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The Huracan Performante is still a supercar steal, regardless of 'Ring time validity

When Lamborghini released video of its new Huracan Performante lapping the Nurburgring in a stunning 6:52, not everyone was convinced the record was honest. As a result, Lamborghini's director of research and development provided some data to Roadshow to shore up the lap time claim. He addressed the tire issue by telling Roadshow that the car used the optional Pirelli Trofeo Rs. And he noted that it was quicker than its more powerful brother, the Aventador SV, because it cornered and accelerated faster. He even provided VBox data of the lap. The thing is, none of this really matters in the end, particularly for the Huracan. Let us explain. For one thing, if you're going to question the Performante's time, you should question all of the times. All of these records are presented by the manufacturers, so there isn't a truly impartial party measuring the results and inspecting cars. Even with a company presenting plenty of data and explanations, it's hard to be 100 percent sure everything is on the level without an unbiased third party inspecting the cars before and after the lap, and keeping timing. But besides the issue of impartiality, the times themselves aren't really important. As interesting and fun as it is to compare lap times at the Nurburgring, they're really only relevant for rich owners and car companies to brag, and for less-rich fans to bench race. That's not a bad thing, but to look at the lap time of one single track doesn't really give a full picture of a car's performance. A car that's fast at the Nurburgring could be really slow on a tight course like Streets of Willow Springs. There's also the issue of who's driving the car. The manufacturers put their top drivers out on the 'Ring to set times. If you're not a factory test driver, you'll probably never go that fast even if you did get your car to the track. It's all a bit like the silly "blind" or two-wheeled car records. They don't actually provide much info on what the car is really like, or how you could drive it. Even if you're not on board with this explanation, and trust all the 'Ring records except this Lamborghini, we still have a reason why it doesn't matter. You see, even if you're convinced that there's no way the Huracan could best the Porsche 918 Spyder and the Aventador around the Nordschleife, it's still a screaming supercar bargain. The Porsche is a million-dollar car, and the Aventador, just the base model, is $125,000 more than the Huracan Performante.

Lamborghini Urus Performante Special Edition is likely not for you

Inspired by racing, the Lamborghini Urus Performante Special Edition is a limited-edition model created for the 40 enthusiasts who bought the Essenza SCV12. It stands out from the SUV it's based on with specific styling cues inside and out created by the Ad Personam division. Standard carbon fiber add-ons, including the panel between the rear lights, help set the Special Edition apart from the Urus Performante. These parts are left exposed to highlight the use of the weight-saving material, but the similarities between the 40 Special Edition models will stop there. Ad Personam, the brand's in-house department in charge of designing one- and few-off cars, created a livery that echoes the Essenza SCV12 and that's characterized by styling cues such as orange accents and black trim pieces on the lower part of the body. Lamborghini designers worked with Essenza owners to configure each Special Edition model, and many buyers created a matching pair; some of the designs are pictured in our gallery. Black brake calipers and 23-inch wheels come standard, though other options are available. The interior's layout hasn't changed, but many of the design details are specific to the Special Edition. The cabin is finished in a color called Nero Cosmus and upholstered in a blend of black leather and Alcantara. There's carbon fiber trim that's either glossy or matte depending on the buyer's preference, black anodized aluminum accents, as well as the Essenza's logo on the passenger's side of the dashboard. Two plates add a finishing touch to the look: one celebrates Lamborghini's 60th birthday and the other is engraved with the customer's name.  While it would have been cool to pop the hood and come nose-to-nose with the Essenza's 830-horsepower V12, the Special Edition uses the same twin-turbocharged, 4.0-liter V8 as the standard Urus Performante. The engine develops 657 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 627 pound-feet of torque from 2,300 to 4,500 rpm, and it spins the four wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission. Hitting 62 mph from a stop takes 3.3 seconds (the Performante is the quickest member of the Urus range) and the SUV doesn't stop accelerating until it hits 190 mph. Pricing for the Lamborghini Urus Performante Special Edition hasn't been revealed, but the entire production run has been spoken for. Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Lambo considering Huracan GT3 for United SportsCar Championship

With all the versions of the Gallardo that Lamborghini made over the course of that model's dozen year lifecycle, we knew the debut of the new Huracán would only be the start. And now we're getting an idea of what Sant'Agata has in store. Before too long, there'll be a new Spyder, and likely a rear-drive version as well. But racing teams are more eagerly anticipating the new competition versions. There's the new Super Trofeo spec racer that Lambo unveiled in Monterey a couple of weeks ago, but now we're receiving word of a new GT3 racer as well.
Based closely on the Super Trofeo, the Huracán GT3 is reportedly being designed to meet the regulations of numerous racing series - including, the latest reports will have us know, the United SportsCar Championship that competes in North America. This according to Sportscar365.com, which spoke to Lamborghini's chief test driver Giorgio Sanna at Virginia International Raceway recently.
Unlike some of its rivals, racing has not traditionally been a core value at Lamborghini, but it has competed here and there. It previously relied on Reiter Engineering to develop racing versions of the Murcielago and Gallardo, but is said to be doing the Huracán GT3 almost entirely in-house, with a modicum of input from Dallara, the racing chassis manufacturer founded by the man widely credited with developing the Miura and Espada in the 1960s.