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Lamborghini says handling, not flat-out speed, is the new benchmark

Speed has played a significant role in defining Lamborghini's image since the brand's inception in 1963, but the type of velocity it aims to achieve is changing direction. One of its top executives opined that handling, not 0-60-mph times or maximum speed, is the new benchmark in the supercar segment the company calls home. Francesco Scardaoni, the head of the Italian company's Asia-Pacific operations, explained achieving the quickest possible sprint from 0-60 mph and the highest possible top speed used to be what defined a Lamborghini. Rivals aimed to rule the chart, too, so exotic brands spend decades taking turns trying to outgun each other by shaving a tenth of a second from — or adding a few miles per hour to — their respective times. EVs moved the goalpost in the 2010s, according to Scardaoni, because their powertrain develops maximum torque right away. "If you go back to 10 years ago, probably when we were asked the parameters to measure a car with we would say top speed, acceleration, and then handling. Top speed then became a secondary measure, and acceleration the first one. Now, basically [with electrification] is no more that important. because it's quite easy for those kind of power units to have amazing results in acceleration," he explained in an interview with Car Advice. Exemplified by the Huracan STO introduced in 2020, the shift represents a dramatic about-face for the engineering team led by Maurizio Reggiani. Speed is easy to quantify; if we tell you that a Bugatti Chiron takes 2.4 seconds to reach 60 mph from a full stop, or that it maxes out at 304 mph, you know exactly what it can do. Handling, on the other hand, is difficult to put a number on. Gs on a skidpad is one measure, but that's only a small part of the handling equation. There's no unit of measurement that describes how a Divo feels on a winding Sicilian road. Scardaoni hinted that focusing on handling is a way to keep exotic supercars relevant in the coming years. Electric hypercars are ostensibly on their way, including the Rimac C_Two and the Pininfarina Battista. Closely related, both allegedly take under two seconds to sprint from 0-60 mph thanks in part to a 1,900-horsepower drivetrain, yet they weigh approximately 4,300 pounds; they're heavier than a Mercedes-Benz S-Class. Neither are in the same league as, say, the Huracan, but they're good examples of the pros and cons of electrified performance.

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 beats the odds, sets delivery record in 2021

Lamborghini is one of the luxury carmakers that reported exceptionally strong sales in 2021 in spite of an ongoing global pandemic and a crippling chip shortage. Like Rolls-Royce and sister company Bentley, the Italian firm beat the odds by setting an all-time delivery record. Annual deliveries totaled 8,405 units, an increase of 13% over 2020. Lamborghini's biggest market remains the United States, where deliveries jumped by 11% to 2,472 units in 2021. Mainland China, Hong Kong, and Macao are lumped into second place, and deliveries there skyrocketed by 55% to 935 sales. Germany and, somewhat surprisingly, the United Kingdom are in third and fourth place, respectively. Deliveries in Germany rose by 16% to 706 and in England by 9% to 564. Italy, where regulations have historically (and ironically) been hostile to cars with large-displacement engines, likes Lamborghini's breed of bulls as well: 359 deliveries were recorded in 2021, a 3% climb. It shouldn't surprise anyone to learn that the Urus was the best-selling Lamborghini in 2021. The company delivered 5,021 examples, so the SUV accounted for over half of the brand's sales. Second place on the podium is occupied by the Huracan, with 2,586 deliveries, followed by the Aventador, with 798 delivered units. While these numbers might sound insignificant in the grand scheme of things, putting them into context tells a different story. Lamborghini remains small, but it used to be a lot smaller: It built precisely 1,999 examples of the Countach during a production run that stretched 17 years. It made more units of the Aventador (pictured) in 2021 than of the Miura between 1966 and 1973. Another interesting point is that Lamborghini's total for 2021 seemingly only includes delivered units. The company left out the cars it sold but hasn't delivered yet, like the 112 planned units of the born-again Countach. The coupe was sold out before it was shown to the public. Lamborghini hopes to keep the momentum going, and company boss Stephan Winkelmann revealed that almost all of 2022's production capacity is already spoken for. The company also plans to unveil four new cars in 2022, including the Aventador's mysterious successor. Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.