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Lamborghini sends off the Aventador with a stunning grand finale

Lamborghini created a 770-horsepower swan song to celebrate the end of the Aventador's production run. Known as the LP 780-4 Ultimae, the final evolution of the firm's flagship will arrive as a limited-edition model offered as a coupe and as a roadster. It's also presented as Lamborghini's last non-electrified V12-powered supercar. The roaring, naturally-aspirated V12 engine has played a significant role in shaping Lamborghini's image since the brand's inception in 1963. It's not completely going away, and it's certainly not about to adopt forced induction, but staying on the legal side of looming emissions regulations requires adding an electrified component. In the future, the V12 will be part of a hybrid system that hasn't been detailed yet. In the meantime, it carries on as a high-octane masterpiece with 6.5 liters of displacement and an output bumped to 770 horsepower at a screaming 8,500 rpm and 531 pound-feet of torque at 6,750 rpm. For context, the same basic engine develops 730 and 759 horsepower in the Aventador S and the Aventador SVJ, respectively. It still spins the four wheels via a seven-speed Independent Shift Rod (ISR) automatic transmission linked to a pair of shift paddles and a Haldex-type four-wheel-drive system. Lamborghini quotes a 0-to-62-mph time of 2.8 seconds and a top speed of 220 mph. With more power comes less weight: The Aventador lost 55 pounds in its transition from the S to the Ultimae. Like its predecessor, it offers enthusiasts a trick four-wheel steering system, huge carbon ceramic brakes, and four different driving profiles. 2022 Lamborghini Aventador Ultimae View 15 Photos Stylists and engineers worked together to update the Aventador's exterior design. Up front, the changes are relatively subtle and made largely to optimize aerodynamic efficiency. Out back, the tweaks are more noticeable. The two round exhaust outlets notably move up to echo the design seen on the aforementioned SVJ and on the smaller Huracan Evo. Buyers can choose from a palette of 18 paint colors, and they can customize accents like the red accents on the diffuser. Alternatively, a 300-color palette is offered by Lamborghini's Ad Personam division. Lamborghini will present the Aventador LP 780-4 Ultimae to the public for the first time during the 2021 edition of the Goodwood Festival of Speed opening tomorrow, July 8. Production will be limited to 350 coupes and 250 roadsters, and each one will wear a numbered plaque on dashboard.

Lamborghini wants to grow, but it will never become big

Lamborghini had a record year in 2021: it delivered 8,405 cars, an increase of 13% over 2020 and, tellingly, 6,803 units more than in 2011. Almost all of the company's production capacity for 2022 is spoken for, so its popularity doesn't look like it's going to wane anytime soon. Andrea Baldi, the head of the Americas region for Lamborghini, sat down with Autoblog to talk about what this growth means for the future. "We have more than a year-long waiting time for every model. Even for the Huracan, which we launched in 2014. It's not just the STO; it's the all- and rear-wheel-drive variants as well. We pre-sold the Aventador Ultimae in three weeks in July 2021, which was a record," Baldi pointed out. The more family-focused Urus has been hugely popular as well; it's the best-selling Lamborghini with 5,021 deliveries in 2021. Lamborghini plans to continue growing in the coming years, it will notably unveil four new models in 2022, but there's a set limit to how far it can stretch. The executive team's idea is not to rival Audi in terms of size, or even Porsche. "We definitely want to scale up our production a bit. The big chance for us is the jump into hybridization, because it means that we'll get a new generation of cars. We'll start in 2023 with the Aventador's successor, and the entire range will gradually be electrified after that. This gives us an opportunity for the Aventador and Huracan successors to have a production line that can make more cars," Baldi revealed. He stopped short of telling us precisely how many more, but the increase will be relatively small — and maintaining the brand's exclusivity will be of paramount importance. "The idea will always be to have one car less than demand," he noted. "We will always have a waiting time but it should be shorter, so we need a little more production capacity. If you sit in front of your house and watch 10,000 cars go by, one will be a Lamborghini. We're talking about a small-digit percentage increase, but for a luxury brand it will be a big change," Baldi added. Going hybrid unlocks other opportunities, like the ability to reach new buyers while letting the firm stay on the right side of ever-stricter regulations. And yet, many of its customers still associate a super-sports car with a mighty internal combustion engine.

Bertone goes bust

The famous Italian coachbuilder and designer Bertone may be on its deathbed. The company that penned the beautiful shape of the Lamborghini Miura has been facing financial hardships for months, and Autocar is reporting that the Turin, Italy firm has just declared bankruptcy. The last we heard from Bertone, it was showing the Jet 2+2 station wagon based on an Aston Martin Rapide at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show. The Turin-based carrozzeria became famous for its wild designs like the BMW Spicup concept, Lancia Stratos and the initial shape of the Lamborghini Countach. In recent years, it had been limited to creating mostly one-off vehicles. The company has slowly been shrinking recently. It sold its small factory to Fiat a few years go and let go of 165 employees and 10 interns in December. Bertone has been shopping itself in hopes of finding a new owner. According to PistonHeads, even with the money problems, the business generated 20-million euros ($27.9 million) in revenue in 2013 and has been working on projects in China. A Turkish firm was rumored to be interested in buying it for just $2.7 million, and GT Spirit claims that there are also seven Italian companies potentially interested in purchasing it. Bertone has a long and proud automotive history, and it wouldn't be surprising if it were bought just for the value of the brand – perhaps we haven't seen the last of its stylized B logo. Featured Gallery Bertone Jet 2+2: Geneva 2013 View 10 Photos News Source: Autocar via Pistonheads, GTSpiritImage Credit: Copyright 2014 Drew Phillips / AOL Design/Style Hirings/Firings/Layoffs Plants/Manufacturing BMW Lamborghini Lancia Concept Cars Luxury Special and Limited Editions Performance Classics bertone lamborghini miura Lamborghini Countach