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Weekly Recap: Lamborghini to build SUV

Finally, Lamborghini will build a sport utility vehicle. The Italian supercar maker confirmed this week that it will launch a luxury SUV in 2018. It will be built at Lamborghini's soon-to-expand factory in Sant'Agata Bolognese in Italy, and will double the company's current sales volume. Lamborghini did not announce a name for the vehicle or other details, but noted a concept version, the Urus, was displayed at the Beijing motor show in 2012. It will be sold around the world, but it's expected to be a critical offering in the United States, China, and the Middle East. The automaker projects the SUV will sell about 3,000 units per year, and it will be the third product in Lamborghini's portfolio. It currently sells the Huracan and Aventador supercars. "The introduction of a third model line endorses the stable and sustainable growth of the company and signifies for us the beginning of a new era," Lamborghini chief executive Stephan Winkelmann said in a statement. The project is also a boon for Italy, which will get 500 new jobs in the Emilia Romagna region as Lamborghini's factory will nearly double in size. Ian Fletcher, principal analyst for IHS Automotive, said the SUV will position Lamborghini for future growth. "It could well also bring new customers to the brand [who] may find the dramatic styling of Lamborghini products appealing, but find its typical sports cars restrictive," he said. "If it is a success, the SUV could be a catalyst to Lamborghini broadening its portfolio further." OTHER NEWS & NOTES GM invests in Chevy Camaro factory General Motors is investing $175 million to upgrade its factory in Lansing, MI, to build the 2016 Chevy Camaro. The investment will pay for new tooling and equipment. The improvements include three new paint systems and two new robotic framers. GM will add a second shift at the factory to build the Camaro, resulting in 500 jobs. The automaker had dropped the plant to one shift last year amid slow sales for its products, the Cadillac ATS and CTS. GM is spending $5.4 billion over the next three years to upgrade its US facilities. Last week, GM announced plans to spend $439 million to build a new paint shop for the Chevy Corvette. While the Camaro and Corvette plant improvements are intriguing to enthusiasts, GM also confirmed this week that it is investing $1.2 billion in its Fort Wayne (IN) factory that builds trucks.

Chevy bringing Spark RS Concept to SEMA

Well, the SEMA mess has well and truly begun. Every year, an increasing number of automakers flock to the Las Vegas auto show, bringing accessories and concept vehicles that are both awesome as well as occasionally questionable. Chevy will bring an RS concept of the new Spark to SEMA, signaling that its styling package will be applied to the brand's smallest vehicle in the near future. We can expect the usual stuff in a production Spark RS – larger wheels, a slightly sportier cabin, a more aggressive body kit, and a small drop in ride height – but for the concept, Chevy wasn't restrained by things like budget. The front splitter, and sill extensions, foglight surrounds, and rear bumper insert are all finished in carbon fiber. The 17-inch alloys are apparently inspired by the Corvette Z06's Z07 package, while the Dark Liquid Switchblade Silver paint is broken up only by a driver's-side stripe. The company is also using SEMA to show its new Red Line accessories, features both concept and production parts for the Trax, Camaro, Malibu, Colorado, and Sierra. Every vehicle gets Enhanced Silver Metallic paint, a charcoal finish on the roof, satin graphite/red graphics, black/red badge kits, and aside from the Colorado, tinted lamps. Individual mods for the Trax include relatively simple tweaks, including new 18-inch wheels, blacked-out bowtie badges, a lowered ride height, and custom badging. It's a similar story on the Malibu, except that its 19-inch wheels are a smidge larger, and its lowered ride height is the result of a concept kit. The first concept based on the new Camaro opts for 20-inch wheels, while adding a few more performance items. The ride height has been lowered, there's a new air intake system, and an upgraded brake package. Chevy has also replaced the front upper and lower grilles inserts with red accents. On the pickup side of the coin, the Colorado gets 18-inch wheels, new intake and exhaust systems, Goodyear Wrangler Fortitude tires, and flared wheelarches. The Silverado gets similar intake and exhaust upgrades, as well as the largest wheels of them all, with 22s at all four corners. The full-size truck also gets a Brembo brake package, while every vehicle, aside from the Camaro, gets Thule roof-mounted accessories. You can check out all six concepts in the gallery above, and then be sure to keep an eye open for live images from the floor of the 2015 SEMA show, slated to open next month.

24 Hours of Le Mans live update part two

We tasked surfing journalist Rory Parker to watch this year's live stream of the 2016 24 Hours of Le Mans. What follows is an experiment to experience the world's greatest endurance race from the perspective of a motorsports novice. Parker lives in Hawaii and can hold his breath longer than he can go without swearing. For Part One, click here. Or you can skip ahead to Part Three here. I write about surfing for a living. If you can call it a living. Basically means I spend my days fucking around and my wife pays for everything. Because she's got a real job that pays well. Brings home the bacon. Very progressive arrangement. Super twenty first century. I run a surf website, beachgrit.com, with two other guys. It's a strange gig. More or less uncensored. Kind of popular. Very good at alienating advertisers. My behavior has cost us a few bucks. I'm terrible at self-censorship. Know there's a line out there, no idea where it lies. I still don't understand any of the technical side. Might as well be astrophysics or something. For contests I do long rambling write ups. They rarely make much sense. Mainly just talk about my life, whatever random thoughts pop into my head. "Can you do something similar for Le Mans?" "Sure, but I know absolutely fuck-all about racing." "That's okay. Just write what you want." "Will do. But you're gonna need to edit my stuff. Probably censor it heavily." So here I am. I spent the last week trying to learn all I can about the sport of endurance racing. But there's only so much you can jam in your head. And I still don't understand any of the technical side. Might as well be astrophysics or something. While I rambled things were happening. Tracy Krohn spun into the gravel on the Forza chicane. #89 is out of the race after an accident I missed. Pegasus racing hit the wall on the Porsche curves. Bashed up front end, in the garage getting fixed. Toyota and Porsche are swapping back and forth in the front three. Ford back in the lead in GTE Pro. #91 Porsche took a stone through the radiator, down two laps. Not good. The wife and I are one of those weird childless couples that spend way too much time caring for the needs of their pet. French bulldog, Mr Eugene Victor Debs. Great little guy. Spent the last four years training him to be obedient and friendly. Nice thing about dogs, when you're sick of dealing with them you can just lock 'em in another room for a few hours. You don't need to worry about paying for college.