2023 Lamborghini Urus Performante on 2040-cars

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2020 Lamborghini Huracan EVO First Drive Review | Sant'Agata's killer app

Lamborghini is, and always has been, all about the drama. Its cars epitomize excess, with chiseled lines, raucous engines, and boldface attitude. The last special Huracan, the Performante, was no exception — a track-focused special with trick active aero. For the latest Huracan, Lamborghini is taking a different tack: the 2020 Huracan EVO, short for evolution, embraces a ton of tech in the interest of building a quicker, more versatile car. That means there's some give and take. While the howling, naturally aspirated 631 horsepower V10 plucked from the Performante remains untouched, virtually every other piece of the EVO's performance hardware and software has been digitally upgraded or enhanced. That means the Performante's ALA (Aerodinamica Lamborghini Attiva) system, which vectors airflow in order to maximize corner speed, is out — but a trick four-wheel steering system, adapted from the range-topping Aventador, is in. Evolution, indeed. Even without ALA, the EVO's new fixed aerodynamic setup produces significantly more downforce than the outgoing base Huracan. A series of splitters, ducts and a new fixed, slotted spoiler produce seven times more downforce than the old model. At 174 mph, airflow presses the insectoid EVO down with 161 pounds at the front and 132 pounds at the rear — splitting the vast difference between the base Huracan and the Performante's maximum of 770 pounds at 193 mph. That rearward pressure is being particularly important because it minimizes the Huracan's well-documented tail skittishness during hard braking. EVO is also the first Lamborghini to feature torque vectoring and a new drivetrain ECU called LDVI, or Lamborghini Dinamica Veicolo Integrata, which orchestrates the car's dynamic systems. While drivers won't feel the system's g-force enhancements while sitting in rush hour traffic, they will appreciate the new 8.4-inch multi-gesture touchscreen. Mounted low on the center console, the screen manages a host of features including climate control, an upgraded navigation system with realtime traffic, and stereo functions. The system is Apple CarPlay compatible, with Android Auto coming soon. Want to monitor the behind-the-scenes drivetrain sorcery? The screen can depict torque vectoring levels, g-force and steering angle via a slick overhead vehicle schematic. It doesn't go as far as the Nissan GT-R's datafest, but it does use the interface in the same spirit.

Valentino Balboni thinks the Miura greatest Lambo ever

Valentino Balboni spent 40 years at Lamborghini, a few years as a mechanic's apprentice at the beginning, then as a test driver at the request of old man Ferrucio himself. He is embedded in the brand, said to have driven 80 percent of the company's entire production until he retired in 2009. He has ridden and tamed so many bulls that they named one after him, the 2010 Lamborghini Gallardo LP550-2 Valentino Balboni, and even made it rear-wheel drive because that's how he likes it. Balboni spoke to Road & Track in advance of an auction in New York on November 19 that will see a 1969 Miura P400S go on the block. A fixture from the days when mad men weren't merely characters on a television show, Balboni discusses taking customers for test drives, being sent on warranty calls, his favorite car, and why there will never be another one like it. Head over to RT to read the full interview from the man who helped make the original Countach, and therefore Lamborghini, what it is today. And in case you want in on the action, the pre-sale estimate for the centerpiece Miura is $800,000 to $1.6 million. Related Video:

The best cars we drove this year

Six hundred and fifty. That's roughly how many cars pass through the hands of Autoblog editors every year, from the vehicles we test here at home, to the cars we drive on new product launches, testing roundups, long-term cars, and so on. Of course, our individual numbers vary due to several reasons, but at the end of the day, our team's repertoire of automotive experience is indeed vast. But let's be honest, some cars certainly stand out more than others. So as the year's about to turn, and as we're readying brand-new daily cat calendars for our cubicles, our editors are all taking time to reflect on the machinery that made this year so special, with one simple, open-ended question as the guide – a question that we're asked quite frequently, from friends, family, colleagues, and more. "What's the best car you drove this year?" Lamborghini Huracan When I review the list of everything I drove in 2014, picking an absolute favorite becomes almost impossible. I mean, how does one delineate between the joy offered by cars as different as the Alfa Romeo 4C, Volkswagen Golf R, Mercedes-AMG GT S and even the humble-yet-wonderful Chevy Colorado? Okay fine, I'll just pick the Lamborghini. I drove the Lamborghini Huracan LP 610-4 on a racetrack, in the mountains, and along southern coast of Spain. It felt like the king of the car jungle in all of those places, sucking the eyeballs of observers nearly out of their heads as it drove by, and almost melting my brain with its cocktail of speed and grip and intense communication. It feels a little easy to say that the one new supercar I drove this year was also my favorite, but the fact is that the Huracan is one of the finest cars I've driven during my career, let alone 2014. Judge me if you must. – Seyth Miersma Senior Editor Rolls-Royce Wraith There are a couple of ways to look at the question, "What's the best car you drove this year?" In terms of what was so good I'd go out and buy one tomorrow, that'd be my all-time sweetheart, the Volkswagen GTI. Or if I'm just talking about sheer cool-factor, maybe something like the Galpin GTR1, BMW i8, or Mercedes-Benz G63 AMG. But instead, I'm going to write about the sheer opulence of being the best of the best. The hand-crafted, holier-than-thou, shut-your-mouth-when-I'm-talking-to-you supremacy. I'm picking the Rolls-Royce Wraith. I drove the Wraith for a week in April, and was really, really impressed. This car does everything, perfectly.