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VW makes $23K on every Porsche sold, more than Bentley or Lamborghini

It's a good time to be in the luxury car business. In Volkswagen Group's financial report for the 2013 fiscal year, it is revealed that that Porsche enjoyed an operating margin of 18 percent. That means the Stuttgart brand made on average about $23,200 per car sold, according to BusinessWeek. Bentley wasn't far behind, and Audi (which was combined with Lamborghini) posted a 10.1 percent margin. This compares to only around 2.9 percent for the Volkswagen brand.
"Luxury brands are on fire," said Dave Sullivan, an industry analyst at AutoPacific. He said that the average profit margin is between six and eight percent. Brands like Porsche and Bentley have the benefit of competing in rarefied markets. Buyers looking at one their vehicles have fewer models to shop against and don't care as much about price. They can also charge more for options, which further boosts income, according to BusinessWeek.
In a way, we should be more impressed by the continued success from Audi. Its models generally have direct competitors in every segment from the other premium automakers. Plus, their buyers aren't the captains of industry who are shopping for a Bentley. Still, the Four Rings is leading rivals in sales so far this year.

Lamborghini hired 192 new employees in 2014

If you took a census of boyhood bedroom walls... well, first of all, you'd probably be arrested, so we wouldn't recommend it. But if you did, before they'd cart you off and put you on some list, you'd likely come to the conclusion (based purely on the posters of exotic supercars) that Lamborghini was one of the biggest, most important automakers in the world. But in fact it's quite small: just a year ago it had less than 1,000 employees on the payroll. That number is rapidly expanding, though. The Bolognese automaker reveals that just over the course of 2014, it expanded its workforce by "192 highly qualified technicians and specialists," bringing its roster up to 1,175 employees. That's a large share of the 500 new staffers it has hired over the last four years, and the company plans to hire more in 2015 "with equally significant numbers." Just as impressively, while unemployment is booming in Italy, especially among the younger generation, about half of those new recruits at the factory in Sant'Agata are under 30. Human resources isn't the only part of the company that's expanding, though. The Raging Bull marque is participating in motorsports more than it ever has before, but the biggest achievement can be seen in its sales figures. The company sold a record 2,530 units last year, which is a good hundred more than its previous record from 2008 and about ten times the numbers it was moving when Volkswagen and Audi took over in the late '90s. The arrival of the new Huracan promises to drive its sales even higher, and if Wolfsburg ever gives it the green light, a third model line (like the Urus crossover) would shoot its numbers through the roof. Automobili Lamborghini: A record hiring of of nearly 200 new employees in 2014 Sant'Agata Bolognese, 28 January 2015 - 2014 was an extraordinary year for Automobili Lamborghini: not only from the standpoint of sales (2,530 cars delivered to customers), but other indicators also demonstrate the growth of the House of the Raging Bull. In 2014, the company hired 192 highly qualified technicians and specialists, bringing the total number of permanent employees to 1,175. Over the last four years, nearly 500 new employees have been hired, all with open-ended contracts. Further recruitment is planned in 2015 with equally significant numbers. Stephan Winkelmann, President and CEO of Automobili Lamborghini, commented: "Lamborghini is undergoing a strong phase of growth in both sales and in terms of recruitment.

Lamborghini officially reveals new Veneno Roadster

Sexy or vulgar - whatever you thought of the Veneno which Lamborghini unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show this past March, it didn't much matter. Because by the time we saw it, all three examples were already bought and paid for... at the equivalent of $3.9 million each. But if you had that much cash burning a hole in your pocket and lamented missing out on the opportunity to put one in your driveway, we've got good news, because Lamborghini has just confirmed another nine examples to be built. Only this time, it's got no roof.
Now officially confirmed after leaking out the other day, the Lamborghini Veneno Roadster features the same radical styling, extreme competition-derived aerodynamics, carbon-intensive construction and twelve-cylinder powertrain as the coupe that proceeded it and which we enjoyed photographing for your viewing pleasure just last month. The principal difference, of course, is the open-air cockpit, which offers no protection from the elements whatsoever: no fabric umbrella contraption, no removable glass or metal panel, nothing to get between your dome and the air rushing by at 220 miles per hour. That's the same top speed as the coupe, while the 0-62 run takes just a fraction of a second longer at 2.9 seconds. But we doubt you'd notice the difference with that 6.5-liter V12 revving just behind your ears.
It's the same engine and seven-speed ISR gearbox that powers the Aventador, only tuned up to 750 horsepower for the Veneno. And it should have more power, because at 3.3 million euros (about $4.5 million, give or take a Gallardo), the Veneno Roadster isn't just $600,000 more expensive than the Veneno coupe, it's also more than ten times the price of an Aventador. Still with us? You can scope out all the details in the press release below and browse through the photos in the gallery above for a closer look.