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Mexico to auction Lamborghini, other seized assets to help poor

MEXICO CITY — Mexico's government will auction a Lamborghini, homes and other assets seized from gangsters and at least one former politician, officials said on Tuesday, part of a "Robin Hood" program to use millions of dollars in ill-gotten gains to aid the poor. The first auction, set for Sunday, will seek bids for 77 vehicles with a total starting price of around $1.5 million, Ricardo Rodriguez, head of the newly created Institute to Return Stolen Goods to the People, said at a news conference. "Before, this worked like a reverse Robin Hood ... taking from the people and giving to the corrupt. Not anymore," Rodriguez said. The proceeds will go to two municipalities in the southern state of Oaxaca, which President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said are among the poorest in the country. The vehicles up for auction include Porsches, Corvettes, Mercedes-Benzes, a Mustang convertible and a 2007 Lamborghini Murcielago. A 2017 report by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development noted that recent studies estimated Mexico lost between 5% and 9% of its gross domestic product (GDP) to corruption annually. Since taking office in December, Lopez Obrador, a leftist, has rolled out a string of welfare programs for the poor and the elderly, cut salaries for top civil servants and said he is saving public money by eliminating corruption. He announced plans for a "Robin Hood" institute in April. The Mexican president, who has shunned the often luxurious trappings of the country's wealthy elites and was known to drive through the capital in a modest white Volkswagen Jetta, added that two cars and an ambulance donated by the King of Jordan will go to the National Guard, a new security force. One of the auctions will seek to sell three homes worth at least $7 million, including one with an indoor pool in an upscale Mexico City neighborhood. The money will go towards a youth drug rehabilitation program. Proceeds from another auction of jewelry seized from organized crime groups will go to communities in the mountains of Guerrero state, where many families struggle to eke out a living by growing opium poppies. Not all the assets come from drug lords. Rodriguez said one of the homes up for auction belonged to a former politician. Reporting by Daina Beth Solomon.

Lamborghini Huracan's successor shows its details in new spy photos

The Lamborghini Huracan’s successor is coming in hot with a reveal set to take place during Monterey Car Week in August. We already have the full download on the PHEV powertrain that you can read about here, but now a new set of spy shots provides us with the best design preview yet. All of the spy photos of this new Lambo so far have shown it with coverings over openings and far more trickery to its finer edges than this latest set. Finally, we get a chance to see this mid-engine supercarÂ’s true shape. Its headlights are fully uncovered and are essentially slits in the front bumper. The shape of the central intake in said front bumper is shown here with massive openings for cooling. Plus, some funky hexagonal running lights are visible in the lower side air intake openings. This LamboÂ’s side view is predictably full of sharp creases and funky shapes. Even the rear fenderÂ’s air intake features some funky slats in them to add even more drama to the design. The openings in both rear fenders to feed air into the engine bay are huge and should help to keep the 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 fed. Around back, Lamborghini has done away with its shrouding of the taillights and given us an even better view of the spicy rear end than before. The chopped rear bumper behind the tires makes for a very aggressive aesthetic. Meanwhile, the huge rear diffuser and lower light integrated into it just screams race car. Its high-mounted exhaust is reminiscent of the Revuelto, which can be said for a number of the styling elements around this Huracan successor. Lastly, weÂ’ll point out the hexagonal LED taillights that are now plenty visible and no longer hiding behind large strips of camouflage. Look out for the full details on this Huracan successor in about a monthÂ’s time, as Monterey Car Week is just around the corner.

Pope Francis gets a papal-themed Lamborghini Huracan

Lamborghini picked a special recipient for the newest and rarest version of its Huracan RWD, giving an ultra limited-edition version of the supercar to Pope Francis in a ceremony Wednesday at the Vatican attended by company executives. The new Popemobile, it's not. Fittingly, according to Catholic News Agency, it's the seventh version of the Huracan, the Italian company's entry-level model. It's set to be auctioned at RM Sotheby's on May 12, 2018, with orders from the Holy See to split the proceeds between three charitable causes: restoring villages on the Nineveh Plain in Iraq, helping victims of human trafficking and supporting missionary work in Africa. The papal Huracan RWD is done in Monocerus white with Tiberio yellow stripes running along the hood, roof and body, reflecting the colors of the flag of Vatican City. It was blessed and autographed by the pontiff in the presence of Lamborghini Chairman and CEO Stefano Domenicali, board members and two employees who helped build the car. The Huracan is the successor to the Gallardo, Lamborghini's best-selling model of all time, with a design inspired by the hexagonal form of the carbon atom. It's powered by a naturally aspirated, 5.2-liter V10 that makes 602 horsepower and 413 pound-feet of torque. Normally, the sports car starts $199,800. But a version blessed and autographed by the pope? Priceless...Related Video: