2008 Gallardo Coupe E-gear Black Camera 5k Miles on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Lamborghini explains how (and why) it designed the Huracan Sterrato off-roader

Lamborghini broke new ground (literally and metaphorically) by launching an off-road-ready variant of the Huracan called Sterrato. It's not the brand's first off-roader; that branch of the family tree includes the LM002 built in the 1980s and the Urus. But it's the only Lamborghini that has made the improbable leap from the track to the trail. I sat down with Rouven Mohr, the head of the firm's research and development department, to find out how and why the Sterrato came to life. Interestingly, it started with a wild idea floated by executives during a dinner. [The following has been edited for clarity.] RG: What's the story behind this car? RM: I have a personal connection to this project. The basic idea was born at a dinner I attended the first time I worked for Lamborghini, in 2017. I was eating with Maurizio Reggiani, my former boss, and Mitja Borkert, our chief designer, right after a test of the Urus. We were so happy talking about how much fun the Urus is to drive on gravel, and we said, "This would be even cooler with a super-sports car." At that time, I was responsible for whole vehicle development. When I got back to the office, I decided to take an old Huracan durability test car that was scheduled to be scrapped and build a demo car. Everybody was so in love and agreed it was very cool, but based on other priorities the company decided to stop [the project]. When [CEO] Stephan Winkelmann returned to Lamborghini, he saw the car and asked why we didn't build it. So, we restarted the project. I'm back at Lamborghini now, and it's a big pleasure for me to bring this project to the market. RG: Beyond the cool factor, what was your goal during the project? RM: This car's mission is quite easy to explain. At Lamborghini, we always have two pillars. One is performance, which means pure numbers like top speed and lap times. It's not only Lamborghini [that can deliver this], however, because a lot of other brands also have the numbers. We are always looking for something unexpected that improves the driving thrill, the overall experience, and we recognized after testing the demo car that there is really nothing comparable from the perspective of pure emotional driving behavior on the market. The mission of this car is to bring maximum driving fun, not only on the track but also on low-grip surfaces. The mission of this car is transferring the driving experience that we have from the Huracan STO on the track to low-grip surfaces.

Lamborghini, Bentley recalling models with carbon-ceramic brakes

An issue involving carbon-ceramic brakes has prompted Lamborghini and Bentley to recall certain models so equipped. The problem, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, revolves around the stainless steel screws that secure the brake rotors, which are prone to corrosion when exposed to salty conditions.
The recall affects 2007-2009 Lamborghini Gallardo coupes and Spyders, 2006-2010 Murcielago coupes and Roadsters and 2007-2011 Bentley Continental GTs, GTCs and Flying Spurs. All in all, some 1,136 vehicles are subject to the recall in the United States, including 263 Gallardos, 404 Murcielagos and 469 Continentals. The fix seems simple enough, with local Lamborghini and Bentley dealers replacing the problematic screws with new ones. The recall follows two notices recently issued for Audis as well. For further details, see the trio of recall notices below.

Lamborghini museum relaunches as MUDETEC, the Museum of Technology

Lamborghini has relaunched and rebranded its museum in Sant'Agata Bolognese, Italy. From hence forth, it will be known as the MUDETEC, aka the Museo Delle Technologie, aka the Museum of Technology. The new museum will blend the old with the new using interactive displays to both remember the breakthroughs of the past while exploring current and future directions. Lamborghini says it focuses on "safeguarding and conveying the values, driving passion, and future-focus that are the mark of Lamborghini." At opening, the museum will display the "Future Shapers since 1963" exhibition. It features a "virtual journey" through time with a different car representing each decade. For the '60s, Lamborghini chose to highlight the 350 GT, what the company calls its first sports car, the Miura, and the Espada. The Countach is the mark of the '70s, the LM002 represents the '80s, and the Diablo GT is featured for the '90s. For 2000 on, Lamborghini chose the Sesto Elemento. The Asterion, the Huracan Performante, the Aventador SVJ, the Huracan EVO, and the Urus help round out the exhibit with some of the company's newest innovations. In addition to serving as a walkable recording of the company, the new museum will host two student workshops. One, named "Vehicle Set-up and Ergonomics," will teach dynamics, aerodynamics, and structural vehicle development. The other, named "Carbon Fiber and Its Technology," will teach performance through the art of weight reduction, with a focus on Advanced Composite Lightweight Structures Development. Extra activities include a virtual driving simulator, a 360-degree immersive "brain room," and an Ad Personam area, where people can configure and customize cars they likely cannot buy. The exhibit is already open and will run until October 2019.