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Weekly Recap: Lamborghini fires on all cylinders

Lamborghini added 192 technicians and specialists in 2014 as the Italian automaker expands under the ambitious growth strategy of parent company Volkswagen AG. The additional workers helped Lamborghini increase its sales 19 percent last year to 2,530 supercars, and further expansion is planned for this year. Lambo has added more than 500 people in the last four years, bringing its headcount to 1,175. "Lamborghini is undergoing a strong phase of growth in both sales and in terms of recruitment," CEO Stephan Winkelmann said in a statement. "We invest significantly in our people ... in 2015 we plan to hire further." The supercar maker's solid performance last year came during a time of transition. Lambo sold off the final 265 Gallardos, which were the brand's best-selling models ever. Its 10-cylinder successor, the Huracan, immediately filled the void. It garnered 3,300 orders, and 1,137 of them were delivered in 2014. The other Lamborghini, the 12-cylinder Aventador, saw its sales increase 13 percent to 1,128 copies. The sales leap comes as Volkswagen drives sales expansion across its portfolio of brands. The German carmaker sold 10 million vehicles around the world for the first time last year. Though Lambo will never make supercars in great numbers, it is expected to contribute to VW's bottom line through its image and profitable sales. Look for further growth this year, and a Super Veloce version (shown above) of the Aventador has already been spotted during testing. Lamborghini has been working on a sport utility vehicle for years, though the company has never publicly approved the project. It also showed a hybrid, the Asterion, at last year's Paris Motor show, suggesting the automaker is considering an electric future. Other News and Notes GMC ponders Jeep Wrangler fighter GMC is considering adding a competitor to the Jeep Wrangler and has discussed the idea with its dealers, according to the Wall Street Journal. Details of the vehicle are unclear, but the report suggested the vehicle could have cues from General Motors' old Hummer brand. The move would broaden GMC's lineup of trucks and SUVs and attract new customers. GMC sold 501,853 vehicles in 2014, making it GM's second-best selling brand. GMC had more volume than Cadillac and Buick combined, though it's still well behind Chevrolet's tally of more than two million vehicles. The notion of a "Wrangler fighter" could be a moving target.

Swedish man bests Kobe Bryant by jumping speeding Lambo

Way back in 2008, Los Angeles Lakers' shooting guard Kobe Bryant created a minor uproar with a viral video filmed and released by Nike. In it, the 16-time NBA all-star vaulted a moving Aston Martin. The promotional plug of the whole thing was that Bryant's ups were courtesy of his new Nikes, although he later admitted that "Hollywood" had a big part in the video.
This new video is allegedly real, though, and comes without the help of a promotional plug for a basketball shoe. It stars a Swedish man named Al the Jumper. Rather than an Aston Martin, Al jumps a Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera, which is heading right for him at 80 miles per hour. It is, if it's as real as claimed, a very impressive feat, especially after seeing how handily Al clears the Lambo.
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Harry Metcalfe shows off his Lamborghini Countach

Harry Metcalfe may no longer be editing the Evo magazine he founded, but that doesn't mean he doesn't still have octane pumping through his veins – or that he isn't still producing world-class automotive content. In this latest video released on his YouTube channel Harry's Garage, Metcalfe shows off is 1987 Lamborghini Countach 5000 Quattrovalvole. The precursor of today's Aventador, the Countach was Sant'Agata's longest-serving mid-engined twelve-cylinder supercar, remaining in production from 1974 (after the Miura was discontinued) until 1990 (when the Diablo replaced it), and earned its place of prominence on the walls of so many childhood bedrooms. Metcalfe's was a later model from 1987 – the London Motor Show car from that year, in fact – packing the enlarged 5.2-liter V12 with the four-valve heads, those fantastical air vents and that giant rear wing. Harry even had the legendary Valentino Balboni to sign the interior. The video is a full half-hour long, but even if you've only got a few minutes, it's worth watching just the beginning to hear it starting up.