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Original Lamborghini Countach designer wants no association with 2021 remake

The designer of the groundbreaking 1974 Lamborghini Countach, Marcello Gandini, has issued a remarkable statement to the press regarding the recently released Countach LPI 800-4. In it, he repeatedly affirms that he had nothing to do with the revived Countach that Lamborghini revealed at Monterey Car Week on the occasion of the model's 50th anniversary. Gandini alleges that Lamborghini may have misled the public into thinking he had something to do with the Sian reskin, and he wants to make it clear that he had nothing to do with it. "The external public, seeing and reading what has been communicated by Automobili Lamborghini and consequently by the media during recent weeks, may be led into believing that Marcello Gandini was a part of, or was involved with, or the project may have had his blessing. It is therefore appropriate to clarify the facts and reiterate that he did not participate in, nor was he aware of the project in any way."   Rarely has a designer of Gandini's stature and repute so publicly refuted a company they've worked for. Though Gandini penned cars from the humble Renault 5 to the masterful E12 BMW 5 Series to the incredible Lancia Stratos, it is Lamborghini — where he was responsible for the legendary Miura, Espada, Marzal and Countach, among others — that Gandini is historically most closely associated with.  Some of the confusion Gandini references stems from a video published by Lamborghini earlier this year. In it, Gandini talks about his design philosophy (which, ironically, includes breaking new ground with every design) and current Lamborghini head of design Mitja Borkert presents Gandini with a scale model of the then-upcoming Countach LPI 800-4. The latter believes that his presence in the video equates to tacit approval of the new design. "Neither earlier, nor during the interview was it stated that the car was scheduled for limited series production. With the elegance and kindness that have always distinguished Marcello Gandini, when Mitja Borkert presented the scale model during the interview, the former did smile and acknowledge as would be customary to do so."   Gandini believed that the model was the end of it, but after Lamborghini pulled the wraps off of the LPI 800-4, he says he received "countless requests for clarification" from press and colleagues in the auto design field. He decided to issue the statement to make clear he had nothing to do with the remake.

2025 Lamborghini Urus SE gets 788-horsepower PHEV system

Lamborghini is diving deeper into the electrification pool by releasing a plug-in hybrid variant of the Urus called SE. Unveiled at the 2024 Beijing auto show, the battery-electric SUV gets nearly 800 horsepower as well as a series of visual and technology updates inside and out. The Urus SE isn't the first plug-in hybrid member of the Lamborghini range; the 1,001-horsepower Revuelto claimed that spot. However, its importance shouldn't be understated: The Urus is the best-selling Lamborghini by a significant margin. The same approach to design that shaped the Revuelto permeated the Urus, and the Italian brand stresses that electrification is a way to offer enthusiasts more performance. Don't worry, there's still a V8 at the core of the system. It's a re-engineered version of the familiar, 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged eight that has powered the Urus since its inception, and it develops 611 horsepower and 590 pound-feet of torque on its own. It works jointly with an electric motor that's integrated into the eight-speed automatic transmission and linked to a 25.9-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack stuffed under the trunk floor. The drivertrain's total output checks in at 788 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 699 pound-feet of torque from 1,750 to 5,750 rpm. Lamborghini quotes a 0-to-62-mph time of 3.4 seconds, a 194-mph top speed, and up to 37 miles of electric-only range. Electrification adds weight, and Lamborghini hasn't revealed how much the Urus SE weighs, but it points out that the model offers a better power-to-weight ratio than the existing Urus S. That's in spite of a new electric torque vectoring system that splits the drivetrain's output between the front and rear axles as needed and a limited-slip rear differential that provides what the brand calls "on-demand oversteering." Several visual changes set the SE apart from other members of the Urus range. Starting at the front, Lamborghini fitted smoother-looking headlights with matrix LED technology, a redesigned grille, and a new hood. Out back, the rear lights are now connected by a mesh-like piece of trim that echoes the Gallardo, according to company design boss Mitja Borkert. Too soon? Not quite; time flies, and the V10-powered Gallardo (which spearheaded Lamborghini's modern range of entry-level supercars) has already celebrated its 20th birthday. While these changes may sound small, they add up.

Aventador sales drive record revenue at Lamborghini

Let it never be said that there isn't money to be made selling high-end exotic sports cars. Last month Ferrari revealed that it had recorded record profits despite selling fewer vehicles than the year before. Now arch-rival Lamborghini has reported record revenue.
For the 2013 fiscal year, Lamborghini has announced that its revenue has increased for the third year straight - rising from 469 million euros last year (just short of $650 million at today's rates) to a record 508 million euros (over $703 million). Lamborghini reports that it has reinvested 20 percent of that turnover back into R&D.
The increased revenues come despite having discontinued its top-selling model, the Gallardo, which wound up its ten-year production run back in November to make way for the new Huracán. The increased revenues came from a higher proportion of Aventadors sold, a rise of 9 percent from 922 units in 2012 to 1,001 in 2013, representing a record for V12 models sold in the company's history and a waiting list of 12 months for a new Aventador.