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Lamborghini Asterion could still see showrooms

At the 2014 Paris Motor Show, Lamborghini CEO Stephan Winkelmann told Maxim after the introduction of the stunning Asterion hybrid, "I strongly believe that this is not a car that will be in production, and we will not do it." However, the Asterion concept came more than a year after Winklemann told that same magazine, at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show, that "Lamborghini was not interested in hybrids." He repeated the sentiment in Paris, saying, "We're still not interested." Well, someone at Lamborghini (or the Volkswagen Group?) does appear to be interested. The company's head of R&D, Maurizio Reggiani, told Autocar the story of the Asterion's development "started a couple of years ago" and is still being carried out in order to understand a real world hybrid application that would satisfy Lamborghini brand values – meaning electric assistance for a naturally aspirated engine with a high cylinder count. Reggiani never hints about the Asterion actually going on sale, but does tell Autocar, "The discussions inside Lamborghini now are about the potential cost of the car," and how it would be positioned. Having been told that it could sell for the price of the Aventador plus the hybrid drivetrain, Autocar figures an MSRP of 350,000 pounds ($551K US). The phrase "hybrid supercar" immediately brings three cracking coupes to mind, but the Asterion – were it to make production – wouldn't target that group; said Winklemann in that Maxim interview, "It's not meant to go on the racetrack. The acceleration is good, and the top speed, but in handling it would be out-beaten by the others. It's more a hyper-cruiser." We're fine with that, Mr. Winklemann – we think the Aston Martin Vanquish, Bentley Continental GT and Ferrari F12 Berlinetta could use the company. Bring it.

2021 Lamborghini Huracan Evo RWD First Drive | One smart, well-groomed bull

LE CASTELLET, France — Growing up in the 1990s, the Italian supercars I read about sounded like the automotive equivalent of kayaking over a waterfall — thrilling, unforgettable, and potentially very hazardous. The industry's elites were often described as cramped, unpredictable, and generally finicky but extremely rewarding for the few skilled enough to tame them. It's a stigma that still hovers above the supercar segment like a dark cloud in 2021, yet with a handful of notable exceptions, it hasn't been accurate in many years. It takes little more than a lively jaunt in a 2021 Lamborghini Huracan Evo RWD to spot how Italy's unique breed of road weapon has evolved over the past few decades. Autoblog has spent time in the Huracan Evo before, but it was in an all-wheel-drive model that we put through its paces on the Willow Springs track in Southern California. Fast-forward to 2021, and I'm in a rear-wheel-drive coupe on the picturesque winding roads surrounding the Paul Ricard circuit in Southern France. I couldn't sneak my way onto the track for a few laps because Super Trofeo and GT3-spec variants of the Huracan hogged it all weekend. Several carmakers positioned all over the automotive spectrum have used the Evo designation. In Lamborghini-speak, it denotes not a rally-bred sports sedan but an evolution of the Huracan with subtle design tweaks that add downforce and increase the amount of cooling air channeled to the engine bay. It still looks like a Huracan, but you don't need a magnifying glass to tell the updated model apart from its predecessor, especially from the back. Lamborghini saves scissor doors for its V12-powered models, like the Aventador S, so the Huracan's swing out like in a normal car's. Once inside, the first thing you notice is that it feels like a proper luxury car. The cabin is dominated by Alcantara, leather, and a type of carbon fiber called Forged Composites (which was developed in-house by the brand). It's all very well put together; the fit and finish is excellent. In the driver's seat, you face a digital instrument cluster whose layout changes depending on the driving mode selected (they're called Strada, Sport, and Corsa, respectively) and a three-spoke steering wheel with a switch that lets you select the three aforementioned profiles. Even a supercar needs technology in 2021. Stuffing a mammoth engine in a lightweight chassis hidden under an attention-grabbing body is no longer enough to lure enthusiasts.

Autoblog's exclusive Lamborghini Aventador SV Roadster photo shoot

Sometimes it just takes a few little tweaks to transform something from good to great, and that's definitely what Lamborghini's stylists manage to do with the Aventador LP750-4 SuperVeloce Roadster. While there's no question that the Aventador SV coupe is an amazing machine, slicking off the roof for the newest version is the perfect bit of tailoring to create something truly bonkers. Why are we talking about it again? Following the roadster's debut in Monterey, we arranged a date with the car and our photographer extraordinaire, Drew Phillips. The result is the absolutely magnificent gallery of photos you see above, that you're definitely going to want to view in high resolution. The engineers at Lamborghini HQ in Sant'Agata Bolognese, Italy, had a pretty easy job when the time came to the Aventador SV droptop because it carries over all the special parts from the coupe. Still, buyers have no reason to be disappointed with the 6.5-liter V12 making 740 horsepower (750 in metric ponies) and offering a screaming, 8,500 rpm redline. The seven-speed gearbox and all-wheel-drive system zaps the convertible to 60 miles per hour in less than three seconds and to a top speed of over 217 mph. Weight also falls by 110 pounds compared to the standard roadster to tip the scales at 3,472 pounds – some 110 pounds more than the SV coupe. It's the razor-sharp styling that really makes the SV Roadster a showstopper, through. The droptop still wears the coupe's carbon-fiber body panels but somehow makes them look even better. The key is removing the two top sections to create a small break in the roofline, and that little change is enough to accentuate the rear's curvy hips. The side-mounted intakes look big enough to carry extra passengers in a pinch. Removing the roof and reshaping the rear emphasizes the nacelles running behind the seats even more. These elements are somewhat visible on the SV coupe, but the engine cover largely hides them. Here, the angular shapes are brashly obvious and look directly inspired by an F-117 stealth jet. To make things even better for the driver, the rear window can be lowered to fully open the cabin to nature. The first deliveries to customers don't start until early next year, and the $530,075 starting price makes it about $37,000 more expensive than the SV coupe. Lamborghini likely doesn't have to worry about finding buyers for this beautiful machine, and production is limited to 500 units, 100 fewer than the hardtop.