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Lamborghini confirms next-gen Aventador and Huracan to be PHEVs

It's official, Lamborghini CEO Stefano Domenicali confirmed to Top Gear magazine that the next-generation Aventador and Huracan will get plug-in hybrid powertrains. Autocar reported last October that the next Huracan would get "next-generation" batteries to aid its naturally aspirated V10 when it debuts around 2022. The fate of the Aventador S's successor, however, was unclear beyond the certainty of it featuring a mid-mounted V12. Now we know it will get a naturally aspirated V12 with electric help when it arrives in 2020 or so, and both cars will boast a small all-electric range. Top Gear imagined how much each coupe could gain — both in weight and in power — by mating each car's current engine with the 134-horsepower electric motor and 14-kWh lithium-ion battery pack from the Porsche Panamera Turbo S e-hybrid. TG figures the Aventador S replacement would go from 730 hp and 508 pound-feet of torque to 860 hp and 566 lb-ft. That's the good news. The bad news is that Porsche said the hybrid system adds 661 pounds to the weight of the Panamera. Tack that onto the Lamborghini, and an Aventador S goes up a weight class to 4,354 pounds. The new Huracan output stretches from 602 hp and 412 lb-ft to 728 hp and 471 lb-ft, and 3,796 pounds. Judged on the results of that purely imaginary fancy, Top Gear says the numbers "well and truly stack up." We think that given the chance to add 130 horsepower at the price of putting a Harley-Davidson Fat Boy in the trunk — or the weight of second complete engine — we might ask if there were other tradeoffs available. We're certain Lamborghini's working all the angles, though, and confident the Sant' Agata carmaker will translate its actual figures into another duo of brutal, bewitching sports cars. The brand is looking beyond the near-term hybrids to what could come after, as well. Domenicali said he doesn't believe there will be sufficient potential in electric powertrains until 2026, but he's ready with concepts like the Terzo Millennio whenever the powertrains are. Lamborghini's also working with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to "write an important page in the future of super sports cars for the third millennium," suspected to center on lightweight materials, solid-state batteries, and alternative fuels. On that last note, Domenicali's already eyeing the potential of using hydrogen fuel cells in the distant future.

Stop everything, and appreciate the Lamborghini Miura's mechanical beauty

Everybody knows the Lamborghini Miura is one of the greatest automotive designs of all time. It's also known that the Miura's V12 heart is one of the greatest powertrains of all time. But there's more to a car than just the body and the engine. Celebrating the intricacies of manufacturing, Artist Fabian Oefner took his disintegrating cars series to new heights by using a real 1972 Miura SV to create stunning photos of the remarkable internals of the historic Lamborghini. In the past, Oefner has created fantastic museum-quality images by using scale model cars and suspending their parts to look like explosions of mechanical goodness. This Miura, however, is the real deal. A collector and friend contacted Oefner to suggest that a full restoration of the car would be a perfect opportunity to photograph the vehicle and create a life-sized version of his Disintegrating Cars series. The results are absolutely breathtaking. The original idea of the series was an exploration of time and reality. Oefner takes each part and suspends it from above to create an exposed three-dimensional examination of the car. Using a real vehicle, however, was a much different process. Creating his work in his studio was a calming and centering process for Oefner, whereas working on a real Lamborghini was much more time-sensitive and much more involved, with several mechanics working on the car. Such a complicated and involved procedure created a special bond between artist and subject. "At the end of the process, you know every single detail," Oefner said in the video above. "It's more like it's a person, if you want to say so. Every time I see the car, it's like, 'Oh, I know you!'" The art, which took two years of work and photography in the Sant`Agatha Lamborghini factory, allows enthusiasts to know the car better, too, as the final product uses 1,500 parts. See more detailed photos of the art and the work on Fabien Oefner's portfolio site. News Source: Fabien Oefner, Lamborghini Design/Style Lamborghini Coupe Performance Supercars Classics Videos lamborghini miura

2020 Lamborghini Huracan Evo Spyder debuts ahead of Geneva Motor Show

Lamborghini hasn't wasted any time in showing us the drop-top version of the updated Huracan, set to be called the Huracan Evo Spyder. It takes all the goodness of the recently revealed Huracan Evo, but loses the roof. Surprised? Yeah, neither are we. This supercar will be shown at the 2019 Geneva Motor Show, but Lamborghini has given us photos and a bunch of the details today. We drove the 2020 Huracan Evo around the F1 circuit in Bahrain last month, and are happy to report that it's still every bit the brutally quick and incredible Lamborghini that it replaces. With the roof down, you'll be able to hear that screaming 5.2-liter V10 a little better, though. The Spyder has the same 640 horsepower and 442 pound-feet of torque that the coupe has, but loses a couple tenths in the run to 62 mph, according to Lamborghini. No surprise – the Spyder is a significant 265 pounds heavier than the normal Huracan Evo, bringing it up to a hefty 3,400-pound dry curb weight. A coupe will get there in 2.9 seconds, but the Spyder is rated for 3.1 seconds. Such a shame (read: sarcasm). Top speed is unchanged from the coupe at 202 mph. Lamborghini doesn't specify if that's with the roof up or down, but it's safe to assume up. The soft top roof operates at the same speed as before, going up in 17 seconds at up to 31 mph. A rear window powers down behind you to enhanced enhanced exhaust sound, just like the previous Huracan Spyder. You'll get all the same performance features as the normal Huracan Evo, including the predictive-logic vehicle dynamics control system that anticipates the driver's next move. There's an enhanced version of the Lamborghini Piattaforma Inerziale accelerators and gyroscope sensors to monitor the car's position at any moment in time. The Spyder's looks adopt a lot of the elements from the normal Evo. A new front splitter, larger air intakes, and slotted spoiler help air flow better around and through the car. The same twin-exhaust coming out the rear bumper will play a wonderful note for the passengers with the top down. As is always the case, the Spyder is more expensive than the hardtop. Base price is $287,400 for the Evo Spyder, and the first deliveries will be in spring of this year. Related Video: