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Watch a 1,000 hp twin-turbo Lamborghini Huracan dyno run

AMS/Alpha Performance, known for their Audi R8 V10 Alpha 10 Twin Turbo package, have laid their eager hands on the Lamborghini Huracan. In this short and sweet video, the newly improved prototype Huracan struts its stuff on the dynamometer. Like the Audi, the Huracan also gains a pair of Garrett ball bearing turbos coupled with intercoolers, and the car has been built as a prototype of their stage one turbo system. It is virtually identical to the production version of AMS's twin turbo package for the Huracan, and the system has been devised to be a bolt-on system. The AMS package can be shipped out to anyone in the Alpha dealer network and installation has been made straightforward enough. "There is no hacking or cutting up the car", says Alpha's VP and lead engineer, Arne Toman. "It has been designed to be safe for the stock engine and transmission, and the only driveline improvement is an upgraded clutch pack which we include in the package." With pump gas, the Huracan TT Alpha 10 has a Veyron-baiting 1,000 horsepower, with the fuel system "maxed out" according to Arne. The Stage 2 setup, which will include forged engine internals, will go for 1,500 hp, while the third stage package dishes out more than 2,000 horsepower according to AMS. The prototype Huracan will run at the Gold Rush Rally next month, from Boston to Los Angeles. It should be a proper shakedown to prove the car's reliability, which is one aspect AMS Performance has been going for. Related Gallery AMS Alpha Lamborghini Huracan Twin Turbo Image Credit: AMS Performance Aftermarket Lamborghini Supercars Videos alpha

Lamborghini Urus SUV traces roots to a feline predecessor

The recently-revealed Urus isn't Lamborghini's first SUV. The LM002 pioneered the super-4x4 segment when it made its debut at the 1986 Brussels Auto Show. Tracing its history requires traveling to the mid-1970s, when Ferruccio Lamborghini sold the automaker that he founded and retired in the countryside to hunt and make wine. The new owners had practically no experience in building cars. Instead of expanding the lineup, they sought to land engineering and production contracts. Lamborghini teamed up with an American defense contractor named Mobility Technology International (MTI) to create an off-roader for the United States Army. The partnership spawned a vehicle named Cheetah, unveiled at the 1977 Geneva Auto Show. The Cheetah looked like a Meyers Manx buggy on steroids that ate Jeep CJ-7s for breakfast. The shape of the body gave it unusually high approach and departure angles, while the flat body panels facilitated the task of installing body armor. "Like the cat for which it is named, this high-performance vehicle has explosive acceleration, high speed and sure-footed agility over virtually all terrain," a period brochure claimed. The Cheetah could certainly tame Mother Nature's worst side, but the brochure exaggerated its performance credentials. Power came from the same 5.9-liter Chrysler 360 V8 engine found in Dodge's D-Series trucks. Lamborghini mounted it in the back, and its 183-horsepower rating contributed to a woeful power-to-weight ratio. The eight-cylinder spun all four wheels via an automatic transmission also found on Chrysler's parts shelf. Lamborghini didn't secure the Army's contract. The automaker stood on the brink of collapse. An Italian court took control of the company after it filed for bankruptcy in 1978, and a Swiss entrepreneur later came to the rescue. The new management saw an immense amount of potential in the Cheetah and relaunched the project. Decision-makers spotted an opportunity to enter the burgeoning leisure vehicle segment. Notably, they identified a market for a Cheetah-like car in the Middle East, where a Countach was unpractical at best and a Nissan Patrol was far too pedestrian for oil barons. Lamborghini unveiled a prototype named LM001 at the 1981 Geneva Auto Show. It took the Cheetah concept a step further with an updated look, though it retained the rear-mounted engine. Built as a development mule, it illustrated the limits of a rear-engine off-roader.

Ex-Sultan of Brunei 1986 Lamborghini LM002 Wagon is headed to auction

The rare LM002 is widely credited as Lamborghini's first SUV, but it was closer to a four-door pickup than to a wagon on stilts. Some were turned into SUVs by third-party coachbuilders, and one of these will be auctioned off after spending time in the Sultan of Brunei's collection. Spotted by our colleagues at The Drive, the LM002 is listed on auction site SBX Cars, and it's fascinating on many levels. First, there's the rarity: Only a small handful of LM002s were turned into SUVs by third-party companies, and this example, which was built by an Italian coachbuilder named Diomante, is reportedly a one-of-one model. Then, there's the provenance: This truck was reportedly delivered new to the Sultan of Brunei by a Lamborghini dealership in Singapore. His collection is one of the largest in the world, yet very few have ever seen it. Cars that enter the collection rarely leave. This one has been out for at least a decade, however, and it was listed for sale in August 2009. Assigned vehicle identification number (VIN) ZA9L00000KLA12162, the 6,600-pound LM002 Wagon is painted in Argento Metallizzato with a black leather interior. It's left-hand-drive, its odometer displays 10,383 kilometers (about 6,500 miles), and it's powered by a 5.2-liter V12 shared with the Countach. It features air conditioning, a wood-rimmed steering wheel, and a sunroof, and it was fitted with a DVD player and a TV at some point in its life. The auction description notes that Argento Metallizzato isn't the original color; it was originally painted black. The sale includes service records, period details about the wagon conversion, and a new set of tires — it's still on its original tires. This LM002 is also listed on Lamborghini's registry of historic cars. It's located in Uppsala, which is about an hour north of Stockholm in Sweden. It's hard to predict how much this LM002 will sell for. The auction is "coming soon," according to SBX Cars.