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Lamborghini prototype's exhaust suggests Aventador Performante is in the works

Lamborghini made waves with the introduction of its Huracan Performante, and more specifically, its stunning Nurburgring lap time that challenged million-dollar hypercars. Now, based on these new spy shots, it seems Lamborghini will build upon the success of the Huracan with a Performante version of the bigger, more powerful Aventador. Although the early roadster and later coupe look stock, they feature an exhaust that gives away what's under the skin. At the back, we can see the standard center-exit exhaust used on every normal Aventador, and even the previous top-tier Aventador, the SV. But above that is a strange metal box with slats and a pair of circles cut out. This box appears to hide the car's real exhaust. And if that's the case, they're positioned in the very same location as on the smaller Huracan Performante. Using the Huracan Performante as a model, we expect the Aventador version will make more horsepower than the regular Aventador S. The Huracan Performante made 28 more horsepower than the standard all-wheel-drive version, so we wouldn't be surprised to see just as much of an increase for the Aventador, which would put it at about 770 horsepower. The Aventador Performante will also likely use the Huracan's fancy active aerodynamics that can adjust downforce on the left and right sides independently in corners, and naturally there will be a giant wing at the back. Another interesting thing to note about these prototypes is the use of both a coupe and a roadster. We've seen a nearly production-ready Huracan Performante Spyder out testing, so it wouldn't be out of the question for Lamborghini to do the same for the Aventador. But it's surprising to see Lamborghini testing one this early when we only ever saw Huracan prototypes in coupe guise ahead of the coupe's full reveal. Related Video: Featured Gallery Lamborghini Aventador Performante Spy Shots View 15 Photos Image Credit: CarPix Spy Photos Lamborghini Convertible Coupe Future Vehicles Supercars

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.

Lamborghini Urus gets the green light for production [UPDATE]

UPDATE: We've gotten the official press release from Lamborghini, which you can read below. In it, company president Stephan Winkelmann does say that the new vehicle will be built in Sant'Agata Bolognese in a move to demonstrate "our commitment to safeguarding the values of 'Made in Italy' worldwide." It's been a long time coming, but the official word has finally come down: Lamborghini is going to build the Urus. The Italian automaker first gave us a sneak peak at the crossover concept in New York, before revealing the Urus in concept form at the Beijing Motor Show back in 2012. And we had a chance to catch up with it again in Monterey that summer. That's a lot of buildup. Ever since, Lambo has been toying with putting it into production as its third model line, alongside the existing Huracan and Aventador two-door supercars. All it's been waiting for is the go-ahead from parent Volkswagen, which it has now received. Autoblog received confirmation from a spokesman at Lamborghini of the Urus' production approval, with official details to be announced within the next few hours. Word has it that the high-riding Raging Bull will hit showrooms in 2018, but watch this space for more details as we find them. The Urus (or whatever it's ultimately called) will join a burgeoning market for high-end crossovers, alongside the likes of the Bentley Bentayga, Jaguar F-Pace, Aston Martin DBX and Maserati Levante. Unlike those forays, however, Lamborghini's will not be its first SUV. That honor will forever belong to the LM002, nicknamed the "Rambo Lambo" that came out just before the original Hummer and was powered by the Countach's V12 engine. Just what will power Sant'Agata's new crossover remains to be seen. However the signs have been pointing towards it at least being offered with the company's first hybrid powertrain, as previewed in the Asterion concept from Paris. With substantial incentives being offered by the Italian government, it is expected to be built in Italy – or at least assembled there. Much of the production work is likely to be carried out in Slovakia where the Audi Q7, Volkswagen Touareg and Porsche Cayenne (with which the Urus is destined to share its underpinnings) are made. Scroll down to read the official announcement.