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LAPD now on patrol with its own Lamborghini Gallardo

Last year, the Dubai Police made news by purchasing a string of supercars to act as patrol vehicles around the city. Apparently, a generous family in Los Angeles thought that the LAPD needed to keep up with the Joneses, because they recently donated use of their Lamborghini Gallardo. Unfortunately, you won't be seeing the Italian coupe in any high-speed chases, as it's being used exclusively for display at charity events.
The Lamborghini has arrived courtesy of Nathalie and Travis Marg, proprietors of telecommunications contractor Light Source 1 Inc. They approached the force with the idea to use the supercar because "they admire what the LAPD does for the community," said LAPD Sergeant Frank Preciado to Autoblog. Galpin Auto Sports was tapped for the custom wrap to make it look like a police car, and according to Sgt. Preciado, the police force can use the car indefinitely. Importantly, the LAPD says no tax dollars have been expended on this vehicle.
The LAPD Gallardo will be on display to the public at Los Angeles County Air Show on March 21-22, and Sgt. Preciado said the police have already received many inquiries to display the car at other events. The police have even set up dedicated Twitter and Instagram accounts to promote its newest addition. Too bad it won't be catching speeders anytime soon.

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.

Mansory turns the Lamborghini Urus into a coupe you'll either love or hate

German tuner Mansory is known globally for putting controversial-looking body kits on high-end cars like the Maserati MC20. The company's first build of 2023 goes much further: called Venatus Coupe EVO C, it's a Lamborghini Urus that has been transformed into a coupe. Lamborghini doesn't offer a two-door version of the Urus, the popular SUV is exclusively offered with four doors, so a substantial amount of time and effort went into completing the transformation. Mansory started by removing the four doors and shifting the b-pillars back by nearly eight inches. It then extended the front doors, widened the quarter panels, and, of course, fitted a full body kit that includes a redesigned front bumper with numerous vents and a splitter, side skirts, not one but two rear spoilers, plus a massive diffuser, among other add-ons.  Why bother? Well, the company notes that it has received several requests for a two-door Urus in the past couple of years. Nearly every part of the cabin has been redesigned to some extent. The first Venatus Coupe EVO C features specific trim, blue leather upholstery, leather-upholstered floor mats, and ambient lighting integrated into the headliner. The ignition button has been relocated to the headliner as well (it's on the center console in the regular-production Urus) and the front seats now tilt forward to provide easy access to the individual rear seats separated by a center console. The word "Coupe" is embroidered into the four seatbacks, lest you forget what you're in. The modifications don't end there. Pop the hood and you'll spot an evolution of the 4.0-liter, twin-turbocharged V8 that powers the standard Urus. It has been tuned to develop 900 horsepower and 811 pound-feet of torque in this application. In comparison, the stock Urus S and the Urus Performante are both rated at 657 horsepower and 627 pound-feet of torque. The eight-cylinder spins the four wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission linked to shift paddles. Mansory quotes a zero-to-62-mph time of 2.9 seconds and a top speed of 207 mph. Pricing hasn't been announced, but it's of little interest to someone in the market for a heavily-modified Lamborghini Urus. For context, the Urus carries a base price of about $230,000. Mansory notes that this is the first of eight Urus coupes it plans to build in the coming years. Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.