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Weekly Recap: Lamborghini to build SUV

Finally, Lamborghini will build a sport utility vehicle. The Italian supercar maker confirmed this week that it will launch a luxury SUV in 2018. It will be built at Lamborghini's soon-to-expand factory in Sant'Agata Bolognese in Italy, and will double the company's current sales volume. Lamborghini did not announce a name for the vehicle or other details, but noted a concept version, the Urus, was displayed at the Beijing motor show in 2012. It will be sold around the world, but it's expected to be a critical offering in the United States, China, and the Middle East. The automaker projects the SUV will sell about 3,000 units per year, and it will be the third product in Lamborghini's portfolio. It currently sells the Huracan and Aventador supercars. "The introduction of a third model line endorses the stable and sustainable growth of the company and signifies for us the beginning of a new era," Lamborghini chief executive Stephan Winkelmann said in a statement. The project is also a boon for Italy, which will get 500 new jobs in the Emilia Romagna region as Lamborghini's factory will nearly double in size. Ian Fletcher, principal analyst for IHS Automotive, said the SUV will position Lamborghini for future growth. "It could well also bring new customers to the brand [who] may find the dramatic styling of Lamborghini products appealing, but find its typical sports cars restrictive," he said. "If it is a success, the SUV could be a catalyst to Lamborghini broadening its portfolio further." OTHER NEWS & NOTES GM invests in Chevy Camaro factory General Motors is investing $175 million to upgrade its factory in Lansing, MI, to build the 2016 Chevy Camaro. The investment will pay for new tooling and equipment. The improvements include three new paint systems and two new robotic framers. GM will add a second shift at the factory to build the Camaro, resulting in 500 jobs. The automaker had dropped the plant to one shift last year amid slow sales for its products, the Cadillac ATS and CTS. GM is spending $5.4 billion over the next three years to upgrade its US facilities. Last week, GM announced plans to spend $439 million to build a new paint shop for the Chevy Corvette. While the Camaro and Corvette plant improvements are intriguing to enthusiasts, GM also confirmed this week that it is investing $1.2 billion in its Fort Wayne (IN) factory that builds trucks.

Lamborghini Huracan Spyder tipped for Geneva debut

If you're enamored of the Lamborghini Huracan but have been waiting (and saving) for the convertible version, you may have to wait a little longer. According to Motor Trend, the drop-top Huracan won't make its debut before the 2016 Geneva Motor Show. That's almost eight months from now. The basic parameters of what the Huracan Spyder (as it's likely to be called) aren't hard to forecast. It will in all likelihood carry the same 5.2-liter V10 as the coupe, with the same output of 602 horsepower and 413 pound-feet of torque driving all four wheels through a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. Expect a slight performance penalty in return for the open-top experience as compared to the fixed-roof version, which is expected to boast a 0-62 time of 3.2 seconds and a 202-mile-per-hour top speed. Other powertrain configurations may follow, but the roadster is likely to pack that same configuration at launch. While the larger, more powerful Aventador is about to breed its fourth model variant in the form of the Superveloce Roadster, the Huracan has only been made available thus far in one version. Our sources at Lamborghini tell us that will change soon, however, with numerous variants to follow – just like they did with the prolific Gallardo that came before. And the Spyder could be the first of the many to follow. The bigger question is what kind of roof mechanism Lamborghini will go with for this latest open-top supercar. The Gallardo Spyder used a fabric roof mechanism (removable roof panels are featured on the Aventador Roadster), however the Huracan Spyder will have to contend with rivals like the McLaren 650S Spider and the new Ferrari 488 Spider – both of which incorporate folding hard tops. The latter was just released this week and is set to debut at the Frankfurt Auto Show this September, giving it a good half year before its rival from Bologna hits the scene. Related Video:

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.