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Why Italians are no longer buying supercars

Italy is the wound that continues to drain blood from the body financial of Italian supercar and sports car makers. The wound was opened by the country's various financial police who decided to get serious about superyacht-owning and supercar-driving tax cheats a few years ago, by noting their registrations and checking their incomes. When it was found that a rather high percentage of exotic toy owners had claimed a rather low annual income - certain business owners were found to be declaring less income than their employees - the owners began dumping their cars and prospective buyers declined to buy.
Car and Driver has a piece on how the initiative is hitting the home market the hardest. Lamborghini sold 1,302 cars worldwide in 2010, 1,602 cars in 2011 and 2,083 cars in 2012 - an excellent surge in just two years. In Italy, however, it's all about the ebb: in 2010, the year that Italian police began scouring harbors, Lamborghini sold 96 cars in Italy, the next year it sold 72, last year it sold just 60. The declines for Maserati and Ferrari are even more pronounced.
Head over to CD for the full story and the numbers. What might be most incredible isn't the cause and effect, but where the blame is being placed. A year ago the chairman of Italy's Federauto accused the government of "terrorizing potential clients," this year Luca di Montezemolo says what's happening has created "a hostile environment for ­luxury goods." Life at the top, it ain't easy.

Lamborghini sends the Huracan off with the super-limited-edition STJ

Lamborghini bid farewell to the V12 a while back, and it’s now preparing to send off its iconic V10. The Huracan STJ will be a super-limited final edition car sporting LamboÂ’s naturally-aspirated V10 engine before itÂ’s replaced by a next-gen supercar with hybrid power later this year. The STJ, which stands for Super Trofeo Jota, gets the Huracan STOÂ’s 631-horsepower V10 with around 417 pound-feet of torque. LamborghiniÂ’s Squadra Corsa (racing team) helped develop the carÂ’s aero package, which includes a more steeply angled rear wing that ups downforce by 10 percent. More grip comes from racing-derived shocks with four-way adjustability that enables minute adjustments of rebound and compression. Specially-developed Bridgestone Potenza Race tires wrap 20-inch wheels with a super-sticky compound to keep the car planted on the road. Lamborghini said the upgrades help the STJ lap the Nardo Technical Center Handling Track more than a second faster than the Huracan STO. Two versions of the car are available. The first features Grigio Telesto (gray) paint and a black roof with red and white accents. Black Alcantara and leather upholstery with red stitching highlight the interior. The Blu Eliadi (blue) version also has a black roof with white and red accents. Each car gets a carbon fiber number plate with its place in the 10-unit run. The stark flashes of exterior color highlight the darker paint colors, giving the car an almost video-game-like cell-shaded look. Lamborghini hasnÂ’t detailed pricing for the car, but, as the saying goes, “if you have to ask.” It will almost certainly come at a higher price than the Huracan STO, which started in the mid-$300,000 range and could be optioned deep into the $400,000s. Of course, price likely doesnÂ’t matter for the STJ, because as these things go, itÂ’s probably already been sold out to exclusive Lambo buyers around the world.     Lamborghini Special and Limited Editions Performance Supercars

Weekly Recap: Takeaways from the Frankfurt Motor Show

We obsessively covered the 2015 Frankfurt Motor Show, and naturally, we selected our favorites from this fall's biggest automotive event. Now that the dust has settled, we're looking ahead to what it all means. Here are three takeaways from the floor in Frankfurt. The Germans are serious about electric vehicles: It's a bit cliche to say BMW, Mercedes, and Audi have downplayed electrics in favor of other technologies, like diesels. For a time that may have been true, but those three companies, along with Porsche and Volkswagen, are emerging as leaders in EV development. That was on display in Frankfurt, when all of them revealed either all-electric or plug-in hybrid models. Gas prices are relatively low in the United States, but clearly the Germans are thinking long-term and globally. Everyone is serious about SUVs: You gotta have one, even if you're Bentley or Jaguar. It's 2015 and it's what consumers want. As Jaguar design director Ian Callum put it, "Not to be in the sector would be a little naive for the sake of purity." It's not just the flashy exotic luxury makers. Nissan showed the Gripz concept, which is rakish, radical, and meant to blend traits of SUVs and sports cars into a vehicle that really crosses over. Look for more, especially in the luxury sector, as Rolls-Royce, Lamborghini, and Aston Martin ramp up their own SUV efforts. There's no ceiling to the luxury market: Speaking of high-end cars, companies are continuing to invest in extravagant wares beyond just SUVs. Even during the recession, ultra-luxury makers remained relevant, and now they're back at full stride. In Frankfurt, that was illustrated by yet another S-Class model, the cabriolet, which will come in S550 and S63 AMG variants in the United States. Ferrari also showed off the 488 Spider, and Lamborghini opened up the Huracan LP 610-4 Spyder. Meanwhile, Bugatti's Vision Grand Turismo concept reminded enthusiasts that it's plotting life after the Veyron. European auto shows always draw the glitziest reveals from luxury makers, and this year didn't disappoint. OTHER NEWS & NOTES 2016 Honda Civic redesigned with snazzier style, turbo power The 10th-generation of the Honda Civic debuted this week at events in Los Angeles and Detroit ahead of its launch in the United States this fall as a 2016 model. Honda fortified the Civic with LED lights, an available turbo engine, and a more tech-laden cabin.