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Lamborghini CEO says Urus brings lots of new customers from Russia and India

The new Lamborghini Urus might turn out to be a golden goose for Lamborghini. The twin-turbo V8 SUV is finding new customers for the Italian supercar manufacturer, and in an interview with CNBC, Lamborghini's CEO Stefano Domenicali says the reception for the $200,000 vehicle has been unexpectedly "fantastic." The outlook for Lamborghini's 2018 sales is projected at 5,000 cars, and the Urus could account for over a thousand of those. By 2020, Lamborghini would be building some 8,000 cars per year, and over a half of those would be Urus sales. Domenicali says that would be a point where Lamborghini would restrict its growth, as does rival Ferrari, to keep its supercar brand exclusive. The head of Lamborghini's Asia Pacific sales, Andrea Baldi also says the manufacturer will "always make sure" that demand for its cars is higher than the supply. If making SUVs turns out to be a success for Lamborghini, the key might be hidden in the nameplate of the Urus. It's indeed Russia that looks to be a fertile land for Urus sales, since it's a country with both demanding roads and demanding customers. Domenicali says Russian roads have made it hard to sell traditional Lamborghini products, but the SUV should find a strong customer base there. India is another significant new market for the Urus, for similar reasons. And as for the influx of new Lamborghini customers: a growing part of them are cryptocurrency investors. It looks like bitcoin bros will only accept a Lamborghini as the token of their newfound success. "These are young people that want to become very rich with a high-risk investment," said Domenicali. "And our customers are young as well, and very aspirational. They are not shy. So I think there is a connection." Related Video: News Source: CNBCImage Credit: AOL/Drew Phillips Lamborghini Crossover SUV Luxury Performance stefano domenicali

How to drive a Lamborghini Huracan off-road

Lamborghinis may come with all-wheel drive, but they're hardly made for off-roading. At least not the type the LM002 was made for and until the new Urus arrives. But one driver Down Under evidently had his own idea of what the Huracan could handle. During the second day of this year's the Targa Tasmania rally, Tony Quinn left the road in his ten-cylinder Lambo and jumped a dirt embankment. The Scottish-Australian pet-food magnate claimed the stunt was deliberate, as you'll hear him explain in colorful language at the beginning of the video above. It's definitely not the fastest way around the corner, but Quinn hits the dirt too hard to look like an accident. Still, we're glad he did it in front of the camera purely for our viewing pleasure. Reviving the spirit of legendary road rallies like the Targa Florio and Mille Miglia, the Targa Tasmania has been held on the Australian island for over two decades. Quinn won the five-day event twice – in 2009 and 2011 – behind the wheel of a Nissan GT-R. Both Godzilla and the preceding Gallardo have claimed the checkered flag in Tasmania four times each, coming second only to the Porsche 911 that has won nine times. Quinn and his co-pilot Naomi Tillett are competing in the GT4 category this year and currently sit fourth in the class standings. Related Video: News Source: Highlands NZ via YouTube, Motor Motorsports Lamborghini Supercars Videos targa tasmania

Rough seas delay salvage operation for burning ship carrying luxury cars

LISBON — Rough waters forced authorities on Wednesday to postpone a salvage operation for a ship packed with luxury cars that have been on fire for a week in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, a port official said. With teams unable to board the Felicity Ace, heavy tug boats sprayed water to cool the vessel, which is carrying around 4,000 vehicles, including Porsches, Audis, Lamborghinis and Bentleys. Lamborghini of America CEO Andrea Baldi told Automotive News that there were dozens of pre-sold Lamborghinis aboard, mostly the Urus SUV. But also some Huracans and Aventadors, the latter of which have ceased production. The ship's 22 crew members were evacuated last Wednesday, the day the fire began. Some of the vehicles are electric, and their lithium-ion batteries have made the fire very difficult to extinguish, port officials have said. Joao Mendes Cabecas, the captain of the nearest port on the Azorean island of Faial, said the blaze had lost its intensity — probably because there was little left to burn. Salvage teams hoped to board the ship, which is is adrift around 170 km southwest of the Azores near Portugal, to assess its condition and start preparing it for towing, the Portuguese navy said in a statement on Tuesday. The navy took photos of the ship that showed a gaping hole at least four decks high, with burn marks running the length of the ship. It is unclear if the vessel will be towed to the Bahamas or Europe. Cabecas told Reuters bad weather prevented the team from boarding the ship. Waves as high as 2.5 meters battered the coast of Faial on Wednesday, Portugal's weather agency IPMA said. The salvage team was expected to be flown to the ship on a helicopter belonging to the Portuguese air force, which will decide on Thursday if the operation can proceed, Cabecas said. Ship manager Mitsui O.S.K. Lines Ltd (MOL) said in a statement on Tuesday the vessel was still on fire but stable, and that no oil leak had been reported so far. It did not respond to a Reuters request for comment on the cause of the fire. Insurance experts said the incident could result in losses of $155 million.   Weird Car News Audi Bentley Lamborghini Porsche