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Audi: record profit as 'biggest product initiative' in its history gets underway

Audi Group CEO Markus Duesmann   Even as the Audi Group (VOW.DE), VW’s luxury division, is in the midst of a huge EV transformation it still needs to perform where it counts — the bottom line. And so it is doing just that.  On Thursday the Audi Group - which is dominated volume-wise by Audi, but also includes Bentley, Lamborghini, and Ducati - posted record revenue and operating profit in 2022. That shouldnÂ’t be a surprise given what the industry has been seeing at the highest end of the market - record performances despite macroeconomic jitters across the globe. But that it's happening as the group is noteworthy.  “We are on the verge of the biggest product initiative in our history,” Audi Group CEO Markus Duesmann said at a news conference earlier on Thursday. “By 2025, we will have launched around 20 new models, more than 10 of which will be all-electric. We have set the course to go 100% electric. By 2027, we seek to offer an all-electric vehicle in each core segment.”   This is all part of Audi GroupÂ’s Vorsprung 2030 plan, which seeks to have all of the groupÂ’s new models be electric by 2026 — and to end traditional gas-powered engine production by 2033. To that end, the group saw EV deliveries jump 44% (in 2022) compared to 2021 to over 118,000 vehicles, with the share of EVs rising to 7.2% from 4.8% in the prior year. Audi is also launching its first EV using the PPE (premium platform electric), which was developed together with Porsche. That EV, the Audi Q6 e-tron, will be unveiled later this year. (Past Audi EVs shared corporate parent VWÂ’s electric platform.) “With the Audi Q6 e-tron, e-mobility is coming from Ingolstadt (Audi HQ) for the first time,” Duesmann said in a statement. “To this end, weÂ’re also building a dedicated battery assembly facility on site. This will enable us to retain important know-how here in Germany and train our employees in future fields.” AudiÂ’s German rivals of course are also leaning in hard on their EV transformations. That makes it all the more important that Audi get its EV strategy right—and launched in a timely manner.

Lamborghini Huracan Tecnica boasts STO power and RWD

Lamborghini is bridging the gap between the two core versions of the Huracan with a new variant called Tecnica. Unveiled ahead of the 2022 New York Auto Show, the newest addition to the line packs a 631-horsepower V10, rear-wheel-drive, and aerodynamic updates. Developed to be equally at home on the road and on the track, the Huracan Tecnica fills the space separating the EVO and the STO. "In an era of virtual experiences, [the Tecnica] pays homage to technical purity and physical sensation," explained company boss Stephan Winkelmann. Visually, it stands out from its siblings with a redesigned front end that gains Y-shaped accents inspired by the track-only Huracan EVO2, a redesigned splitter, and air curtains integrated into the bumper (a first for the Huracan). Lamborghini notes that it gave the engine lid a new look to improve visibility, and cool-looking hexagonal exhaust outlets add a finishing touch to the muscular design. One noteworthy addition to the exterior design is the fixed rear wing. It helped engineers increase rear downforce by 35%, yet it doesn't increase drag; in fact, the Tecnica has 20% less drag compared to the EVO. New underbody panels further hone the aerodynamic profile. The cabin receives the same basic suite of technology found across the Huracan range, including a digital instrument cluster and a touchscreen-based infotainment system with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Amazon Alexa compatibility, but the interface is exclusive to the Tecnica. Height-adjustable sport seats upholstered in Alcantara come standard, though several other upholstery options are available. Power for the 3,040-pound Tecnica comes from the same naturally-aspirated, 5.2-liter V10 engine found in the Huracan STO. It develops 631 horsepower at a screaming 8,000 rpm and 417 pound-feet of torque at 6,500 rpm, and it spins the rear wheels via a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission linked to a pair of massive shift paddles. Lamborghini quotes a 0-to-62-mph time of 3.2 seconds; keep your foot down and the speedometer will display 124 mph in 9.1 seconds. Don't back off, and you'll reach the Tecnica's top speed of 202 mph. Rear-wheel-steering, torque vectoring, carbon ceramic brakes, and a modified Performance Traction Control System (P-TCS) help enthusiasts make the most of the 10-cylinder's output. Lamborghini adds that the suspension system has been tuned specifically for the Tecnica.

The exotic '80s: Ferrari, Lamborghini, Lotus and the Porsche 959

There's no secret that we are big fans of the MotorWeek Retro Review series around here. In an automotive world that often focuses on the latest tech and what's coming in the future, it's refreshing to take a look into the past to get a new perspective. That said, the show is really outdoing itself this time by posting a full episode from the '80s to YouTube, complete with the original, jazzy opening. The video is an absolute standout, too, with drives of some of the best supercars that Europe could offer at the time. Among the now classic sportscars that MotorWeek got to drive are the Ferrari 328, Lotus Esprit Turbo, Lamborghini Jalpa and Autokraft AC Mark IV. There's even a preview that sings the praises of the tech in the Porsche 959. The episode is basically a showcase of most of the exotics from young enthusiasts' walls and school folders during the '80s and is not to be missed. News Source: MotorWeek via YouTube Ferrari Lamborghini Lotus Porsche Performance Classics Videos lotus esprit ac