2004 Lamborghini Gallardo Twin Turbo Brushed Aliminum Wrap on 2040-cars

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If VW defaults on loans it may sell Bentley or Lamborghini

If something goes catastrophically wrong with Volkswagen Group's recent $21 billion loan, brands like Bentley or Lamborghini could hit the auction block. According to two insiders to Reuters, the beleaguered German automaker agrees with its creditors to sell assets if the company somehow can't pay back the debt in a year. One of these anonymous people claimed the company hasn't yet deliberated over what to sell. However, the sources were willing to speculate that the power engineering portion of Man could be among the first to go. "Volkswagen may also consider divesting luxury car brands Bentley and Lamborghini or motor bike brand Ducati, although these units don't really move the needle," an insider said to Reuters. VW Group negotiated with the banks earlier this week to get the massive loan. The cash is necessary as a buffer in case the automaker doesn't have enough money on hand to repair vehicles or settle upcoming fines. VW would reportedly issue bonds in the spring to begin paying the debt. The company's bills will start racking up quickly in the new year. German authorities mandate a recall there in early 2016, and repair campaigns in the US for the 2.0- and 3.0-liter diesel engines are inevitable. There are also hundreds of class-action lawsuits to settle. The company needs to resolve its CO2 emissions scandal in Europe, too. In response to these financial threats, VW management created a cost-cutting plan to slash the research and development budget by $1.1 billion next year.

Ken Okuyama's Kode 0 brings classic '70s design to the Quail

Ken Okuyama designed this, the Kode 0, to invoke memories of such classic '70s supercar designs as the Lancia Stratos Zero, Lamborghini Countach and Ferrari Moduro. But its retro-futuristic looks are only skin deep. The Kode 0 sits atop the guts of a current Lamborghini Aventador, including its naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12 engine. Due to its full carbon fiber bodywork, the Kode 0 weighs just 3,417 pounds. That's more than 600 pounds lighter than the Aventador upon which it's based. With 690 horsepower and 507 pound-feet of torque, the Kode 0 can hit 60 miles per hour in just 2.9 seconds. The Kode 0's dramatic wedge-shaped design is inspired by the works of Marcello Gandini and flows seamlessly from front to rear. Its almost impossibly short rear overhang and slanted roofline draw the eye toward the acute crease that makes up the rear portion of the passenger compartment. It's certainly striking, especially when the doors open to reveal bright green highlights hiding behind the bodywork. The Kode 0 is radically different but equally as stunning as the Kode 57 that Okuyama unveiled at the Quail last year. See for yourself in our high-res image gallery above. Related Video: Featured Gallery Ken Okuyama Cars Kode 0 View 11 Photos Image Credit: Copyright 2017 Drew Phillips / Autoblog.com Design/Style Lamborghini Coupe Luxury Performance Supercars Pebble Beach

Lamborghini designers channel brand's past to keep supercars fresh

Lamborghini design boss Mitja Borkert smiles as he sums up the brand's design language with an anecdote. "I bought a 1/18-scale Countach in Frankfurt, and I put it in my carry-on suitcase. One of the guys at the security screening asked 'what's that?' His colleague looked at the screen and immediately said "it's a Lamborghini!" Borkert points out the unmistakable silhouette is a major part of what defines a Lamborghini. He gives Marcello Gandini credit for the styling cue. The talented Italian designer penned a long list of emblematic sports cars, including the Miura, the Countach, and the Lancia Stratos. For Borkert, the Gandini line is deeply-rooted and permanent. However, he doesn't feel the least bit constrained by it. "First of all, for me this line is written in stone. It will remain in the next 100 years, regardless of what technology we will have. I'm very sure of it. Of course, we always have to find an interpretation of that line for specific projects. When we created the Urus, we also wanted to use the line but we had to interpret it in a way that worked for that specific architecture. How we did that you will see in the future. "The Huracan has one interpretation of the Gandini line. The Aventador is longer so we had to stretch it. You can set a lot of tension in that line, you can give it a bit more wedge. In the Centenario the rear is a little bit lower, for example. "So, for me, this is the component we have to keep. Then, there are the design themes like doors, fenders, and what we are doing with the front and rear. That's when we apply the motto 'expect the unexpected.' We are always challenging ourselves, and always looking for something new." The first step of the design process is to get the proportions exactly right. "If the main proportions aren't right, you will never be able to catch up with the design," he notes. And while most people assume modern-day designers start sketching on advanced CAD software, a Lamborghini still comes to life the old-fashioned way: with a pencil and a sheet of paper. Once the proportions are locked in, Borkert and his team of young, spirited designers begin adding secondary styling cues like character lines, angles, and creases. The last part of the process is when designers pencil in the final details such as vents, moldings, emblems, and miscellaneous trim pieces. Heritage plays a large role there, too. The hexagon is another one of the defining features that characterize a Lamborghini.