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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.

Volkswagen Group's Vision 2030 strategy could bring revolution to the brands

One would expect a corporate plan called "Vision 2030," looking 11 years ahead through wildly tumultuous times, to involve great change and numerous forks in numerous roads. According to Automobile's breakdown of Volkswagen's path forward, though, the plans contain some lurid potential surprises. The ultimate aim is return on investment, and that means ruthless reorganization of a conglomerate with eight primary car brands, two car sub-brands, and Ducati motorcycles. The first two Vision 2030 cornerstones Automobile mentions are near boilerplate: Production network restructuring, and "streamlining of key technologies." The latter two are the ones that could upend what we know as the Volkswagen Group: focusing on the Group's core brands — meaning Audi, Porsche, and VW — and transitioning to EVs, autonomy, and other mobility solutions. Based on the report, a quote from Audi's CTO referring to the Audi brand could cover how the Group plans to handle all of its brands: "We need to find a sustainable solution for the indefinite transition period until EVs eventually take over." The boutique divisions adjacent to carmaking, Ducati and Italdesign, look likely to be spun off. For the halo car brands — Bentley, Bugatti, and Lamborghini — apparently shareholders want double-digit returns on investment, and the trio doesn't have long to hit the target. One eyebrow raiser is when the report states, "Bugatti is tipped to be gifted to [ex-VW Group Chairman] Ferdinand Piech." Piech fathered the Veyron during his tenure at VW, and it was thought he commissioned the La Voiture Noire, but he's lately stepped so far back from VW that he sold all his shares in the Group. Automobile quoted a senior strategist as saying of money-losing Bentley, "Why invest on a backward-looking enterprise when you can support a trendsetter? A proud history and excellent craftmanship alone don't cut it anymore." We guess no one at Ferrari, McLaren, or even Porsche got that memo. Bentley is reportedly close to being put in time out, and if brand CEO Adrian Hallmark can't right the Crewe ship, the hush-hush Plan B is to prop the Flying B up enough to lure a buyer. As for Lamborghini, caught between two masters at Audi and Porsche, even record-breaking numbers at the Italian supercar maker barely staved off sacrilege. It's said that VW brand CEO Herbert Diess considered putting a 5.0-liter Porsche V8 into the Aventador successor.

2012 Pebble Beach Concept Car Lawn offers a tutorial in cars to come

The Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance is a showcase for some of the world's most exquisite vintage vehicles, but if newer metal is more your speed, the Concept Car Lawn is the place to be.
This year saw models from Bugatti, Lamborghini, Aston Martin, McLaren and Bentley as well as SRT, Hennessey, Infiniti and Lexus among others. The ultimate sampler platter of exotic and concept vehicles saw the Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport Vitesse mingle with the Lamborghini Urus Concept and the mighty Hennessey Venom GT, though we found ourselves particularly smitten with the BMW Zagato Roadster and the Aston Martin Vanquish.
Not that we could go wrong anywhere we looked. The 2013 Bentley Continental GT Speed seemed perfectly content parked on the manicured putting green, as did the McLaren MP4-12C Spider. Get cozy with the full gallery below to see the smattering of metal on the lawn.