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Volkswagen may 'carve out' Lamborghini to list on the stock exchange

FRANKFURT — Volkswagen is drawing up plans to set up Lamborghini as a more independent unit, and is discussing long-term supply deals that could make it easier to list it on the stock exchange, two sources familiar with the matter told Reuters. "Volkswagen is in the process of carving out Lamborghini, and to organize future supply and technology transfer deals," one of the sources familiar with the matter told Reuters. The Italian sportscar brand, which is currently a division of Audi, could be partially listed, with Volkswagen retaining a controlling stake, the first person familiar with the talks said. There is no formal decision to divest Lamborghini, a second source said, adding that the timetable of any deal remained unclear. "This is a first step which gives VW the option to list the unit further down the line," the second source told Reuters. A third source familiar with the discussions said the future of Bugatti, Lamborghini and Ducati was discussed during a supervisory board meeting last Friday. The possibilities for how to electrify the Lamborghini and Bugatti brands through partnerships and investors was discussed, the third source said. Bankers and potential cornerstone investors in an IPO have been approached by the carmaker, the sources said. Volkswagen declined to comment. Volkswagen Group's Chief Executive Herbert Diess on Wednesday said the carmaker will announce "important steps" about the company's future before the close of the year. Volkswagen is reviewing what role its high-performance brands Lamborghini, Bugatti and Ducati will play within the multi-brand carmaker as part of broader quest for more economies of scale, senior executives told Reuters. A global clampdown on combustion-engined vehicles has forced carmakers to accelerate development of low-emission technology for mainstream models, leaving Volkswagen managers struggling to find resources to electrify low volume sportscar models. Related Video:

Man hired to remove Confederate monuments finds Lambo burned

A contractor in Louisiana is discovering that no good deed goes unpunished. After David Mahler, the owner of H&O Investments, was hired by the city of New Orleans to remove monuments to the rebellious Confederate States of America, he was subjected to death threats. Then his Lamborghini was set on fire. What's bizarre here is the sequence of events. The death threats started rolling in after Mahler was announced as the city's contractor to remove monuments to Confederate Generals Robert E. Lee, PGT Beauregard, and Confederate States of America President Jefferson Davis. Then the threatening phone calls started rolling in, New Orleans NBC affiliate WDSU reports. Mahler then pulled his company out of the job, but that didn't stop the torching of the new Huracan. A Baton Rouge Fire Department investigation into the fire at the H&O Investments office is still in progress, WDSU reports, but when Mahler's attorney calls the circumstances "extremely suspicious," it's not an unreasonable statement. The car was utterly unrecognizable after the fire. You can make out the tires and seat frames, and a lump of melted metal where the engine used to be, but that's about all that's left of Sant'Agata's new entry-level model. It's just another victim in a war that most sane people understand ended over 150 years ago. Check out WDSU's report at the top of the page for before and after images of the poor Huracan.

Watch the Lamborghini Egoista fire up on stage

Seeing the wild Lamborghini Egoista is one thing, but hearing the single-seat concept car fire to life in all its glory is something entirely different. Visitors at the Lamborghini 50th anniversary celebration in Sant' Agata got that rare opportunity when the Egoista made its presence felt. Nothing says, "I have arrived" quite like a 5.2-liter V10 barking at the crowd. It may not be the prettiest belle at the ball, but it has the pipes to make even the most jaded among us weak in the knees.
You can catch the clip of the machine firing up in the brief (and sadly shaky) video below. We've also included a more polished video recap from the anniversary celebration. Something tells us you don't need a reason to spend a few minutes watching classic Lamborghini models prancing through Italy. You're welcome.