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Why Italians are no longer buying supercars

Italy is the wound that continues to drain blood from the body financial of Italian supercar and sports car makers. The wound was opened by the country's various financial police who decided to get serious about superyacht-owning and supercar-driving tax cheats a few years ago, by noting their registrations and checking their incomes. When it was found that a rather high percentage of exotic toy owners had claimed a rather low annual income - certain business owners were found to be declaring less income than their employees - the owners began dumping their cars and prospective buyers declined to buy.
Car and Driver has a piece on how the initiative is hitting the home market the hardest. Lamborghini sold 1,302 cars worldwide in 2010, 1,602 cars in 2011 and 2,083 cars in 2012 - an excellent surge in just two years. In Italy, however, it's all about the ebb: in 2010, the year that Italian police began scouring harbors, Lamborghini sold 96 cars in Italy, the next year it sold 72, last year it sold just 60. The declines for Maserati and Ferrari are even more pronounced.
Head over to CD for the full story and the numbers. What might be most incredible isn't the cause and effect, but where the blame is being placed. A year ago the chairman of Italy's Federauto accused the government of "terrorizing potential clients," this year Luca di Montezemolo says what's happening has created "a hostile environment for ­luxury goods." Life at the top, it ain't easy.

Lamborghini Aventador LP 720-4 50 Anniversario is one helluva birthday present

While most 50th birthday parties include wacky and at least somewhat offensive gag gifts, Lamborghini will be celebrating its first 50 years with some incredibly exciting machines. Aside from the Veneno, the Italian automaker will also commemorate its first half century with new versions of the Aventador and Gallardo, which will both be on display at the Shanghai Motor Show.
The special Gallardo LP 560-2 50 Anniversario is a Gallardo with a unique paint scheme, a transparent engine cover and a few carbon fiber parts from the Superleggera, but the Aventador LP 720-4 50 Anniversario is where you'll find the true party favor. Confirming what leaked out earlier in the week, the Aventador LP 720-4 50 Anniversario squeezes an extra 20 horsepower from its 6.5-liter V12 compared to the "base" Aventador LP 700-4, which is accomplished with different engine tuning.
If the Aventador wasn't already flashy enough for you, the 50 Anniversario gets painted up in a two-tone paint job with a bright yellow Giallo Maggio exterior color over matte black for the lower portions of the car, along with gloss-black wheels. Lamborghini chose yellow because it has been the most popular color for its cars since the Miura. As for unique styling elements, the Aventador LP 720-4 50 Anniversario gets a revised front end with an extended splitter and bigger air intakes, and the rear fascia has been completely redesigned for better aerodynamics and engine ventilation.

Creative minds build lightweight Lambos and Bugattis with cardboard and pedals

As manufacturers continue their quests to reduce the weight of their vehicles, they switch out heavy steel for lighter materials such as aluminum, carbon fiber, titanium, and sometimes even magnesium. But they've been ignoring a cheap alternative that is widely available: cardboard. Leave it to two visionaries from Vietnam to crack the code and build supercars and superbikes out of the versatile paper product. Vietnamese YouTube channel NHET TV, via CarScoops, might only have a year under its belt, but in that short amount of time, it has amassed more than 350,000 subscribers. What initially started out as a random collection of harmless pranks, trolls, and makeshift time-killers has blossomed into an entertaining channel of ultra-low-budget car and motorcycle builds.  The first video posted is a paper plane competition, but the second video shows the first appearance of a vehicle, a Ducati Panigale made out of cardboard and a bicycle. This isn't like Paper Mario with a two-dimensional silhouette, it's a close-enough three-dimensional replica. That project was admittedly pretty rough, but the work has only improved as the channel has matured.  Throughout the past year, NHET TV has stuck with high-performance transportation for inspiration. They've built projects that mimic a Lamborghini Sian, a Lamborghini Aventador SVJ, a Ferrari LaFerrari FXX K, a Bugatti Chiron, a BMW S 1000 RR, and a Yamaha YZF-R6, among others. Some of the builds, such as the Bugatti, go beyond the typical cardboard-body-on-bicycle-frame. As seen in the video below, the NHET TV built a tubular frame for the car using spare bike parts that they welded together. The Bug even has a custom steering column and steering wheel, though the high-quality model continues to use bike chains and pedals for power. The SVJ might be the most advanced vehicle, as it has a real engine for power and has custom reverse gearing. These guys are creating fun out of the limited resources they do have, and that's what right now is all about. Enjoy the videos below and watch more on the full NHET TV channel.