2024 Lamborghini Huracan Sto on 2040-cars

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Lamborghini says handling, not flat-out speed, is the new benchmark

Speed has played a significant role in defining Lamborghini's image since the brand's inception in 1963, but the type of velocity it aims to achieve is changing direction. One of its top executives opined that handling, not 0-60-mph times or maximum speed, is the new benchmark in the supercar segment the company calls home. Francesco Scardaoni, the head of the Italian company's Asia-Pacific operations, explained achieving the quickest possible sprint from 0-60 mph and the highest possible top speed used to be what defined a Lamborghini. Rivals aimed to rule the chart, too, so exotic brands spend decades taking turns trying to outgun each other by shaving a tenth of a second from — or adding a few miles per hour to — their respective times. EVs moved the goalpost in the 2010s, according to Scardaoni, because their powertrain develops maximum torque right away. "If you go back to 10 years ago, probably when we were asked the parameters to measure a car with we would say top speed, acceleration, and then handling. Top speed then became a secondary measure, and acceleration the first one. Now, basically [with electrification] is no more that important. because it's quite easy for those kind of power units to have amazing results in acceleration," he explained in an interview with Car Advice. Exemplified by the Huracan STO introduced in 2020, the shift represents a dramatic about-face for the engineering team led by Maurizio Reggiani. Speed is easy to quantify; if we tell you that a Bugatti Chiron takes 2.4 seconds to reach 60 mph from a full stop, or that it maxes out at 304 mph, you know exactly what it can do. Handling, on the other hand, is difficult to put a number on. Gs on a skidpad is one measure, but that's only a small part of the handling equation. There's no unit of measurement that describes how a Divo feels on a winding Sicilian road. Scardaoni hinted that focusing on handling is a way to keep exotic supercars relevant in the coming years. Electric hypercars are ostensibly on their way, including the Rimac C_Two and the Pininfarina Battista. Closely related, both allegedly take under two seconds to sprint from 0-60 mph thanks in part to a 1,900-horsepower drivetrain, yet they weigh approximately 4,300 pounds; they're heavier than a Mercedes-Benz S-Class. Neither are in the same league as, say, the Huracan, but they're good examples of the pros and cons of electrified performance.

The 2019 Lamborghini Urus, fastest SUV in the world, has landed

A Lamborghini has got to stand out from the crowd. In the supercar world, that means things like scissor-doors, massive wings, and almost impossibly wedge-shaped profiles. In the SUV world, standing out apparently means a dramatically descending roofline, a fascia with more cuts, contours, and creases than a bright yellow origami Pikachu. You certainly won't mistake the Lamborghini Urus for anything else on the road. That flavescent bodywork hides a 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8 sending a stout 641 horsepower and 627 pound-feet of torque through an 8-speed automatic transmission to all four wheels. It hits 62 mph in 3.6 seconds, and we anxiously await the first YouTube video showing an Urus lined up against a Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk for ultimate SUV-acceleration bragging rights. With a top speed of 189.5 mph, Rambo Lambo Part Deux seemingly makes good use of all those aero bits to outrun the Trackhawk by a solid 10 mph, and the Bentley Bentayga by a razor-slim troika. The hi-po engine is backed up with standard carbon ceramic brakes, active roll control, and a torque vectoring rear differential. With all of these performance goodies employed, Lamborghini expects it to have a Nurburgring lap time that will break the Alfa Stelvio Quadrifoglio's outstanding 7:15 time. 2019 Lamborghini Urus View 11 Photos We can't imagine many owners taking an Urus off road, but Lamborghini cites the low-down torque of the turbocharged V8 as an off-pavement benefit. And, in addition to the expected modes of Strada, Sport, Corsa and Neve (a typically Italian stand-in for Snow), there are Terra (off-road) and Sabbia (sand) modes. Each sportier road mode lowers the air suspension, and the off-road modes raise the suspension for ground clearance. Rear-wheel steering based on the system from the Aventador S can change steering angle between positive and negative 3 degrees, and it is likely to come in handy no matter what kind of terrain you're traveling. Lamborghini has expanded its factory in Sant'Agata in order to ramp up production on the Urus, which, when it goes on sale in 2018 as a 2019 model with a pricetag of about $200,000, is expected to be the marque's bestseller. In fact, the Group are hoping that it will eventually double annual global sales, from 3500 to 7000. The SUV market is currently booming, and Lambo plans other variants of this model, including its first plug-in hybrid, so this seems within the realm of possible.

Lego Lamborghini Sian is a life-size, 400,000-piece masterpiece

Three years ago, Lego took its model-building abilities to a new level with a life-size Bugatti Chiron model made entirely of Technic building pieces. Now the company has built another life-size supercar, this time, the Lamborghini Sian. This one went together faster and with fewer pieces, though the end result is just as impressive (and oddly, heavier). The total number of pieces used in this model was more than 400,000. And at the approximate price of 10 cents per piece, replicating the model would require around $40,000. Of course, you would need to obtain the 20 unique pieces designed specifically for this build. The other 134 piece designs are normal production Technic components. Alternatively, you could pick up the 1:8-scale kit Lego sells. It took a team of 15 people 8,660 hours to design and build the Lamborghini model. Of those, 3,290 were spent on the actual assembly. The final product weighs in at a whopping 4,850 pounds, or close to 1,000 pounds more than the real car. Lego also brought the model to Lamborghini to have the company give it a coat of paint. It's almost more impressive than the real thing. Almost. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. LEGO Speed Champion Build: 1968 Ford Mustang Fastback