2001 Lamborghini Diablo Replica 6.0 on 2040-cars

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Valentino Balboni thinks the Miura greatest Lambo ever

Valentino Balboni spent 40 years at Lamborghini, a few years as a mechanic's apprentice at the beginning, then as a test driver at the request of old man Ferrucio himself. He is embedded in the brand, said to have driven 80 percent of the company's entire production until he retired in 2009. He has ridden and tamed so many bulls that they named one after him, the 2010 Lamborghini Gallardo LP550-2 Valentino Balboni, and even made it rear-wheel drive because that's how he likes it. Balboni spoke to Road & Track in advance of an auction in New York on November 19 that will see a 1969 Miura P400S go on the block. A fixture from the days when mad men weren't merely characters on a television show, Balboni discusses taking customers for test drives, being sent on warranty calls, his favorite car, and why there will never be another one like it. Head over to RT to read the full interview from the man who helped make the original Countach, and therefore Lamborghini, what it is today. And in case you want in on the action, the pre-sale estimate for the centerpiece Miura is $800,000 to $1.6 million. Related Video:

Ares Project Panther is a Lamborghini Huracan in DeTomaso Pantera's clothing

Ares is nothing if not ambitious. The Modena-based company specializes in low-volume, boutique reimagining of existing vehicles. That's not a terrible business to be in, if you can make money, and after all this is how many of the famous names in styling came about: Pininfarina, Ghia, Bertone, and Karmann. So far, Ares has announced many projects, including a two-door Bentley Mulsanne and a rebodied Mercedes-AMG G63 called the X-Raid, but the new Project Panther is the most ambitious yet. It appears to be a rebodied Lamborghini Huracan heavily inspired by the classic DeTomaso Pantera, although unlike that car it'll retain the Lamborghini V10 instead of adopting an American powerplant. Which is an odd choice, if you're into the Pantera – and frankly, an odd choice if you're into Lamborghinis. A completely unique body, not inspired by any other make, would certainly be a valuable one-of-one for a well-heeled car collector. But the Pantera? For years it was held in relatively low esteem, a relatively low-buck exotic that wasn't welcome at the local concours events. Its reputation has improved significantly in the last decade or so, but still, this is an odd marriage of convenience. At least it looks really sharp, with crisp lines and a classic Bertone feel without being too overly retro. Ares says the Panther is undergoing final testing at the company's facility in Modena, and will be available for purchase in late 2018. What's entirely unclear is how it all works. We assume a Panther buyer will need to drop off a brand new Huracan for conversion. What happens to the Huracan's existing bodywork? Perhaps part of the business model is making a pretty penny by reselling panels for wrecked Huracans. Who knows? Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Lamborghini Aventador LP 700-4 Roadster priced from $441,600 for US

European pricing for the 2013 Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4 Roadster was released when the model was officially introduced early this week, but we had to wait a few extra days to see how much customers over here should expect to pay for the topless supercar. Now, Lamborghini has announced that US-bound versions of its new roadster will run $441,600, which doesn't include the $3,700 gas-guzzler tax, meaning the Aventador Roadster will wear a base MSRP of at least $445,300.
As a refresher, this new roadster is a topless version of the 700-horsepower, all-wheel-drive Aventador, and it features a two-piece removable top made of carbon fiber (each weighing in at around 13 pounds) that can be stored in the front trunk. Performance figures include a 0-60 time of under three seconds and a top speed of 217 miles per hour. Lamborghini is currently taking orders for the Aventador Roadster with the car set to go on sale next summer.