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1996 Zagato Raptor concept is a lighter Lamborghini Diablo VT and is up for sale

It's hard to out-do Lamborghini when it comes to design, but when Lamborghini partnered with Zagato on a concept car, that's just what happened. The 1996 Zagato Raptor concept was the result, and it was even planned for production. That never happened, but you'll be able to own the lone concept as it's going to be sold by RM Sotheby's. According to the auction house, the Zagato Raptor was developed as a stop-gap model between the Diablo and its proposed successor, the Canto, another stillborn design that gave way to the Murcielago. The car is distinctly more rounded than the wedge-like Diablo, but it's no less wild with its wide haunches, sci-fi taillight bar, and aggressive roof scoop. The party piece, though is the huge tilting canopy for access, which also featured a removable targa roof. The design process and its materials were impressive, too, as the car was completely designed on computers, and went from idea to complete car in just four months. The entire body was made of carbon fiber, too, and that made it about 660 pounds lighter than a Diablo. Some of the weight savings also came from the fact that it lacked the traction control and ABS that came with a Diablo. The Raptor naturally was quick as it shared the Diablo's 6.7-liter V12 and the Diablo VT's 6-speed manual gearbox and all-wheel drive. It could hit 60 mph in under 4 seconds. The car has led a fairly reclusive life following its debut at the 1996 Geneva Motor Show. It's last public appearance was at the Pebble Beach Concours back in 2008. As such, RM Sotheby's recommends a thorough mechanical refresh before doing much driving with it. As a show car, don't expect it to register it for street use, but we're sure it would be fun on private courses. The auction house didn't provide any pre-sale price estimate, though it probably won't go cheap. If you're interested, it will cross the block at the RM Sotheby's Abu Dhabi auction on November 30.

Lamborghini exploring more elegant designs

Ferrari's front-engined V12s and mid-engined V8s have taken turns monopolizing the brand's perception; the 550 Maranello was probably the last front-engined V12 to be first-to-mind, now the 458 Italia leads the family. Not so at Lamborghini, where a mid-engined V12 has been the go-to and centerpiece since the extraterrestrial Countach landed, and it still is no matter how much the Huracan outsells the Aventador. That shape, those doors, that engine – they're the franchise. That doesn't mean Lamborghini isn't trying new things. The Asterion LPI 910-4 concept from last year's Paris Motor Show was more than the marque's first draft of a hybrid, it was an exploration of a different avenue in design. According to design chief Filippo Perini, "We need to understand if we can open another window in our future to be not so extreme but also a little bit more politically correct and elegant." The Asterion points at elegance and "a daily use of the car" with more room inside, a slimmer rocker panel and sill for easier entry, and a raised hip point in the seats for a higher driving position. Perini said that from the driver's seat, "You can see the color of the car. That is something unknown in our very extreme designs." Extreme Lamborghinis aren't going away, however – note that Perini spoke of opening "another window" of design. The goal, he said, "is to understand if [its] design language will be appreciated by a different kind of customer." We can't imagine why not, and we hope we get more news about the "hyper cruiser" GT outside of magazine articles and auto show grandstanding. If it were up to us, Lamborghini would open that window all the way.

Lamborghini Urus ST-X due out in 2020, hybrid with boost mode still on the way

LAS VEGAS — Lamborghini will expand the Urus range by taking it in two completely different directions. The SUV will go racing by the end of 2020, and it will gain a gasoline-electric hybrid powertrain. Autoblog sat down with Maurizio Reggiani, the head of the Italian firm's research and development department, at CES to get the latest on both projects. An updated variant of the track-bound Urus ST-X concept (pictured) made its debut in 2019. Development work is ongoing in the automaker's Squadra Corsa department, Reggiani told us, and the model is scheduled to appear during the 2020 Lamborghini Super Trofeo World Final taking place in Misano, Italy, Oct. 31 to Nov. 1. "There will be a demo race where we'll present the format," Reggiani said. Meanwhile, another team is busily developing the plug-in hybrid variant of the Urus. It's a relatively straightforward process, because the model's platform was designed with electrification in mind, and the other models built on it (including the Porsche Cayenne and the Bentley Bentayga) are already available with hybrid power. The trick is figuring out what Lamborghini can bring to the table to differentiate itself from its sister brands. "The most important part will be to define in what way a Lamborghini must use this electric energy, and in what way we can be different from the other users of this platform," Reggiani said. While he stopped short of revealing what his team has decided, and he didn't share the model's unveiling date, he told us the driving mode selected will have a big effect on how the plug-in hybrid system dispenses electricity.  "We have seven different driving modes in the Urus, and what will be important is that every driving mode use electric power in a different way." Pressed for details, he singled out a "boost-oriented mode" created for maximum performance and an efficiency-focused mode that puts fuel economy front and center. Lamborghini is also taking its supercars into hybrid territory. We already know the Aventador's successor will offer a gasoline-electric powertrain, but the system won't be related to the one fitted to the Urus. Making a hybrid supercar is far more challenging than putting the system in an SUV, due to weight and packaging constraints, and going entirely electric would be even more difficult. Reggiani asserts the technology isn't ready yet. "When you drive a super-sport car, you want to have the freedom to do what you want.