2008 Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder Convertible 2-door 5.0l on 2040-cars

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Coronavirus prompts VW to stop production throughout Europe

FRANKFURT — Volkswagen Group, the world's biggest carmaker, is suspending production at factories across Europe as the coronavirus pandemic hits sales and disrupts supply chains, the company said on Tuesday. The German carmaker, which owns the Audi, Bentley, Bugatti, Ducati, Lamborghini, Porsche, Seat and Skoda brands, also said that uncertainty about the fallout from coronavirus meant it was impossible to give forecasts for its performance this year. "Given the present significant deterioration in the sales situation and the heightened uncertainty regarding parts supplies to our plants, production is to be suspended in the near future at factories operated by group brands," Chief Executive Herbert Diess said on Tuesday. Volkswagen's powerful works council concluded it was not possible for workers to maintain a safe distance from each other to prevent contagion and recommended a suspension of production at its factories from Friday. Production will be halted at VW's Spanish plants, in Setubal in Portugal, Bratislava in Slovakia and at the Lamborghini and Ducati plants in Italy before the end of this week, Diess said. Most of its other German and European factories will prepare to suspend production, probably for two to three weeks, while Audi said separately it would halt output at its plants in Belgium, Germany, Hungary and Mexico. Volkswagen's vast factories in Chattanooga, Tennessee, in Puebla, Mexico, and plants in Brazil were not affected, but that would depend on how the coronavirus spreads, VW said. Volkswagen has 124 production sites worldwide of which 72 are in Europe, with 28 in Germany alone. "2020 will be a very difficult year. The coronavirus pandemic presents us with unknown operational and financial challenges. At the same time, there are concerns about sustained economic impacts," Diess said.   Production in China resumes Volkswagen Group sold 10.96 million vehicles last year, putting it ahead of Toyota based on the latest figures from the Japanese carmaker. Globally, VW employs 671,000 people and it delivered 4.86 million vehicles to European customers in 2019. Only last month the car and truck maker based in Wolfsburg, Germany, predicted that vehicle deliveries this year would match 2019 sales and forecast an operating return on sales in the range of 6.5% to 7.5%. "The spread of coronavirus is currently impacting the global economy. It is uncertain how severely or for how long this will also affect the Volkswagen Group.

Lamborghini will unveil an enigmatic hypercar at the Frankfurt auto show

Lamborghini released a dark teaser image that previews a new model scheduled to break cover during the 2019 Frankfurt Auto Show. Posted on its official Instagram channel, the teaser shot asks more questions than it answers while giving us one more reason to look forward to the event. "Just open your eyes to the future," Lamborghini instructed its fans in the caption that accompanied the photo. That's not much to go off of, but the blacked-out image looks like it depicts the front of a low-slung supercar wearing Y-shaped LED running lights. The company's logo is the only other visible detail, but we see enough to tell whatever Lamborghini is teasing shares a few key styling cues with the striking Terzo Millennio concept unveiled as a design study in 2017.  This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.   The resemblance fills in another piece of the puzzle. Developed jointly with MIT, the Terzio Millennio ditched the Aventador's sonorous, naturally-aspirated V12 in favor of in-wheel electric motors fed by supercapacitor energy storage technology. These components aren't ready for production yet, but earlier rumors claimed the Terzo Millennio's strikingly futuristic design and proud emphasis on clean, eco-friendly performance would influence Lamborghini's first road-going gasoline-electric hybrid. We might be looking at the yet-unnamed model. Where it will slot in the Lamborghini range is up in the air, too. It's not replacing the Huracan, and the Aventador S is expected to stick around until the early 2020s. It doesn't look related to the high-riding Urus in any way, either, which hints it's a limited-edition model. Lamborghini has a proven history of previewing new cars with limited-edition models, so the Frankfurt-bound model could give the public an early taste of the car that will replace the Aventador S. We're also not ruling out the possibility that the car is somehow related to Lamborghini's interest in the new hypercar category created for the World Endurance Championship (WEC). None of these theories are mutually exclusive; the car could draw inspiration from the Terzo Millennio, hint at the Aventador's replacement, and give the Aston Martin Valkyrie a run for its money at Le Mans in 2020. The speculation around Lamborghini's next model will end when it makes its debut in Frankfurt 10.

Lamborghini owner parks Countach near London Tower Bridge, everyone freaks

With its razor-sharp wedge shape, high performance and minuscule ride height, the Lamborghini Countach has always been a supercar made to be gawked at and grab attention. Even the model's name supposedly comes from an Italian exclamation. But not all recognition is positive, as is the case with this Lamborghini illegally parked within sight of London's famed Tower Bridge.
According to The Telegraph, this white Countach was reportedly abandoned after running out of fuel, blocking a lane in the process. In that time, someone apparently attempted to scratch off part of its no-parking sticker. In the end, the supercar was hooked up and lifted onto a flatbed truck to be towed away, drawing a sizable crowd in the process. Those interviewed seemed pretty upset and mystified that someone would illegally park the car there.
According to The Telegraph, the owner was traced via license plate, whereupon it was discovered there was a warrant out for his arrest on harassment charges. He was subsequently arrested in London and later released on bail. Sadly, there's no word yet on whether the classic Lamborghini was released with its owner or if its angular self is sitting in an impound lockup somewhere.