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Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO2 learns a few tricks from the STO

Lamborghini is keeping its promise of adding new variants to the Huracan line-up. Shortly after introducing the Tecnica, the middle child of the family, it unveiled a track-only model named GT3 EVO2 that benefits from several design updates and learns a few tricks from the STO. Here is a quick refresher course. The Huracan has spawned two basic racing derivatives since it entered production in 2014. The first one competes in the Super Trofeo one-make series. It received a round of updates that notably brought the EVO2 designation in June 2021. The second one races in GT3 endurance events around the world, and it's the one that Lamborghini just made several significant changes to. Lamborghini focused on updating three main areas: the drivetrain, aerodynamics, and safety. Power for the GT3 EVO2 still comes from a naturally-aspirated V10 engine that spins the rear wheels, but it gains 10 electronically-actuated throttle bodies added to boost efficiency. Four screws secure the system to the engine, an Essenza SCV12-inspired setup that facilitates maintenance by saving mechanics time. And, for better responsiveness, air reaches the engine via a system that consists of snorkel integrated into a roof-mounted scoop. Designers and engineers worked hand-in-hand to give the GT3 EVO2 a new aerodynamic profile. Some of the changes are easy to spot: the front splitter and the rear diffuser have been redesigned. Others are hidden from view: Lamborghini re-engineered the underbody panels. We're told that new aluminum-alloy pillars similar to the STO's make the position of the massive rear wing easier to precisely adjust. On the safety front, the Huracan now comes with a roll cage that features two rear pillars, carbon-Kevlar honeycomb side panels, plus new brake pads and calipers. ABS brakes and a track-specific traction control system remain on the list of standard features. Lamborghini will begin delivering the Huracan GT3 EVO2 in the second half of 2022, and the coupe is scheduled to make its competition debut at the 2023 edition of the grueling Daytona 24 Hours. The company noted that the teams currently racing a GT3 EVO will be able to buy a retrofit kit to turn their car into an EVO2, though pricing information for the kit and for the full car hasn't been released yet.  Keeping the Huracan fresh has paid off: Lamborghini recently built the 20,000th unit, a highly impressive feat in this segment. Related Video This content is hosted by a third party.

Lamborghini Huracan Performante's active aero is the secret to its speed

The most revolutionary real technology at this year's Geneva Motor Show didn't look like it on the show stand. If you squint at the Lamborghini Huracan Performante, it merely looks like a Huracan with a big wing. Up close, you can see the fractal texture of the forged-composite aerodynamic add-ons, but that still doesn't tell you why this car is so special. Lamborghini calls it Aerodinamica Lamborghini Attiva (ALA), or active aerodynamics. This is one of the biggest keys to the Performante's claimed production-car record lap time at the Nurburgring Nordschleife of 6 minutes, 52.01 seconds. The Huracan Performante's number is not without controversy, but I personally care very little about the obsessive phallic-measuring contests that are 'Ring lap times. What's fascinating about the Performante is that, if the lap time is even close to legitimate, it shows that ALA is a major step forward in automotive performance. More than just lap times, the Huracan Performante is an example of why Lamborghini remains special in a world of democratized performance. We sat down to discuss this with Lamborghini's Research and Development Director, Maurizio Reggiani. And one last note on the lap time: Reggiani says with the same temperature and exclusive access to a dry track, "that in this average of speed we can repeat, repeat, repeat, repeat." In previous conversations, Reggiani said that the key difference in performance would come not from horsepower, but weight reduction. For Lamborghini, that means plenty of carbon fiber. But the newest Huracan is not a Superleggera, the old title for the hardcore variant. "Superleggera is too much an objective, a description. Performante is really the DNA of the car. In Italian, Performante means really the best performance," he said. Reggiani continues, "Nothing happened by chance. It's really a building-block approach where you say this can give this contribution, this can give that. Where can you improve something and what is needed to improve something?" That brought them to the active aerodynamics solution, which channels air to stall the front or rear aero elements of the car to change the downforce and drag. Reggiani says, "This can be achieved only with a system that is really light, [has] fast responsiveness. Based on this ...

Lamborghini, Aston Martin, Mercedes-AMG, Porsche and Koenigsegg Lego sets coming this summer

Lego has announced a slew of new automotive-themed sets. As is typical fashion for brand of building toys, the subject matter leans toward ultra-exotic, ultra-expensive vehicles, ranging from a $139,000 Mercedes SL63 on the low end to a $3 million Koenigsegg Jesko Absolut on the high end. If you can't afford those cars in real life, soon you'll be able to build your own plastic models of them. Some of the real-world counterparts aren't obtainable no matter what the cost. Take the Lamborghini Lambo V12 Vision Gran Turismo, for example. The one-off concept was designed by Lamborghini exclusively for Gran Turismo, the PlayStation racing simulator. However, Lamborghini did build a 1:1 version for the physical world, with the 808-horsepoewer hybrid V12 from the Sian FKP 37 beneath its bodywork. The Lego version is part of the company's Speed Champions line, which measure about 6 inches long. It does an excellent job of capturing the original's insectoid look and Y-shaped taillights. The set is made up of 230 pieces and will retail for $26.99. This is Lego's first Vision Gran Turismo car but we hope to see more.  Also joining the Speed Champions line are two 2-car sets. An Aston Martin-themed set pairs a Vantage safety car with an AMR23 Formula 1 racer. Both are finished in AMR's bright green with actual sponsor logos. The set contains 564 pieces and will cost $44.99. Also arriving as a 2-car set are a pair of Mercedes-AMGs. A black G 63 and yellow SL 63 Roadster, along with a pair of sunglasses-clad bros, make up the 808-piece set. It also retails for $44.99. All three Speed Champions sets arrive on June 1, 2024. If you're looking for something a bit more advanced and detailed, Lego also offers the Technic line. First up is a Porsche GT4 e-Performance, a 1,000-horsepower race car based on the 718 Cayman. This set can also function as a remote controlled car that moves forward, backward, and steers via a downloadable smartphone app. The 834-piece set costs $169.99. Last but not least, there's the Koenigsegg Jesko Absolut, a model of the Swedish supercar that is said to have a top speed of over 300 mph. The model does an admirable job of capturing the car's 0.278 Cd drag coefficient, considering it's comprised of 801 individual plastic bricks. This set will retail for $49.99 and, along with the Porsche, comes out August 1, 2024. Related Video LEGO Speed Champion Build: 1968 Ford Mustang Fastback