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Previewing the 2014 Paris Motor Show

Don't let the shiny objects detract from the serious side of the show. Sales, fuel economy and regulations are part of the conversation.
The Paris Motor Show is one of the glitziest events on the automotive calendar. Yes, it helps that it's in the City of Light, but the glamorous surroundings only enhance the spectacular wares that automakers bring to the show. This is where Europeans debut their best new cars for the coming year, both as eye-catching concepts and in production trim.

Mansory tunes Lamborghini Huracan to 838 hp

The Lamborghini Huracan is a pretty potent package right out of the box, but the tuners at Mansory are showing that it's always possible to squeeze just a little bit extra out of a performance car for the willing buyer. The company's more aggressive interpretation of the coupe makes its public debut at the 2015 Geneva Motor Show. The Lambo's revised styling might be too brash for some people, but Mansory at least backs the looks up with a significant boost in power. The company keeps the 5.2-liter V10 in place but bolts on a single turbo, new exhaust and retunes the engine and transmission software to push output up to 838 horsepower and 575 pound-feet of torque. Thanks to the boost, the sprint to 62 miles per hour now takes a claimed 2.9 seconds, and the top speed reportedly grows to 205 mph. The stock Huracan is almost curvaceous by Lamborghini standards with a set of tightly focused flowing arcs making up its shape, but Mansory completely ditches subtlety for its carbon-fiber body kit. Up front, the the new lip spoiler adds tiny flying buttresses to each corner, and the wider fenders at the rear cover up the 12.5-inch-wide, 21-inch-diameter forged wheels. There's also a behemoth of a diffuser and massive wing at the back to suck the turbocharged Lambo to the road. If buyers want it, the tuning company offers a bespoke leather interior, as well. MANSORY refines the Lamborghini Huracan to the highest level Deeply rooted in the MANSORY philosophy is the motto to continually provide automotive masterpieces. Shortly before the Geneva Motor Show 2015, MANSORY, specialists for the refining and customisation of exclusive sports cars, granted a first glimpse of the refining program for the Lamborghini Huracan. A wide bodied development model is planned as a world premier at the Geneva Motor Show. The soon to be presented bodywork program makes it clear that MANSORY differs significantly from the standard series vehicle. In addition to design elements such as the specially designed daytime driving lights and the new carbon wing mirrors, targeted design interventions provide for an increase in aerodynamics. Whether front, rear bumper or side skirts - all body components are exclusively shaped and cured under high pressure and high temperatures in an autoclave using high-tech carbon materials. The advantages of this method are proven: Acceleration, stopping distances and fuel consumption are all improved due to the weight reduction of the car.

Lamborghini could be sold or spun off from the Volkswagen Group

Volkswagen is reportedly considering a sale or stock listing for its high-end Lamborghini brand. The German automaker is looking to fold the Italian supercar brand into a separate legal entity, reports Bloomberg, which cites "people familiar with the matter" who don't want to be identified "because the deliberations are confidential and no decisions have been made." Any of this sound familiar? The goal of spinning off Lamborghini would be to stockpile more cash and other resources for VW's massive planned push into electric vehicles. Back in March, reports circulated that Volkswagen's "Vision 2030" corporate plan might include plans to focus on the brand's core brands — VW, Audi and Porsche. That means the futures of fringe players like Lamborghini, Bentley, Bugatti, motorcycle brand Ducati and design firm Italdesign (and note this isn't a comprehensive list of brand's under the expansive VW Group umbrella) are up in the air. VW, according to the report, is targeting a market value of $220 billion, which is a big jump from the brand's current $89 billion valuation. Bloomberg pegged Lamborghini's valuation at around $11 billion back in August, buoyed by sales and profits generated by the introduction of the Urus sport utility vehicle. On the flip side, Lamborghini is currently grappling with how best to update its supercar lineup in the face of ever-increasing emissions regulations.