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Anything but subtle | 2017 Lamborghini Aventador S First Drive

It's just past dawn and I'm running on a thin supply of caffeine and adrenaline, but the 2017 Lamborghini Aventador S I'm chasing around Circuit Ricardo Tormo just made me crack a grin: faint blue flames are simmering deep within the leader's three exhaust pipes, pulsing almost imperceptibly as it whips around the track. Few things about the Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4 (including its alphanumeric name) were subtle, but the boys in Sant'Agata Bolognese have gone full-bore at refining the famously unwieldy flagship enough to make it drive as capably as it looks. This updated version has been rechristened with an S at the end of its name, and yes, in the twisted microcosm of earthbound fighter jets, flames coming out of hindquarters qualify as subtle. Of course the Aventador S produces more power – to the tune of 729 horsepower, a 38-hp climb from before, with torque only increasing by one, to 509 pound-feet – and the extra grunt affects neither its 0-to-62-mph time of 2.9 seconds nor its terminal velocity of 217 mph. But version 2.0's most notable improvements apply to the big Lamborghini's chassis, which now uses a four-wheel-steering system to countersteer the rear wheels below around 75 mph, and turn them in phase with the fronts for stability at higher speeds. The system responds in 5 milliseconds, and has the virtual effect of shortening the wheelbase by up to 20 inches or lengthening it by 27 inches. In case you're keeping tabs, the extra 13 pounds of the steering hardware are offset by a new titanium exhaust system, essentially rendering the curb weight unchanged. If you've ever tried to toss a boomerang through a maze, you've got a basic idea of what it took to carry an original Aventador through a high-speed corner. The act required some patience to allow the front wheels to dig in and take hold, and even more resolve to wait for the perfect moment to squeeze the right pedal and power out of the apex. Accelerate too early, and you'd suffer terminal understeer until you allowed the weight to shift, likely triggering traction control as you goosed the throttle on the way out. At the Spanish track, the new Aventador manages something the first one couldn't: though it still retains some understeer, it also dances and turns more willingly, snaking its way through each corner with a gratifying combination of weight transfer and grip. Oh happy, fire-breathing day.

Volkswagen breaks 40-year-old sales record in 2012

The last time Volkswagen moved this many vehicles in America in one year, Richard Nixon was still a President in good standing, Let It Be was a radio hit and each car wearing the VW badge boasted an air-cooled engine. That's right, with a grand total of 580,286 vehicles sold in the US last year, the VW Group has broken its own four-decades-old sales record by 2,899 vehicles.
Of that 580k total sold, 438k were Volkswagens and 139k were Audi products - increases of 35.1 percent and 18.5 percent, respectively, in year-over-year sales. The ultra-premium members of the VW group also fared well; Bentley delivered 2,315 vehicles for a 23.3-precent increase, and Lamborghini delivered 520 units for a 52.9-percent jump. Bugatti, we're told is "right on track."
Jetta (pictured) sales paced the marque with 170k models sold, and Passat also finished very strong with sales of 117k total. Tiguan also racked up its best year on file, with 31,731 models shifted.

2023 Lamborghini Huracan celebrates 60 years with 180 special-edition cars

A person's 60th birthday is the diamond jubilee, considered one's entry into the golden years and the autumn of life. Lamborghini's blowing out its 60 candles this year, the new Revuelto proving the Sant'Agata Bolognese automaker plans no such dissolution. The next phase of the party involves the 2023 Huracan 60th Anniversary Edition, three limited-run specials numbering 60 examples each put together with custom color combinations and badging. Dicing matters further, each limited edition comes in two color configurations, making a total of six across the range, all embellished with "1 of 60" plaques in carbon fiber and the "60th" on the bodywork and seats.  Both versions of the hardcore Huracan Super Trofeo Omologata (STO) are said to be inspired by vibrant sportwear and the iconic two-tones of athletic team kit. The first version is all kinds of blue, something like the Squadra Azzurri Italian national soccer team. This one gets Blu Aegeus bodywork with Blu Astraeus contrasts, and can hit the hat trick with exposed carbon fiber trim in Blu Mira. The interior is in Nero Cosmus (black) and Grigio Octans (gray) Alcantara, offset by Nero Ade (another black) trim and Blu Amon (another blue) embroidery. The second Huracan STO does its showing off inside. It goes for a muted Grigio Telesto (gray) and Nero Noctis (yet another black) with traditional carbon fiber accents. This cabin comes in Nero Cosmus and Grigio Octans Alcantara, the leather accents and stitching in Rosso Alala (red). A set of 20-inch forged aluminum Hek rims in matte black complete both. The Huracan Tecnica looks to motorsports liveries and the Italian flag, called the Tricolore. One variant wears Grigio Telesto (another gray) bodywork with Nero Noctis and Rosso Mars (another red) details. Opening the door reveals a Nero Ade Alcantara cabin with Rosso Alala accents. The other variant comes in Bianco Asopo (white) bodywork with double stripes in Verde Viper (green), the cabin in Nero Ade Alcantara and more Verde Viper.  Finally, the Huracan EVO Spyder remixes the arrangements on the other cars. Going back to the blue well, one version's dressed in Blu Le Mans bodywork adorned with Bianco Isi (another white) details. The cockpit sticks with the popular Nero Ade Alcantara, this time punctuated by Blu Amon embroidery and piping in Bianco Leda (another white).