2011 Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera on 2040-cars

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1970 Lamborghini Miura shows why some dreams are worth a wait

It took Dennis Varni over a decade after his first ride in a Lamborghini Miura in the late '60s to finally purchase his own 1970 Miura P400S in 1979. Judging by his story and the V12 engine's sublime sound in the latest video from Petrolicious, the wait was entirely worth it. No matter where you look on a Miura, you find automotive beauty. On the outside, the design is a symphony of gently curving lines. The shapes are highlighted with wonderful mechanical touches like the eyelashes around the headlights or the little strakes that graduate in size just behind the side windows. Popping up the engine cover reveals a transverse V12 that's capable of a sound like thunder during a summer storm. While the interior appears a little cramped, it's really hard to complain with the carbs positioned inches from your ears and visible through the rearview mirror. As usual, Petrolicious does a superb job in capturing not only all of the Lamborghini's visual details but the sonic ones, as well. Everyone should take a moment to listen to this wonder machine climb through the gears just to brighten their day.

Lamborghini Huracan LP 610-4 Spyder opens up in Frankfurt

The Lamborghini Huracan is still a fairly fresh member to the supercar scene, but at the Frankfurt Motor Show, Lamborghini is giving its wealthy clientele an open-air variant of the V10 with the newly unveiled LP 610-4 Spyder. The introduction finally gives the brand a natural successor to the discontinued Gallardo Spyder. Mechanically, buyers are still getting a Huracan with its 5.2-liter V10 pumping out 602 horsepower (the 610 in the name is in metric ponies) and 413 pound-feet. A seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox routes power to all four wheels. Performance is quite brisk, with the sprint to 62 miles per hour coming in 3.4 seconds and to a top speed of 201 miles per hour. One thing the hardtop obviously can't match is the power-retracting roof that can open up in just 17 seconds at speeds up to 31 mph. Lambo's designers didn't just take a saw to the top and go sip an espresso, either. The roofline is thoroughly resculpted behind the seats both for improved aesthetics and to direct airflow around the occupants. When the roof is down, it's easier to spot the new nacelles that run down the rear of the supercar. Ducts in those bits help reduce turbulence, and they look great too. Another cool touch is that the rear glass is power operated and can be opened to let the V10's roar into the cabin. The first Huracan LP 610-4 Spyders arrive in spring 2016. Lamborghini is setting prices in Europe at 186,450 euros before taxes ($210,111 at current rates). The actual US figure could be somewhat different, though. Related Video:

Lamborghini downshifts toward record sales

Reuters reports that the Lamborghini Huracan is doing exactly what it was intended to do for the brand: increase sales. The company set yearly sales records up to and including the first full year of the global financial collapse, moving 2,430 units of the Murcielago and Gallardo in 2008. But even 1,144 combined horsepower couldn't keep that momentum going, and by 2010 that had dropped to 1,302 sales worldwide. Retail success returned with the markets and buyers who deemed it finally safe to be seen in a brand-new six-figure car. Last year, the company set a sales record of 2,530 units, a 19-percent increase over 2014. In an interview with Reuters, company CEO Stephan Winklemann said that Lamborghini should break that number this month. The momentum is coming from the US and Asia, specifically Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan. Sales in mainland China are "broadly flat," but that has to be considered success when other much less spendy carmakers are hurting something awful in the People's Republic, and luxury makers have returned their primary attentions to the US. Next year could be even better, with the Huracan Spyder going on sale in the spring. Two years after that, the brand plans to double its current sales with the arrival of its supersport crossover, which has a target of "about 3,000" per year. Related Video: