2019 Lamborghini Urus on 2040-cars

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Weekly Recap: Takeaways from the Frankfurt Motor Show

We obsessively covered the 2015 Frankfurt Motor Show, and naturally, we selected our favorites from this fall's biggest automotive event. Now that the dust has settled, we're looking ahead to what it all means. Here are three takeaways from the floor in Frankfurt. The Germans are serious about electric vehicles: It's a bit cliche to say BMW, Mercedes, and Audi have downplayed electrics in favor of other technologies, like diesels. For a time that may have been true, but those three companies, along with Porsche and Volkswagen, are emerging as leaders in EV development. That was on display in Frankfurt, when all of them revealed either all-electric or plug-in hybrid models. Gas prices are relatively low in the United States, but clearly the Germans are thinking long-term and globally. Everyone is serious about SUVs: You gotta have one, even if you're Bentley or Jaguar. It's 2015 and it's what consumers want. As Jaguar design director Ian Callum put it, "Not to be in the sector would be a little naive for the sake of purity." It's not just the flashy exotic luxury makers. Nissan showed the Gripz concept, which is rakish, radical, and meant to blend traits of SUVs and sports cars into a vehicle that really crosses over. Look for more, especially in the luxury sector, as Rolls-Royce, Lamborghini, and Aston Martin ramp up their own SUV efforts. There's no ceiling to the luxury market: Speaking of high-end cars, companies are continuing to invest in extravagant wares beyond just SUVs. Even during the recession, ultra-luxury makers remained relevant, and now they're back at full stride. In Frankfurt, that was illustrated by yet another S-Class model, the cabriolet, which will come in S550 and S63 AMG variants in the United States. Ferrari also showed off the 488 Spider, and Lamborghini opened up the Huracan LP 610-4 Spyder. Meanwhile, Bugatti's Vision Grand Turismo concept reminded enthusiasts that it's plotting life after the Veyron. European auto shows always draw the glitziest reveals from luxury makers, and this year didn't disappoint. OTHER NEWS & NOTES 2016 Honda Civic redesigned with snazzier style, turbo power The 10th-generation of the Honda Civic debuted this week at events in Los Angeles and Detroit ahead of its launch in the United States this fall as a 2016 model. Honda fortified the Civic with LED lights, an available turbo engine, and a more tech-laden cabin.

Lamborghini Urus gets the green light for production [UPDATE]

UPDATE: We've gotten the official press release from Lamborghini, which you can read below. In it, company president Stephan Winkelmann does say that the new vehicle will be built in Sant'Agata Bolognese in a move to demonstrate "our commitment to safeguarding the values of 'Made in Italy' worldwide." It's been a long time coming, but the official word has finally come down: Lamborghini is going to build the Urus. The Italian automaker first gave us a sneak peak at the crossover concept in New York, before revealing the Urus in concept form at the Beijing Motor Show back in 2012. And we had a chance to catch up with it again in Monterey that summer. That's a lot of buildup. Ever since, Lambo has been toying with putting it into production as its third model line, alongside the existing Huracan and Aventador two-door supercars. All it's been waiting for is the go-ahead from parent Volkswagen, which it has now received. Autoblog received confirmation from a spokesman at Lamborghini of the Urus' production approval, with official details to be announced within the next few hours. Word has it that the high-riding Raging Bull will hit showrooms in 2018, but watch this space for more details as we find them. The Urus (or whatever it's ultimately called) will join a burgeoning market for high-end crossovers, alongside the likes of the Bentley Bentayga, Jaguar F-Pace, Aston Martin DBX and Maserati Levante. Unlike those forays, however, Lamborghini's will not be its first SUV. That honor will forever belong to the LM002, nicknamed the "Rambo Lambo" that came out just before the original Hummer and was powered by the Countach's V12 engine. Just what will power Sant'Agata's new crossover remains to be seen. However the signs have been pointing towards it at least being offered with the company's first hybrid powertrain, as previewed in the Asterion concept from Paris. With substantial incentives being offered by the Italian government, it is expected to be built in Italy – or at least assembled there. Much of the production work is likely to be carried out in Slovakia where the Audi Q7, Volkswagen Touareg and Porsche Cayenne (with which the Urus is destined to share its underpinnings) are made. Scroll down to read the official announcement.

Lamborghini Urus Performante First Drive Review: The Lambo SUV gets more Lambo

COPENHAGEN, Denmark – If youÂ’ve followed the automotive industry for long enough, you likely remember when SUVs made by companies known for low-slung sports cars were the subject of controversial headlines. Fast-forward to 2023, and the controversial has become commonplace. Massive people-movers with supercar-like power are the status quo in the luxury segment, they usually outsell their more poster-friendly stablemates by a wide margin, and many of the companies who arenÂ’t already on this bandwagon are looking for a place to jump on. Unveiled in 2017, the Lamborghini Urus has amassed a significant following (itÂ’s the Italian brandÂ’s best-seller) and a growing list of rivals that includes the Aston Martin DBX. While itÂ’s no longer the newest kid on the block, it recently received a round of updates and gained a range-topping Performante variant. “We got a lot of new customers with the Urus,” said Luca Pacini, LamborghiniÂ’s head of R&D strategy and projects coordination. “WeÂ’re happy that people recognize the Lamborghini brand in it, and we decided to characterize it even more by offering a wider range that stretches from comfort to performance — performance is LamborghiniÂ’s DNA, after all. This caters to the demands of our customers.” Releasing a sportier Urus makes perfect sense since sister company Bentley and rival Aston Martin both offer higher-spec variants of their SUVs. Still, calling it “Performante” is a bold move because Lamborghini has historically reserved this nameplate for hardcore evolutions of its V10-powered models. ItÂ’s not merely a marketing pirouette: the Pikes Peak record-setting Urus Performante stands out from the Urus S with a specific body kit that includes a redesigned front splitter and a reasonably subtle roof-mounted spoiler. Lamborghini claims these updates contribute to a not-insignificant 8% increase in downforce. Carbon fiber parts (like the vented hood) and a titanium exhaust system designed by Akrapovic help make the Performante about 104 pounds lighter than the Urus S, though it nonetheless tips the scale at approximately 4,740 pounds. Light? Well Â… yes, kind of. Although the uber-Urus weighs about twice as much as a new Mazda MX-5 Miata, none of the models it competes against qualify for the “lightweight” label. AstonÂ’s DBX 707 checks in at 4,940 pounds and every Bentayga variant weighs more than 5,000. Chassis changes are part of the Performante treatment as well.