2014 Aventador Lp700-4 Coupe In White With Black/red Interior on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Former Ferrari F1 chief could be new Lamborghini CEO

The word on the street in Bologna is that Lamborghini is in for a changing of the guard. Current CEO Stephan Winkelmann is tipped to step down after 14 years at the helm in Sant'Agata, likely to move to another role at Audi. And in his place, the German automaker is anticipated to appoint Stefano Domenicali. Domenicali was formerly the head of Scuderia Ferrari, rising through the ranks at Maranello to succeed Jean Todt as team principal in 2008. He resigned in 2014 to be replaced first by Ferrari US chief Marco Mattiacci and then by Marlboro man Maurizio Arrivabene as the team has struggled to find its form again. Shortly after leaving Maranello, Domenicali took up a new position at Audi, where he was rumored to be working on the company's anticipated foray into Formula One with Red Bull. But after that program was shut down in the wake of the diesel emissions scandal, Domenicali is now tipped to move back to Italy to take over the supercar business. Stefano would be the second Domenicali to head an Italian performance brand under the VW/Audi umbrella, joining Ducati CEO Claudio Domenicali (they not believed to be related). The move would also be a particularly emphatic gesture to Sergio Marchionne. The Fiat Chrysler Automobiles chief has previously lost top lieutenants to Volkswagen, most notably Luca de Meo, who headed up VW brand's passenger car marketing department before taking over at Seat. While previous Ferrari chiefs Todt and Montezemolo came up through the racing department, Marchionne assumed the chairmanship in Maranello and brought in outside talent instead. Meanwhile Winkelmann has been in charge of Lamborghini since 2005, when he was appointed by Audi to run the company it had just acquired a few years prior. Under the tenure of the German-Italian executive, Lamborghini sales have risen from 1,600 units per year to over 2,500 last year. The introduction of the forthcoming Urus crossover, birthed under Winkelmann's leadership, is expected to more than double that overall figure. Given his success in transforming Lamborghini, it isn't likely that the Volkswagen Group will simply show Winkelmann the door. Word has it that he'll receive another posting at Audi, potentially taking over the growing Quattro GmbH division in Neckarsulm. The division is responsible for all of Audi's RS models as well as the R8 – the latter of which Audi sells as many units as the entire Lamborghini division does in a year.

Lamborghini Asterion LPI 910-4 is silent but deadly [w/video]

The weirdest thing happened last night. During the annual Volkswagen Group Night festivities, everyone waited in anticipation for the Lamborghini section of the press conference. It's usually a treat for the senses - cool to look at, backed up by a ferocious sound that bellows throughout the venue. But not this time. There was no music, there were no laser lights, and most remarkably, there was no sound. The Lamborghini Asterion LPI 910-4 drove onto stage under fully silent electric power. Audibly, at least, it was perhaps the most anti-climactic Lambo introduction we've ever witnessed.
And that's the big story with this new Lamborghini concept: it's a plug-in hybrid. Of course, it's still a product of the storied Italian supercar maker, so that electric powertrain is mated to a 5.2-liter V10, and total system output is rated at a staggering 910 horsepower. It'll run up to 31 miles on pure electric power at speeds of up to 78 miles per hour, and its 0-62 time is estimated to be three seconds flat. Top speed? 199 mph. In other words, it may be capable of silence, but it still carries a stick, and it's still very much a Lambo.
So will the company actually build something like this? Right now, it doesn't look likely. Back in August at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance, Autoblog spoke with Lamborghini boss Stephan Winkelmann about the then-off-the-record Asterion concept, who told us that if the automaker should choose to expand its model range, the bigger priority right now would be the Urus crossover. This is merely just a way to show how Lamborghini might present a gasoline-electric vehicle. And after scoping it out in person here at the Paris Motor Show, we have to say, it's cool. The styling is a bit softer and understated compared to the audacious Aventador or angular Huracán. But it still has quite a presence and it's still very much a Raging Bull.

Lamborghini Urus Superveloce on the table, Asterion off

Last year Lamborghini revealed the Asterion concept at the Paris Motor Show, showcasing a new design on the surface and hybrid technology underneath. Months later, the possibility of the Asterion entering production was still reportedly on the table, but at this point the Bolognese automaker has other priorities. The company is in the midst of a massive expansion of its production facilities that will not only see it generating its own power, but also adding a new assembly line to double its output with an entirely new model. That, of course, will take the form of a crossover closely previewed by the Urus concept of 2012. But the initial version might only be the tip of the proverbial iceberg. Although additional body-styles might not suit the Urus as well as it would have the Estoque (had Lamborghini gone with the four-door, front-engined sedan design instead of the crossover), the Urus could lead to a range of engine specs and orientations. "We have more than enough ideas, but it is too early to confirm anything," Lamborghini chief Stephan Winkelmann told Autocar. "All options are possible, and we will work on evaluating them in the run-up to launch. If our customers want to see something, we'll do our best to meet their needs." Considering what Lamborghini has done with its supercars, we could see an even higher-output, more performance-focused version to follow – like the latest Superveloce version of the Aventador (soon to be applied to the Aventador roadster, as well). Theoretically, that could be an Urus SV. Though the Huracan has so far (aside from racing versions) only been shown in its initial form, the preceding Gallardo resulted in more model variants than we'd care to count. In addition to a possible hybrid version, the Urus (or whatever it's ultimately called in production form) could lead to an ultra-luxury version at the other end of the spectrum. What's clear is that the Urus program is going to keep Lamborghini busy for some time to come. And while we're expecting more versions of the Huracan to follow in due course, the possibility of putting the Asterion (or some version thereof) into production as well is apparently off the table for the time being. Considering that by the time it reaches production, it will have been a good six years since the Raging Bull marque first showcased the Urus concept, the Asterion could be kept on the back burner for several more years to come.