it will need to fend off competition from Aston Martin and Toyota, among others. Aston Martin confirmed it will compete in the hypercar category with an evolution of the 1,160-horsepower Valkyrie, while Toyota is busily transforming the Super Sport concept into a hypercar-spec racer. Unverified reports suggest McLaren and Ferrari could also join the fray sooner or later. While Lamborghini's history isn't rooted in racing, and it has never operated a full, factory-backed WEC program, its cars have competed in the 24 Hours of Le Mans and other endurance events on several occasions. Die-hard fans will remember the Murcielago R-GT that raced at Le Mans between 2006 and 2009. It was more show than go, and it finished near (or at) the bottom of the pack. Auto News Motorsports Lamborghini Le Mans lmp1

Valentino Balboni thinks the Miura greatest Lambo ever

Valentino Balboni spent 40 years at Lamborghini, a few years as a mechanic's apprentice at the beginning, then as a test driver at the request of old man Ferrucio himself. He is embedded in the brand, said to have driven 80 percent of the company's entire production until he retired in 2009. He has ridden and tamed so many bulls that they named one after him, the 2010 Lamborghini Gallardo LP550-2 Valentino Balboni, and even made it rear-wheel drive because that's how he likes it. Balboni spoke to Road & Track in advance of an auction in New York on November 19 that will see a 1969 Miura P400S go on the block. A fixture from the days when mad men weren't merely characters on a television show, Balboni discusses taking customers for test drives, being sent on warranty calls, his favorite car, and why there will never be another one like it. Head over to RT to read the full interview from the man who helped make the original Countach, and therefore Lamborghini, what it is today. And in case you want in on the action, the pre-sale estimate for the centerpiece Miura is $800,000 to $1.6 million. Related Video:

At Lamborghini, gasoline is going, going, gone

Those who've waited this long to plunk down a deposit on a Lamborghini with a full combustion motor have waited too long. For six decades, the Italian brand, founded in 1963 to compete with Ferrari, delivered V8s, V10s and V12 gasoline powered engines to its aficionados. But as of now, its official: the order books have closed on Lambo’s Huracan and Urus models. Stephan Winkelmann, head of the Volkswagen subsidiary, informed the German newspaper WELT this week that all ICE models are now sold out until the end of their production cycle. Only hybrid and electric vehicles will be made from next year and transitioning to the end of the decade. The 2023 Huracan with its 631 horsepower V-10 is starting priced at about $210,000. To prepare for the switch to hybrid power, Lamborghini has invested “at least 1.8 billion Euros,” which is about $2 billion, to produce a lineup of hybrid vehicles ready for release by late 2024 and into 2025. The companyÂ’s next hybrid model is the Revuelto, which pairs a V12 engine with a plug-in hybrid powertrain. The brand anticipates offering a fully electric car “by the end of the decade,” Winkelmann has said. Globally, Lamborghini delivered 9233 vehicles in 2022, up from 8420 the previous year. Related Video This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Ferrari Lamborghini Fuel Efficiency Green Automakers Automotive History Future Vehicles Performance