2012 Lp700-4 Bianco Isis With Black Interior on 2040-cars

Auto blog

VW pulls Lamborghini and Bentley from the Paris Motor Show

It's been slightly more than a year since the news that Volkswagen had intentionally cheated on diesel emissions testing broke. Since then, the company's reputation and image have suffered and it has struggled to regain its footing and composure. The automaker is shelling out billions in fines, so cost cutting is inevitable. Today, Reuters reports that Volkswagen subsidiaries Lamborghini and Bentley won't bring their elaborate displays to the Paris Motor Show next week. Auto shows can cost automakers millions of dollars, especially for supercar and luxury car brands that constantly try to compete and one-up with each other. Much of the money and fanfare goes to catering the media, and if an automaker has nothing new to reveal it can be difficult to justify the expense. The company told Reuters that it plans to attend smaller events that focus more on potential buyers. The Volkswagen group as a whole has shifted it's focus, both when it comes to products and auto shows like Paris. Next week, the automaker will be focusing on electric vehicles and electromobility. The company plans to reveal a new EV with 373 miles of range, eclipsing both the Tesla Model 3 and Chevy Bolt. Volkswagen has plans for 30 new electric vehicles by 2025. Lamborghini and Bentley aren't the only major automakers skipping Paris. Ford, Volvo, and Aston Martin have all decided to save money and focus their efforts elsewhere. Related Video:

Is Lamborghini readying a hybrid for Paris?

Lamborghini had us seriously stumped when it released its teaser (above) for a new vehicle that'll debut at the upcoming Paris Motor Show. The image seemed to depict a fastback GT somewhat reminiscent of Lambo's earlier 2+2 models like the Espada, and was accompanied by the sentence, "Once perfection is achieved, you can just double it." We're still not entirely sure what the means, but a possible leaked logo for the car might offer some big hints about its powertrain.
According to the Office of Harmonization in the Internal Market in Europe, Lamborghini applied for a trademark on the name Asterion on September 15 to cover vehicles, clothing, toys and video games. The logo (right) included a lightning bolt slashing through the 'O' in the word. That could suggest this forthcoming vehicle is a hybrid, but it's also not clear whether we're going to be hearing about a pure concept, or a production model.
The name itself might also be a tell. Asterion is one of the names for the Minotaur in Greek mythology, which is a creature that is part bull and part man. This could be another indication that the concept combines the traditional Lamborghini style with something else.

Porsche designer to head Lamborghini style department

The winds of change are blowing through the front office in Sant'Agata Bolognese. Not only does Lamborghini have a new chief executive, but not it named a new chief designer as well. And he comes from Porsche. Mitja Borkert is his name, and he's been working in the Porsche design department since 1999. He headed up its advanced design office until 2014 when he was named head of exterior design for the company. The Macan, Cayenne, and the new 987 Boxster were all heavily influenced by his work, as were concepts like the Panamera Sport Turismo and Mission E. As the new director of the Centro Stile at Lamborghini, Borkert takes over from Felippo Perini, who's heading over to run Italdesign – a job that used to belong to Wolfgang Egger. The once-independent design firm was taken over by the Volkswagen Group in 2010, and recently saw its famous founder Giorgetto Giugiaro leave to start another office afresh. The shift in the design office follows hot on the heels of the announcement that longtime CEO Stephan Winkelmann is leaving for Audi's Quattro GmbH, and that former Scuderia Ferrari team principal Stefano Domenicali is moving in to take his place on the outskirts of Bologna. Considering how different their design approaches are, it will be interesting to see how a longtime Porsche designer applies his skills to Lamborghinis. Will future Raging Bulls go softer and more rounded, or will Borkert have to pull some new tricks out from his sleeve? We'll be watching to find out. Related Video: Mitja Borkert is the new Director of Centro Stile Lamborghini Sant'Agata Bolognese, 1 March 2016 – Automobili Lamborghini has appointed Mitja Borkert as the new Director of its Centro Stile (design center), starting from 4 April 2016. In his new role Mr. Borkert is responsible for the design of future Lamborghini models and the coordination of the design team, reporting to Maurizio Reggiani, Board Member for Research and Development. He succeeds Filippo Perini, who was appointed Design Director of Italdesign. Borkert is German, aged 42, and attended the Design University of Pforzheim where he graduated in Transportation Design. In 1999, he began work at Style Porsche, in Weissach, holding various positions, including General Manager Advanced Design until 2014, when he was appointed Director of Exterior Design. He contributed to the development of several Porsche models (Panamera Sport Turismo, Porsche Boxster 987 facelift, Cayenne, Macan, Mission e).