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Lamborghini drops the top on the Huracan Performante Spyder

How could Lamborghini make its Huracan Performante even more special? Simply by introducing a topless Spyder variant. The Performante is the hot Huracan, its 5.2-liter V10 producing a handsome 640 horsepower, and our 2017 review described the Performante as the character-adding boost the Huracan model line so required. Part of that is due to its ALA active aerodynamics system, or Aerodinamica Lamborghini Attiva. Lamborghini says the downforce-aiding system, which features active flaps on the splitter and the rear wing, is retained in the Spyder version. Like the regular version, the regular Lamborghini Huracan Performante Spyder has an electro-hydraulic fabric roof, which only takes 17 seconds to deploy and can be done at driving speeds of up to 30 mph. Much like the BMW i8 Roadster's setup, it also has an independently movable rear glass, which functions as a wind deflector when the roof is opened. But there's more to wind control than just the glass: there are two movable, speedster style fins that rise up from behind the seat backs, continuing the roofline from where it left off. The fins also include an integrated duct that works to reduce cabin turbulence, and two wind guards dampen "aerodynamic pulsations." Lamborghini says this is to enable conversation even at high speeds, even as one imagines there would be precious little idle chatter when the Performante really performs. The removal of the fixed roof has added 275 pounds to the dry weight of the Performante, but compared to the regular-issue Spyder, the car is 77 pounds lighter thanks to extensive, Performante-specific use of carbon fiber. Lamborghini says the top speed of 202 mph is unchanged; 0-62 mph takes 0.2 seconds more and is now reached in 3.1 seconds. The 200-kph or 124-mph benchmark takes 9.3 seconds. The first cars will be available in the summer, with a suggested retail price of $308,859. Related Video:

Surviving Countach from 'The Wolf of Wall Street' headed to auction

The Lamborghini Countach’s rarity and status as the bedroom wall poster car of the 1980s has made it exceedingly valuable as a collectorÂ’s car. That said, a few examples of the car have risen above the rest as incredibly rare and expensive, and one of these super-special Lambos is headed to auction in December. RM SothebyÂ’s recently announced that it would auction a 1-of-12 white Countach that starred in "The Wolf of Wall Street." The 1989 25th Anniversary Bianco Polo Countach is one of two cars used in the film, but the other was badly damaged during production. With its U.S.-spec bumpers and Bianco (white) interior, the car is considered exceptionally valuable – at up to $2 million by some estimates. The damaged car still wears its scars, but SothebyÂ’s pointed out that the Countach in its auction sustained no damage during filming. The location and current condition of the other Countach are unknown, but as far as we can tell, no one has attempted to restore or auction it in the years since filming.  This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. With a 5.2-liter V12 under its rear hatch, the Countach was like something from outer space at the time. That sizable powerplant made 449 horsepower and 370 pound-feet of torque when new, which reached the rear wheels through a five-speed manual transmission. Its performance isnÂ’t all that impressive by todayÂ’s standards – it takes around 5 seconds to hit 62 mph (100 km/h) from a standstill. The 190 mph top speed is quite stout, but the CountachÂ’s appeal is about more than its specs. From its debut in the early 1970s, the Countach has commanded the imaginations of car enthusiasts, young and old. Many of us grew up in the 1980s with the car plastered on our bedroom walls, and its staggering 26-year production run is the stuff of legends. The 25th Anniversary models had styling touches designed by Horacio Pagani, and this car is breathtaking, even with its goofy U.S. bumpers — safety regulations here required the addition of awkward bumper guards on the carÂ’s nose. Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Lamborghini chief stands by V12s

Despite the push for fuel efficiency and low carbon emissions, the V12 is still a staple of high performance. Ferrari, Mercedes-Benz, Aston Martin, and yes, Lamborghini maintain fleets of these monstrous dinosaur engines. And for the final entry on that list, that's not going to change. Lamborghini CEO Stefano Domenicali sat down with Autocar and explained in no uncertain terms that his company will continue to offer V12s for the time being. "Our major customers and dealers around the world say: 'Please do not touch the V12'," Domenicali told Autocar. "So we will continue to work in that direction." But there's more than just customer demand driving Lambo's V12 loyalty. According to Domenicali, the company's niche is small enough to weather V12-ruining storms. "In the short term, there is still a lot of development potential in the V12," Domenicali told Autocar. "Of course, we need to understand what the market is doing in terms of emissions and legislation, but I don't see that will be a problem. We are always very open to how the market might evolve." That evolution, lately, has tended toward electrification. The flagship of Lambo's arch-nemesis Ferrari pairs a 12-cylinder engine with a hybrid system for blistering performance. Then there's the stuff happening with the V8-powered Porsche 918 Spyder and McLaren P1. These three hybrids are in an entirely different and more potent performance (and price) class than Lamborghini's hottest model, the Aventador LP750-4 SV. Hybrids are the future of performance, for Lamborghini included... Eventually. "We cannot be disconnected to the world of the future but we want to be balanced," Domenicali said. "We need to make sure that as soon as the technology of electrification is relevant to our car at a cost level, and will add value, we are flexible to shift in that direction." Finally, Domenicali addressed advanced connectivity systems while parrying Autocar's question about autonomous vehicles. "If you own a Lamborghini, you want to have the passion of driving it and we need to keep that. But new technology could have some relevance to the driver. For example, if you are on a race track, you could have a head-up display which shows you how to maximize your performance [around a corner], using the telemetry we have now," Domenicali told AC. "That's an approach where I see that technology could be very useful for our customer." Related Video: