2007 Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder, 6spd Manual on 2040-cars

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Audi CEO Rupert Stadler: Ducati is not for sale

"Ducati is not for sale." Those words, attributed to Audi CEO Rupert Stadler, are about as clear and definitive as can be, and they reiterate a previous statement about the potential sale of the premium Italian motorcycle brand that was made in March of this year. "[Ducati and Lamborghini] belong to Audi and, together with us, have an excellent future," said Stadler. Thing is, Audi, as well-off and established as it may be, still falls under the Volkswagen umbrella. And, as you're surely aware, things haven't exactly been smooth sailing for the VW Group over the last several months. The German automaker has squirreled away billions of dollars in anticipation of the legal fallout that's sure to come from the falsification of vehicle emissions data, and that's going to leave the company strapped for cash. All of that bad news led to speculation that VW could sell off some of its non-core businesses. What of the future of the Scania and Man heavy truck brands? Those don't currently appear to be on the auction block, either. VW's continued involvement in the HD truck segment was announced as part of the brand's TOGETHER - Strategy 2025 plan, in which Volkswagen outlined plans to push further into vehicle electrification and vehicle autonomy. Related Video: News Source: Asphalt & RubberImage Credit: Malte Christians/AFP/Getty Earnings/Financials Audi Lamborghini Volkswagen Motorcycle Performance Ducati Scania

Lamborghini confirms 800-hp V8 for hybrid Huracan successor

Lamborghini went to significant lengths to keep the naturally-aspirated V12 engine alive, but its naturally-aspirated V10 has nearly reached the end of its life cycle. Instead, the yet-unnamed model that will replace the Huracan will downsize, adopt forced induction, and electrify. Code-named 634 internally, the Huracan's successor will get a 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8 rated at about 800 horsepower and 538 pound-feet of torque and linked to an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. For context, the 10-year-old Huracan uses a naturally-aspirated 5.2-liter V10 tuned to develop 631 horsepower and 441 pound-feet of torque in its most powerful state of tune and the Revuelto's V12 makes 814 horsepower. The hybrid part of the drivetrain will consist of three electric motors and a battery pack whose capacity and chemistry haven't been announced. The system's total output also hasn't been revealed, but it should check in well above 800 horsepower.  Before rumors begin to fly, let's get an important detail out of the way. Lamborghini is part of the Volkswagen Group, and several of its sister companies — including Porsche — offer a twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8, but this is not what you'll find in the Huracan's successor's engine bay. The brand claims that the eight-cylinder is new; it was developed in-house on a blank slate. Its delivers its peak horsepower output between 9,000 and 9,750 rpm, it provides its peak torque output over a broad range that stretches from 4,000 to 7,000 rpm, and it revs to an un-turbo-like 10,000 rpm. The pistons are linked to flat-plane crankshaft, too. On paper, it sounds like Lamborghini developed a racing engine.  The dual-clutch automatic is a version of the transmission developed for the Revuelto, which made its debut in 2023 as Lamborghini's first series-produced plug-in hybrid super-sports car. Details about the electrified part of the drivetrain remain relatively vague: all we know at this stage is that one of the three motors is sandwiched between the V8 and the eight-speed transmission. Fear not, the model won't sound like the average hybrid. It will likely be capable of driving on electricity alone for short distances, but Lamborghini stresses it spent a great deal of time tuning the engine's exhaust note to ensure it sounds the way a modern supercar with a flat-plane crankshaft and a high redline should.

Lamborghini sets sales record of more than 10,000 vehicles

MILAN — Italian luxury sports carmaker Lamborghini sold over 10,000 vehicles last year for the first time, its Chairman and Chief Executive Stephan Winkelmann said on Tuesday. "I am so incredibly proud to announce that we have reached another historic milestone," he said on Linkedin. Supported by the success of its Urus SUV, which now costs over 230,000 euros ($250,000), Lamborghini has in recent years expanded its output, relying on solid demand from wealthy car lovers. The carmaker, a subsidiary of Germany's Volkswagen, delivered a total of 10,112 sports cars and SUVs last year, up from over 9,200 vehicles in 2022, a slide attached to Winkelmann's post showed. Rival Ferrari, which will release 2023 data later this year, including those on car sales, shipped more than 13,200 cars in 2022. Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) was the region that saw the biggest increase in deliveries for Lamborghini last year, with a 14% rise to nearly 4,000 vehicles, the slide showed. Sales in the America region rose 9% to 3,465, while they grew 4% in the Asia Pacific region to 2,660. Lamborghini's range also includes two super-sports cars, the Huracan 10-cylinder and the Revuelto 12-cylinder, its first plug-in hybrid model, which was presented last year. The line-up is set to become all hybrid in the course of 2024, with the new Urus and a new car replacing the Huracan. Related video: Lamborghini