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Lamborghini SC63 endurance race car unveiled for LMDh category

Lamborghini has set its sights on beating Porsche, BMW, and Cadillac, among other teams, in the top tier of endurance racing. The company has unveiled a race car named SC63 that was designed to compete in the LMDh category, and Autoblog sat down with CEO Stephan Winkelmann to get additional details about the upcoming model and its significance. Lamborghini has run a one-make racing series for over a decade, and its Huracan has competed in the GT3 category for several years, but the Italian brand has never been present on the highest echelon of the endurance racing world. Winkelmann explained why that changed. "This is a race series that's giving us a lot of visibility. We're not only racing in IMSA or in the WEC; we're racing in both. This is good for North America, it's good for Europe, and it's good for the Asia-Pacific region. It's a race series where the major OEMs are participating, so I think that also here there is an opportunity," Winkelmann told us. "We're a super-sportscar manufacturer; it's important." Power for the SC63 comes from a gasoline-electric hybrid powertrain built around a new, 3.8-liter twin-turbocharged V8 developed in-house specifically for the racing program. The system's total output checks in at about 670 horsepower, which is the maximum allowed by racing regulations, and the gearbox, the battery, as well as the motor-generator unit are standard components that other teams are using as well. That's not to say the SC63 is identical to, say, the BMW M Hybrid and the Porsche 963. Lamborghini explains that racing regulations give its engineering team the freedom to customize the gear ratios and the slip of the mechanical differential, among several other parameters.  Lamborghini asked a French firm named Ligier to develop and build the SC63's monocoque, though its engineers played a big role in dialing in the car's specifications. They notably requested a push rod-type front suspension system, ensured it has the ideal weight distribution, and made sure that critical parts are easy to access and service; every second count during a pit stop, even when you're competing in a 24-hour-long race. Lamborghini and Ligier also paid special attention to the brakes to find the right middle ground between weight and durability. Honing the SC63's aerodynamic profile was easier said than done, because LMDh regulations allow teams to use only one body kit per season, and the scope of the changes that can be made between races is limited.

One day later, junior car thief bags his Lambo

Five-year-old Adrian Zamarripa made headlines when he boosted his parents' SUV and set out for California from his home in Utah. With $3 in his pocket, the young supercar fan was on a quest to buy a Lamborghini. His plan unraveled, however, when Utah state police pulled him over on I-15. Or at least, it seemed to. Though thwarted in his attempt to get to California, one day after his story appeared, a Lamborghini came to him. As Fox 13 News Utah reports, local Lamborghini owner Jeremy Nevis drove to Zamarripa's home in Ogden to give the fellow Lambo lover a ride in his matte-black Huracan. "The success principles that he displayed were magnificent to me," Nevis said. Oh, and Fox 13 reports that an unidentified California business has offered to fly Zamarripa to the Golden State and let him actually drive a Lamborghini (under supervision). As his sister says in the segment, "It's like he planned everything, which is crazy." The important lessons: Crime pays. And when you fail big, it's really just a preamble to success.  

Autoblog Minute: Why Lamborghini approved the Urus SUV

Lamborghini looks to double its vehicle sales and workforce with the addition of the Urus luxury SUV. Autoblog's Mylencia Gillenwaters reports on this edition of Autoblog Minute, with commentary from Michael Austin. Show full video transcript text [00:00:00] Lamborghini looks to double its vehicle sales and workforce with the addition of the Urus luxury SUV. I'm Mylencia Gillenwaters and this is your Autoblog Minute. Lamborghini is the latest luxury sports car manufacturer to join the SUV game. Development of the Urus will see the Italian automaker make 500 new hires and build a new facility near its headquarters in Bologna, Italy. Lamborghini expects the Urus to [00:00:30] have a dramatic effect on annual sales, with a projected increase of 2,500 vehicles to 5,000 annually. The Italian automaker pushed hard for parent company Volkswagen AG to allow it to develop this important new model internally. For more, we go to Autoblog editor-in-chief, Mike Austin. [00:01:00] [MICHAEL AUSTIN INTERVIEW] With IHS Automotive reporting the sport utility segment up 88 percent since 2008, and high-end competitors like Bentley entering the fray, we'll see if Lamborghini's timing pays off or if families in need of blinding grocery hauling speed will shop elsewhere. For Autoblog, I'm Mylecnia Gillenwaters. [00:01:30] [Autoblog Minute logo] Autoblog Minute is a short-form video news series reporting on all things automotive. Each segment offers a quick and clear picture of what's happening in the automotive industry from the perspective of Autoblog's expert editorial staff, auto executives, and industry professionals.