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New Lamborghini Urus variant sets SUV record at Pikes Peak

Lamborghini has dethroned sister company Bentley and set a new record for SUVs on the track used for the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. The next evolution of the Urus — which hasn't been unveiled yet — beat the time set by the Bentayga in 2018 by over 10 seconds. Draped in camouflage, the mysterious Urus raced up the 156-turn course in 10 minutes and 32.06 seconds. For context, the Bentayga that just got knocked off the podium's top spot set a time of 10 minutes and 49.9 seconds in June 2018. Lamborghini doesn't want to give away too many details before it unveils the record-setting Urus but it noted that the model was largely stock. The only modifications made were required to comply with safety regulations; the list includes a roll cage, race seats with six-point harnesses, and a fire extinguishing system. If you're wondering "wasn't Pikes Peak held in June?," you're absolutely right. Lamborghini clarified that the Urus was not entered in the official hill climb that celebrated its 100th edition in 2022. Its time was recorded by the event's official time-keepers, however, and the course was evidently closed to traffic for the occasion. Italian racer (and Pirelli test driver) Simone Faggioli set the record. We won't have to wait long to find out what's behind the camouflage. Lamborghini will unveil the next Urus evolution in August 2022. Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.  

Audi considering turbo option for longer, wider Hurac?n-based R8

The debut of the Lamborghini Huracán was (and remains) big news in and of itself, but equally as exciting is the imminent arrival of the Audi R8, which the Huracán presages. While the two will share a common architecture, don't expect that new R8 will simply be a cheaper version of the Huracán (like the current one arguably is to the Gallardo).
For one, the next R8 will be larger than the Huracán. According to emerging intelligence, Audi will make its sports car both longer and wider than the Lamborghini version. It'll also share the new Lambo's innovative carbon-fiber structure that will replace both the firewall and central tunnel. But to power it all, Audi will get more creative.
The next R8 will, like the current model and like the Huracán, offer a V10 engine at the top of the range. It will also offer the same 4.2-liter V8 as the outgoing model. But that won't be the end of the matter. Word has it that Audi is also working on a smaller, turbocharged engine to offer in certain markets that mandate smaller-capacity engines.

Volkswagen decides to keep Lamborghini and Ducati, transfers Bentley to Audi

Investors in the market for a high-end Italian manufacturer that peddles performance will need to keep looking. Volkswagen announced it will hang on to Lamborghini and Ducati in the foreseeable future. Executives in Wolfsburg, Germany, are making far-reaching changes to the Volkswagen Group to reboot it with a big focus on technology. Credible rumors claimed that the people in charge of the carmaker wanted to carve out Lamborghini — which owns Ducati — and ultimately list it, or at least a chunk of it, on the stock market in order to fast-track the group's electrification strategy. Going electric is expensive, so selling Lamborghini would have helped fund the expansion, and high-octane supercars don't easily go hand-in-hand with zero-emissions cars. "Volkswagen needs to change from a collection of valuable brands and fascinating combustion-engine products that thrill customers with superb engineering to a digital company that reliably operates millions of mobility devices worldwide," summed up Herbert Diess, the group's boss, during a September 2020 meeting. His team ultimately decided not to fully divest both brands. It's too early to tell whether part of Lamborghini will be listed on the stock market, as some insiders have suggested, or if those plans are off the table, too. Changes are coming to Bentley as well. While it's not being spun off either, it will fall under the Audi umbrella starting on March 1, 2021. Volkswagen explained linking the two companies will "allow for synergies to be achieved as part of the electrification strategy of the two premium brands," a statement which suggests they will share a growing number of components during the 2020s. Unverified rumors claim that Bentley will notably get its own version of an ultra-luxurious electric SUV code-named Landjet that Audi is currently developing. We've reached out to Bentley for more details, and we'll update this story if we learn more. Bugatti's future wasn't mentioned in the release; unconfirmed reports suggest it will be traded for a stake in Croatian start-up Rimac. Volkswagen's supervisory board also reaffirmed its support for Diess, who was appointed CEO in 2018 and who has played a significant role in the company's transformation. Finally, the board approved the development of what a statement refers to a future leading electric vehicle sold by the Volkswagen brand that will be developed and manufactured in Wolfsburg.