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Lamborghini says handling, not flat-out speed, is the new benchmark

Speed has played a significant role in defining Lamborghini's image since the brand's inception in 1963, but the type of velocity it aims to achieve is changing direction. One of its top executives opined that handling, not 0-60-mph times or maximum speed, is the new benchmark in the supercar segment the company calls home. Francesco Scardaoni, the head of the Italian company's Asia-Pacific operations, explained achieving the quickest possible sprint from 0-60 mph and the highest possible top speed used to be what defined a Lamborghini. Rivals aimed to rule the chart, too, so exotic brands spend decades taking turns trying to outgun each other by shaving a tenth of a second from — or adding a few miles per hour to — their respective times. EVs moved the goalpost in the 2010s, according to Scardaoni, because their powertrain develops maximum torque right away. "If you go back to 10 years ago, probably when we were asked the parameters to measure a car with we would say top speed, acceleration, and then handling. Top speed then became a secondary measure, and acceleration the first one. Now, basically [with electrification] is no more that important. because it's quite easy for those kind of power units to have amazing results in acceleration," he explained in an interview with Car Advice. Exemplified by the Huracan STO introduced in 2020, the shift represents a dramatic about-face for the engineering team led by Maurizio Reggiani. Speed is easy to quantify; if we tell you that a Bugatti Chiron takes 2.4 seconds to reach 60 mph from a full stop, or that it maxes out at 304 mph, you know exactly what it can do. Handling, on the other hand, is difficult to put a number on. Gs on a skidpad is one measure, but that's only a small part of the handling equation. There's no unit of measurement that describes how a Divo feels on a winding Sicilian road. Scardaoni hinted that focusing on handling is a way to keep exotic supercars relevant in the coming years. Electric hypercars are ostensibly on their way, including the Rimac C_Two and the Pininfarina Battista. Closely related, both allegedly take under two seconds to sprint from 0-60 mph thanks in part to a 1,900-horsepower drivetrain, yet they weigh approximately 4,300 pounds; they're heavier than a Mercedes-Benz S-Class. Neither are in the same league as, say, the Huracan, but they're good examples of the pros and cons of electrified performance.

Rare U.S.-spec 1990 Lamborghini LM002 fetches $467,000 at auction

A rare "Rambo Lambo," an American-spec 1990 LM002 that was Lamborghini's first SUV and arguably the first high-performance sport utility, has sold at auction in New York for $467,000. RM Sotheby's says the luxury ute, which has 19,153 miles on the odometer, underwent a comprehensive five-year mechanical and cosmetic restoration and was originally priced at $158,000 when it arrived in the U.S. through a Florida port of entry. The auction sale price is more than twice the cost of the new Urus, the sleek new crossover that Lamborghini unveiled earlier this week. The LM002 traces its lineage to the Cheetah, a rear-engine-mounted 4x4 that Lamborghini made with an American defense contractor for the U.S. Army, which did not reward the automaker with a contract. It was Lamborghini's first production SUV, based on the Cheetah's basic engineering, and it added luxurious wood and leather to the interior, a spacious cargo area and the 5.2-liter Countach V12 engine that took it from 0-60 in 7.7 seconds. Only 301 examples were ever made between 1986 and 1993, with just 48 of them built to the LM/American specs and delivered to the U.S. Sotheby's notes that the exotic car market of the early '90s "was in full flourish thanks to a new generation of millionaires and billionaires seeking the ever-greater 'toy' — and nothing was bigger or better than the LM002." It boasts a massive 76-gallon fuel tank, and the model that just sold was equipped with specially designed Pirelli Scorpion run-flat tires. Jay Leno took an LM002 of the same model year for a spin two years ago on an episode of "Jay Leno's Garage." The restoration effort was valued at $325,000 and covered the Countach engine, new exhaust and a full, new interior, adding an Alpine stereo head unit and integrated Bluetooth to bring things up to modern speed. It also features the rare rear cargo toolbox, tonneau cover, and correct LM/American floor mats and chrome bumpers. The owner also got correct tools, keys, books, jack, full receipts and photographic documentation of the restoration process, plus two OEM ECU computer units.Related Video:

Lamborghini Huracan LP580-2 is a purist's RWD, 571-hp dream

Purists rejoice: Lamborghini has revealed the new Huracan LP580-2, ditching the all-wheel drive system for a rear-drive setup and a slight decrease in power. Like the previous Gallardo LP550-2 (and Balboni edition) before it, the Huracan LP580-2 is based on the same technologies as the LP610-4 coupe and Spyder. Instead of 602 horsepower and 413 pound-feet of torque, it produces 571 hp and 398 lb-ft to the rear wheels through the same seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox. Some might balk at the lack of availability of a manual transmission, but Lamborghini figures few (if any) would have ordered one that way at any rate. What the new setup means is more tail-happy handling, which the engineers in Sant'Agata have only encouraged that through specific tuning of the electronic systems. Equally as important is a lower dry weight of 3,062 pounds – 73 fewer than the all-wheel-drive coupe. To set the rear-drive version apart from its AWD counterpart, Lamborghini has restyled the front and rear ends and anchored it to the road on staggered 19-inch wheels coated in Pirelli PZero rubber. Aluminum calipers grip steel (instead of carbon-ceramic) rotors to keep it all in check. In measurable terms, that all comes down to a 0-62 time quoted at 3.4 seconds and a top speed at 199 miles per hour - respectively 0.2 seconds and 3 mph slower than the LP610-4. But the LP580-2 isn't about outright pace or bragging rights. Those are best left to the more potent and grippy model, and to the yet more powerful versions that are sure to follow. In the meantime, we can look forward to the getting a closer look at the latest version of the Huracan in the flesh at the LA Auto Show. Related Video: The rear-wheel drive Lamborghini Huracan LP 580-2: the essence of driving fun - New dynamic design of front and rear - Designed and engineered to provide perfect rear-wheel driving fun - Weight reduction with recalibrated power management for highly-involving driver experience - 0-100km/h in 3.4 seconds, top speed of 320 km/h Sant'Agata Bolognese/LA, 17 November 2015 – Automobili Lamborghini presents the Lamborghini Huracan LP 580-2: a two-wheel drive version of the Huracan coupe. Specifically designed and engineered for its rear-wheel drive set-up, the Huracan LP 580-2's combines dynamic new looks with a package for an enhanced Lamborghini driving emotion.