2004 Lamborghini Gallardo Base Coupe 2-door 5.0l on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Lamborghini Huracan Evo RWD gets a range of modifications from Novitec

Lamborghini sees its rear-wheel-drive Huracan Evo as a masterpiece. German tuner Novitec views it as a blank canvas. It announced a panoply of interior, exterior and chassis parts developed specifically for the model. Novitec isn't intimidated by the Raging Bull's tail-wagging rear-wheel-drive coupe. It has tuned a long list of exotic cars, including the McLaren Senna and Ferrari's limited-edition SP1 and SP2 models. Its updates normally tilt toward the subtle side of the scale (we suggest calling Mansory if you're after pure extravagance), and its Huracan is no exception. It looks tamer than the factory-built, race car-inspired STO model introduced in November 2020. Carbon fiber add-ons give the coupe a more muscular look, and Novitec claims they also improve the aerodynamic profile. Side skirts lower the Huracan's ground clearance while channeling more cooling air to the rear brakes, for example. Out back, a redesigned wing increases puts more downforce on the rear axle than the factory unit. Not all of the updates are cosmetic. Novitec offers a set of lowering sport springs developed specifically for the rear-wheel-drive variant of the Huracan (whose front end is lighter than the all-wheel-drive model's). Alternatively, it joined forces with KW to design an aluminum coilover suspension system built with racing technology. Users who choose this option can dial in one of 13 compression and rebound profiles in the low- and high-speed ranges. Novitec did not modify the Huracan's naturally-aspirated, 5.2-liter V10 engine, which makes 610 horsepower and 413 pound-feet of torque. However, its catalog of parts includes a high-performance exhaust system available in stainless steel or in Inconel, a lighter material often found in Formula One cars. Both can be plated in .999 gold for better heat dissipation. Different exhaust tips (including some made with carbon) are on the menu, too. Emblems, wheel spacers, and what Novitec calls a virtually unlimited range of upholstery colors and materials round out the list of personalization options available. Pricing largely depends on the scope of the modifications requested. Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

World's most expensive model car will be wrapped in thin gold sheet [w/video]

A couple of years ago, we featured a car that had a body made out of carbon fiber and an interior and wheels fashioned from gold and platinum and lined with diamonds. The price for that supercar, based on the Lamborghini Aventador, was a staggering $4.7 million. The hook: it was a 1/8-scale model! The man behind that model, Robert Gülpen, is at it again, and will offer for sale at an auction house another baby Aventador, but this one is wrapped in gold and will command a price of at least $7.5 million - making it the most-expensive model car in the world. Compare the model's price with that of the real thing - $397,500 - which means you could have 18 real Aventador coupes (!) for the price of the gold-wrapped model.
The car's details are even more impressive than the last model Gülpen produced, starting with the gold wrap. After baking the carbon-fiber model at a high temperature and under pressure, the body is wrapped in a gold sheet that's 1/1,000-mm thin. The resultant effect allows one to admire the gold hue, but the wrap is so thin that the carbon-fiber weave is plainly visible. The interior is lined with high-carat gemstones and the wheels are cast in gold and platinum, just like the last model. The doors open and close, the wheels turn and, while the engine looks like a smaller version of the V12 found in the full-size car, it does not function.
The materials used in the build are valued at $2.6 million, so what the buyer is paying for is the work behind putting the model together. The car will be mounted inside a bulletproof showcase with a Lamborghini logo made of gold, platinum and gemstones, among other goodies that are included for one well-heeled buyer.

Lamborghini SC63 endurance race car unveiled for LMDh category

Lamborghini has set its sights on beating Porsche, BMW, and Cadillac, among other teams, in the top tier of endurance racing. The company has unveiled a race car named SC63 that was designed to compete in the LMDh category, and Autoblog sat down with CEO Stephan Winkelmann to get additional details about the upcoming model and its significance. Lamborghini has run a one-make racing series for over a decade, and its Huracan has competed in the GT3 category for several years, but the Italian brand has never been present on the highest echelon of the endurance racing world. Winkelmann explained why that changed. "This is a race series that's giving us a lot of visibility. We're not only racing in IMSA or in the WEC; we're racing in both. This is good for North America, it's good for Europe, and it's good for the Asia-Pacific region. It's a race series where the major OEMs are participating, so I think that also here there is an opportunity," Winkelmann told us. "We're a super-sportscar manufacturer; it's important." Power for the SC63 comes from a gasoline-electric hybrid powertrain built around a new, 3.8-liter twin-turbocharged V8 developed in-house specifically for the racing program. The system's total output checks in at about 670 horsepower, which is the maximum allowed by racing regulations, and the gearbox, the battery, as well as the motor-generator unit are standard components that other teams are using as well. That's not to say the SC63 is identical to, say, the BMW M Hybrid and the Porsche 963. Lamborghini explains that racing regulations give its engineering team the freedom to customize the gear ratios and the slip of the mechanical differential, among several other parameters.  Lamborghini asked a French firm named Ligier to develop and build the SC63's monocoque, though its engineers played a big role in dialing in the car's specifications. They notably requested a push rod-type front suspension system, ensured it has the ideal weight distribution, and made sure that critical parts are easy to access and service; every second count during a pit stop, even when you're competing in a 24-hour-long race. Lamborghini and Ligier also paid special attention to the brakes to find the right middle ground between weight and durability. Honing the SC63's aerodynamic profile was easier said than done, because LMDh regulations allow teams to use only one body kit per season, and the scope of the changes that can be made between races is limited.