2023 Lamborghini Urus Performante on 2040-cars

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Lamborghini Urus Superveloce on the table, Asterion off

Last year Lamborghini revealed the Asterion concept at the Paris Motor Show, showcasing a new design on the surface and hybrid technology underneath. Months later, the possibility of the Asterion entering production was still reportedly on the table, but at this point the Bolognese automaker has other priorities. The company is in the midst of a massive expansion of its production facilities that will not only see it generating its own power, but also adding a new assembly line to double its output with an entirely new model. That, of course, will take the form of a crossover closely previewed by the Urus concept of 2012. But the initial version might only be the tip of the proverbial iceberg. Although additional body-styles might not suit the Urus as well as it would have the Estoque (had Lamborghini gone with the four-door, front-engined sedan design instead of the crossover), the Urus could lead to a range of engine specs and orientations. "We have more than enough ideas, but it is too early to confirm anything," Lamborghini chief Stephan Winkelmann told Autocar. "All options are possible, and we will work on evaluating them in the run-up to launch. If our customers want to see something, we'll do our best to meet their needs." Considering what Lamborghini has done with its supercars, we could see an even higher-output, more performance-focused version to follow – like the latest Superveloce version of the Aventador (soon to be applied to the Aventador roadster, as well). Theoretically, that could be an Urus SV. Though the Huracan has so far (aside from racing versions) only been shown in its initial form, the preceding Gallardo resulted in more model variants than we'd care to count. In addition to a possible hybrid version, the Urus (or whatever it's ultimately called in production form) could lead to an ultra-luxury version at the other end of the spectrum. What's clear is that the Urus program is going to keep Lamborghini busy for some time to come. And while we're expecting more versions of the Huracan to follow in due course, the possibility of putting the Asterion (or some version thereof) into production as well is apparently off the table for the time being. Considering that by the time it reaches production, it will have been a good six years since the Raging Bull marque first showcased the Urus concept, the Asterion could be kept on the back burner for several more years to come.

Is Lamborghini readying a hybrid for Paris?

Lamborghini had us seriously stumped when it released its teaser (above) for a new vehicle that'll debut at the upcoming Paris Motor Show. The image seemed to depict a fastback GT somewhat reminiscent of Lambo's earlier 2+2 models like the Espada, and was accompanied by the sentence, "Once perfection is achieved, you can just double it." We're still not entirely sure what the means, but a possible leaked logo for the car might offer some big hints about its powertrain.
According to the Office of Harmonization in the Internal Market in Europe, Lamborghini applied for a trademark on the name Asterion on September 15 to cover vehicles, clothing, toys and video games. The logo (right) included a lightning bolt slashing through the 'O' in the word. That could suggest this forthcoming vehicle is a hybrid, but it's also not clear whether we're going to be hearing about a pure concept, or a production model.
The name itself might also be a tell. Asterion is one of the names for the Minotaur in Greek mythology, which is a creature that is part bull and part man. This could be another indication that the concept combines the traditional Lamborghini style with something else.

VW Group plan puts Porsche in charge of a 'super-premium' division

An Automobile report looks into what's happening on the organizational and technical sides of the Volkswagen Group, and what those changes could mean for the premium brands. The wide-angle view is that Porsche appears to have been anointed to "coordinate the future activities" at Audi, Bentley, Bugatti and Lamborghini. Audi would cede Lamborghini guardianship to Stuttgart, and Ducati — via a new concern called Ducati Enterprises — would become the shepherd for VW's other Italian investments. Executives target Jan. 1, 2019, to complete the reshuffle. VW wants to save a boodle by tying up four of its five top-tier brands, and putting the one with the highest ROI in charge. Porsche, within its own house, wants to reduce expenditures by $2.3 billion per year over for four years, the savings already earmarked for improving internal processes like R&D and production. Having Porsche share those gains as well as lead development of platforms, components and future-tech strategies for the sister sports car brands could benefit everyone. In the near-term, the brands have their own plans: Bugatti CEO Stephan Winkelmann is said to want a Chiron Superleggera, a roofless and "completely reskinned" Chiron Aperta, and a track-only Chiron SS. The Superleggera could take the Chiron Sport's and Divo's Jenny Craig routines even further. The Aperta seems a natural successor to the Veyron Grand Sport, a natural evolution of the recently introduced Sky View roof, and a reskin might include numerous Divo cues. It's also said Bugatti's considering "an all-electric high-end model" in conjunction with Porsche, Rimac, and Dallara, but name one supercar or hypercar manufacturer that isn't considering a lightning-fast EV. Lamborghini, deep into work on follow-ups for the Huracan and Aventador, might get a bit of a bump with the new plan. The carbon "monofuselage" for the next V12 flagship is said to be too far developed and too complex to scrap. It puts two electric motors on the front axle, batteries in the middle, and a naturally aspirated V12 with around 770 horsepower plus another e-motor with 402 horsepower in back. The Huracan is said to get a version of the same carbon architecture at the moment, but the corporate reorganization might press pause on it. Automobile says options include continuing the Huracan/ Audi R8 twinning, but that depends on Audi saying "Ja" to a third-gen R8 with Lamborghini bones.