08 Lamborghini Superleggera W/ Wing And Carbon Interior on 2040-cars

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As VW electrifies, it questions the role of Lamborghini, Bugatti, Ducati

FRANKFURT — Volkswagen needs to change to stay relevant in the electric and digital vehicle era and will announce "important steps" to that end before the close of the year, Chief Executive Herbert Diess said on Wednesday. "Volkswagen needs to change: From a collection of valuable brands and fascinating combustion-engine products that thrill customers with superb engineering — to a digital company that reliably operates millions of mobility devices worldwide," Diess told shareholders at the company's virtual general meeting. Vehicles need to stay in contact with customers, offer new services and comfort functions on a weekly or even daily basis, he said. "We will take further important steps to set the course for this in the rest of 2020," Diess said. Senior executives told Reuters the company is reviewing what role its high-performance brands Lamborghini, Bugatti and Ducati will play as the company increasingly focuses on electric, digital and autonomous vehicles. Volkswagen, which also owns VW, Audi, Porsche, Seat and Skoda, is looking at whether it has the resources to accelerate development of electric platforms for smaller brands at a time it is investing billions to transform its more mainstream cars. Asked whether Ducati, which is known for making noisy combustion-engined motorbikes, has an electric future, Markus Duesmann, who oversees research and development for the group, said: "It will not take long until we see an electric Ducati." Whether Ducati, which is a medium-sized premium motorbike brand, would offer an electric variant, depends on whether a bike could offer range comparable to a combustion-engined variant, Duesmann said. Advances are being made in battery technology which could make this possible, he added. Separately Frank Witter, the company's chief financial officer, in response to a question about whether a sale of Lamborghini is planned, said Volkswagen does not comment on speculation about potential divestments. Lamborghini's Chief Executive Stefano Domenicali this week announced his departure from the sports car maker to take on a new job as president of Formula One. VW needs cash Volkswagen is reviewing the future of these three high-performance brands as part of broader quest for more economies of scale as it shifts to mass producing electric cars, senior executives told Reuters.

Lamborghini Revuelto, riveting or revolting? The choice is yours with its online configurator

Lamborghini has opened an online configurator for the new Revuelto flagship it unveiled yesterday. You can play with the supercar's many options, though It's a moot exercise unless you're one of the few reserved one already. Lamborghini says the Revuelto had sold out for two years in early March, with most reservation holders never having seen what the car would look like. But if you want to kill a little time, you can build your own. There's something for everyone, whether your tastes lean towards aficionado or influencer. Color is where the Revuelto allows for the most personalization. There's no less than 68 colors, many of which come in both gloss and matte finishes. A connoisseur might go for one of the Classica hues, which take inspiration from Lamborghinis past. The individual oranges and lime greens number greater than the entire palettes of most mainstream cars. It's almost overwhelming. But because we enjoy a good chuckle, we went for the Ecleticca (Italian for "eclectic") finish called Blu Uranus Matt.  Wheels can make or break a car, and we definitely want to fit in with the newly wealthy Soundcloud artists constantly revving up Sunset Boulevard here in Los Angeles. So we'll go for the 20- and 21-inch Bridgestone performance tires wrapping matte black Triguero wheels with carbon fiber center caps and titanium "rim bolts." Even brake calipers are offered in seven colors, but we think the most eye-searing option is Arancio, or orange. Interior upholstery and color options are as plentiful as paint codes. A retina-assaulting Nero Ade Sportiva (black) cabin with Verde Scandal (radioactive green) contrast color and Rosso Alala (red) stitching should not be allowed on a Blu Uranus Matt exterior, but it is, so we're picking it. Naturally, we're checking the passenger display option so we can impress our captiv — er, co-pilots — with exactly how fast we're going, and adding cupholders because why not? For finishing touches, the rear diffuser offers yet another set of colors, but we're going for Verde Scandal again because it's the brightest. Last but not least, let's check the box for the titanium engine grid, which draws attention to the 1,001-horsepower V12 hybrid powertrain, the last 12-cylinder Lamborghini will ever make. Nowhere in the process did we ever come across a price tag, so it's one of those "if you have to ask ..." scenarios. What do you think of our Revuelto? We like that it'll feel right at home in La La Land or Miami.

Italian cops get a Lamborghini to haul some precious cargo

Three years ago, we told you about Lamborghini's gift to law and order: a Huracan LP 610-4 that was donated to the Italian State Police. That car went into service near Rome in 2015, replacing a Gallardo they'd been using previously. Now, a second Huracan has just been delivered for service in the region around Bologna. Law enforcement may be done a bit differently in the country that convicted, acquitted, re-convicted and re-acquitted Amanda Knox. But why would a police agency need a $200,000, 610-horsepower supercar? Firstly, no one in their right mind turns down a free Lamborghini. Second, it's a display of national pride, decked out, to quote the press release, in "the official colors of the Italian Police (Police Medium Blue), with the white areas and lettering specially executed to match the Huracan's dynamic look. The livery is completed by a stripe divided into the three colors of the Italian flag, which runs along both sides of the vehicle. As is true for all Lamborghini cars, the Huracan Polizia is equipped with P Zero Pirelli tires, but their sidewalls are tinted in Police Medium Blue and were specially created for the occasion." And third, they actually did dream up a role that suits its capabilities. In addition to the usual cop-car complement of police radio, tablet computer, gun holster, fire extinguisher and hand-held sign for directing traffic, the Lambo has been designated for medical responses and, like many police cars in the States, carries a defibrillator for medical emergencies. More to the point, its front trunk is equipped with a special refrigeration system for transporting human organs for transplant. The authorities describe two cases in 2016 in which a series of transplants had donor organs busily crisscrossing the Lombardy and Tuscany regions to various recipients – a situation in which speed is of the essence. Between organ transplants, presumably the car's primary duty will be to look good, serving as an ambassador of goodwill for both the Polizia as well as Lamborghini. Related Video: