1994 Lamborghini Diablo on 2040-cars

Auto blog

If VW defaults on loans it may sell Bentley or Lamborghini

If something goes catastrophically wrong with Volkswagen Group's recent $21 billion loan, brands like Bentley or Lamborghini could hit the auction block. According to two insiders to Reuters, the beleaguered German automaker agrees with its creditors to sell assets if the company somehow can't pay back the debt in a year. One of these anonymous people claimed the company hasn't yet deliberated over what to sell. However, the sources were willing to speculate that the power engineering portion of Man could be among the first to go. "Volkswagen may also consider divesting luxury car brands Bentley and Lamborghini or motor bike brand Ducati, although these units don't really move the needle," an insider said to Reuters. VW Group negotiated with the banks earlier this week to get the massive loan. The cash is necessary as a buffer in case the automaker doesn't have enough money on hand to repair vehicles or settle upcoming fines. VW would reportedly issue bonds in the spring to begin paying the debt. The company's bills will start racking up quickly in the new year. German authorities mandate a recall there in early 2016, and repair campaigns in the US for the 2.0- and 3.0-liter diesel engines are inevitable. There are also hundreds of class-action lawsuits to settle. The company needs to resolve its CO2 emissions scandal in Europe, too. In response to these financial threats, VW management created a cost-cutting plan to slash the research and development budget by $1.1 billion next year.

Lamborghini Hurac?n configurator is ready for your Italian fantasies

The Lamborghini Huracán might be one of the most anticipated cars to come out of Sant'Agata since the launch of its predecessor, the Gallardo. While we're stuck waiting to drive the V10-powered, all-wheel-drive Huracán, we can at least play around with the all-new configurator, which has just gone live.
Now, in terms of other online builders, the Huracán's is rather light. Tweakable features are limited to exterior and interior colors, wheel designs, caliper colors and a few other smaller items. There are also no prices listed, although this is hardly unusual for exotic configurators (Aston Martin, Bentley, Ferrari and Rolls-Royce all leave pricing info off their configurators).
Despite being rather low on stuff to do, designing one's personalized Lamborghini will always remain a pleasant means of whiling away a slow day at work. Hop over to Lamborghini's website and have a look.

This 1/8-scale Lamborghini Countach cost more than a new Nissan Versa

The average price of a new car has increased significantly in recent years, but you can still find ways to call yourself the original owner for less than $20,000. Alternatively, for about the same price of a Nissan Versa you can buy a 1/8-scale model of the Lamborghini Countach. British scale-model manufacturer Amalgam teamed up with Lamborghini to release an officially-licensed replica of the Countach LP400. It's far from being the first or the only die-cast Countach, but it's one of the biggest and undoubtedly the most detailed. Available in Giallo Fly or Rosso, the wedge-shaped coupe stretches over 20 inches long and stands out with a stunning number of details. The panels open just like on the real car, the headlights pop up, and even the gated shifter for the five-speed manual transmission has been reproduced.  Out back, you'll find a replica of the longitudinally-mounted 4.0-liter V12. It doesn't make 370 horsepower like in the real car, but parts like the fuel lines, the carburetors, and the sparkplug wires are accounted for. Amagalm even added some of the smallest clamps we've ever seen to the hoses that are part of the cooling system, and it fitted a period-correct Fiamm battery with tiny terminals in the front of the car. Amalgam will make 199 units of the 1/8-scale Countach LP400. It notes that each model will be built by hand, a process which takes over 400 hours using thousands of parts. The tradeoff is that pricing starts at GBP14,835, or approximately $18,700 at the current conversion rate. For context, Nissan charges $17,530 for a 2024 Versa (including a $1,150 destination charge) with a five-speed stick. If you're more interested in Lamborghini's current cars, Amalgam also plans to release a similarly-detailed 1/8-scale replica of the Revuelto. The model will be offered in two configurations: a standard car priced at GBP12,185 (around $15,300) and a tailor-made model that starts at GBP17,425 (roughly $21,900). The more expensive options allows enthusiasts to commission an exact replica of their life-sized Revuelto, down to the color of the stitching on the seats. Amalgam notes that working directly with Lamborghini gives it access to the brand's paint colors.