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2023 Lamborghini Urus Performante revealed: less weight, more power

The name and design of the Pikes Peak record-setting Lamborghini Urus have finally been revealed. The 2023 Lamborghini Urus Performante is the new range-topper featuring aerodynamic improvements, lighter weight, new suspension and a dash of extra power for good measure. Together, the improvements make it the best performing Urus yet. The design changes are subtle, but noticeable, which is ironic for what's arguably the least subtle SUV on the market. The front bumper, hood and rear bumper have all been redesigned and feature more carbon fiber. The hood has an air extractor, too. A new front splitter and a rear wing have been added. The fenders have been widened, too to accommodate wider wheels and tires. Overall, downforce has been increased by 8%, and though no number was given, Lamborghini says drag has actually been decreased. Lamborghini also made some  Weight has been decreased by a sizable 104 pounds in total. The increased use of carbon fiber parts is part of that equation, and another part is the standard Akrapovic titanium exhaust system. The Urus Performante drops the standard SUV's air suspension for fixed steel springs that have a stiffer spring rate and lower the SUV. It still has electronically adjustable shocks, four-wheel steering, rear torque vectoring and multiple drive modes. Tuning on all of these have been updated for the Performante, and a Rally mode has been added for tail-happy dirt driving. Horsepower from the twin-turbo V8 is slightly increased, as well, to 657 horsepower (or a hellacious 666 CV in European units) and 627 pound-feet of torque. All of these changes allow the Urus Performante to get to 62 mph in 3.3 seconds, an improvement of 0.3 over the regular model. Its top speed remains at 190 mph. So it's slightly slower to 60 mph than a Porsche Cayenne Turbo GT, but has a higher top speed. And of course, it holds the Pikes Peak record for a production SUV at 10 minutes 32.064 seconds. The previous record holder was the Bentley Bentayga Speed with a 10-minute 49.902-second time. Lamborghini will begin delivering Urus Performantes by the end of the year. Pricing without destination starts at $260,676. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Range-topping 800-hp Lamborghini Aventador SV hits the 'Ring

A couple of years ago, rumors were circulating about a possible high(er)-performance version of the Lamborghini Aventador, and our spy photographers have just captured what appears to be a prototype of this new supercar testing at the Nürburgring. Supposedly called the Aventador SV (for Super Veloce), this even-more-hardcore version of Lamborghini's range-topper could boast as much as 800 horsepower. Yowza.
As for the car you see here, our spies point out new center-lock wheels wrapped in ultra-thin high-performance tires that hide revised brake calipers mounted in a different position than on the normal Aventador. Up front, there's a new aerodynamic piece that makes for an even lower air splitter, and around back, an extra piece of trim (often referred to as a Gurney flap) has been added to the spoiler to provide enhanced downforce.
We don't imagine there's much in the way of weight to shed from the Aventador's carbon fiber monocoque chassis, so this SV version will likely focus more on better suspension tuning, improved aero and a 80-100 more horsepower to set it apart from the rest of the range. Expect more details to arrive around the time of the Frankfurt Motor Show this fall.

Coronavirus prompts VW to stop production throughout Europe

FRANKFURT — Volkswagen Group, the world's biggest carmaker, is suspending production at factories across Europe as the coronavirus pandemic hits sales and disrupts supply chains, the company said on Tuesday. The German carmaker, which owns the Audi, Bentley, Bugatti, Ducati, Lamborghini, Porsche, Seat and Skoda brands, also said that uncertainty about the fallout from coronavirus meant it was impossible to give forecasts for its performance this year. "Given the present significant deterioration in the sales situation and the heightened uncertainty regarding parts supplies to our plants, production is to be suspended in the near future at factories operated by group brands," Chief Executive Herbert Diess said on Tuesday. Volkswagen's powerful works council concluded it was not possible for workers to maintain a safe distance from each other to prevent contagion and recommended a suspension of production at its factories from Friday. Production will be halted at VW's Spanish plants, in Setubal in Portugal, Bratislava in Slovakia and at the Lamborghini and Ducati plants in Italy before the end of this week, Diess said. Most of its other German and European factories will prepare to suspend production, probably for two to three weeks, while Audi said separately it would halt output at its plants in Belgium, Germany, Hungary and Mexico. Volkswagen's vast factories in Chattanooga, Tennessee, in Puebla, Mexico, and plants in Brazil were not affected, but that would depend on how the coronavirus spreads, VW said. Volkswagen has 124 production sites worldwide of which 72 are in Europe, with 28 in Germany alone. "2020 will be a very difficult year. The coronavirus pandemic presents us with unknown operational and financial challenges. At the same time, there are concerns about sustained economic impacts," Diess said.   Production in China resumes Volkswagen Group sold 10.96 million vehicles last year, putting it ahead of Toyota based on the latest figures from the Japanese carmaker. Globally, VW employs 671,000 people and it delivered 4.86 million vehicles to European customers in 2019. Only last month the car and truck maker based in Wolfsburg, Germany, predicted that vehicle deliveries this year would match 2019 sales and forecast an operating return on sales in the range of 6.5% to 7.5%. "The spread of coronavirus is currently impacting the global economy. It is uncertain how severely or for how long this will also affect the Volkswagen Group.