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Lamborghini Aventador SVJ sets Nurburgring lap record

It seems everyone is out to claim a lap record at the Nurburgring. Having a car sit at the top of the Green Hell's lap board is huge point of pride for people. Just scroll through past Autoblog posts about the track. You'll find Porsche, Lamborghini and Nio all claiming lap records in different categories. The Dodge Viper used to hold the crown before falling to faster and more modern cars. There's speculation as to what might break the record in the future. Today, Lamborghini announced that the new Aventador SVJ has broken the production car record with a lap time of 6:44.97 minutes. That's a hair faster than the Nio EP9 lap time from last year. The Nio knocked off the then-new Lamborghini Huracan Performante, so we're sure Nio is eager to get back out and have another go. While the times from Lamborghini and Nio might be impressive, they're way off the actual lap record. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Just a couple of weeks ago, Porsche announced that its 919 Hybrid Evo — an unrestricted version of its Le Mans prototype race car — set a record of 5:19.546. That's nearly a minute and a half faster than road-legal cars. The Aventador SVJ was piloted by Marco Mapelli, a factory-backed race car driver. The car was fitted with cameras and VBOX telemetry equipment to measure and verify the lap time. The Aventador SVJ's record was teased earlier this month with a new video, though a video of the full record-setting lap has yet to be released. Expect something soon, as well as outside verification so we don't get the whole "Lamborghini cheated" back and forth that went on after the Hurcan set its record. Related Video:

Lamborghini restores two 50-year-old classics to mark their anniversary

Front-engined Lamborghinis are a thing again, thanks to the Urus SUV. For decades, the company built nothing but mid-engined vehicles, perhaps for a good reason. But 50 years ago, Lamborghini introduced two cruisers with front-mounted V12s, and to commemorate the anniversary, the company's historical Polo Storico division has now restored examples of both. Before the era of Diablos, Murcielagos and Gallardos, the Espada was the strongest seller in the Lamborghini stable. Between 1968 and 1978, Lamborghini built 1,226 Espadas, all of them with a 4-liter V12, and some of them with an automatic transmission — a Lamborghini first. Depending on the version, the Espada's power output ranged from 325 hp to 350, and it could exceed 150 mph while seating four. Taking its cues from earlier concept cars, the Espada's Gandini design can be remembered from the near-horizontal rear deck, and the 47-inch tall cars are very low for four-seaters. What about the Islero? For Lamborghini, it was a more conventional approach to a GT, as it was a further development of the earlier 400GT — itself a continuation of Lamborghini's first production car, the 350GT. A handy way to tell the cars apart is that the Islero has hidden headlights, unlike the two earlier models. Compared to the Espada, the Islero's production run was markedly shorter: It was built for only two model years, with a total of 225 cars. The engine was the same V12 as in the Espada, but while the Islero S also had 350 hp, it was notably faster, and able to reach 161 mph. Lamborghini's Espada/Islero celebrations include a special tour of the Umbria region in early September. There's a 400-mile tour of central Italy Sept. 7-11 for Lamborghini enthusiasts, arranged by Lamborghini Polo Storico. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Featured Gallery Lamborghini Espada/Islero 50th Anniversary Lamborghini Classics lamborghini espada

Lamborghini Aventador SVJ teased at Nurburgring

We've been seeing prototypes and hearing reports about a hopped-up version of the Lamborghini Aventador, but only now have we seen something official from the company. It's officially called the Lamborghini Aventador SVJ, and the company teased it in the above trailer of the car at the Nurburgring. It gives us our best look yet, and some tidbits about what we'll hear next about the car. Let's first address the looks. The front fascia has been revised with a much deeper chin and a big wing splitting the main air intakes in the front. The side skirts are wider with end caps at the forward sections behind the front wheels. Those wheels have motorsport-style single center nuts. In one of the trailer's clips, we can see they're wrapped in Pirelli P Zero Trofeo R tires. It also has the outrageous rear wing we've seen in spy shots, and the exhaust also sits high up like on the Huracan Performante. Finally, while not necessarily part of the looks, we get a look at the instrument cluster that reveals this Aventador has a redline of roughly 9,000 rpm. The other part of the trailer to address is the location. The whole trailer takes place at the Nurburgring, and there's usually only one reason to make a big deal about that: lap times. Lamborghini already proved it can make some wickedly fast track cars with the Huracan Performante, a car that laps the infamous track faster than any other Lamborghini (so far) and faster than even the Porsche 918 Spyder. We expect the Performante's left-right split active aerodynamic system will appear on this car. Add to it much more power from the V12, and we have a potential 'Ring monster. Rumors even suggest the Aventador SVJ will have a lap time of around 6 minutes, 45 seconds, faster than the 911 GT2 RS. The SVJ will probably be much lighter than other Aventadors, too. The Twitter post that features the trailer says something slightly ambiguous about having "the best weight to power ratio." We assume that means the best of any Lamborghini. Since this is a teaser, we're expecting to see a more full-fledged video in the near future, hopefully with at least lap time, if no other specifications. Also, the fact that Lamborghini is showing this much of the car now is a sign that a full reveal can't be far away. The Paris Auto Show would be a natural location since it's early this fall. Stay tuned for more in the near future. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences.

Lamborghini gets barbecued at St. Louis gas station

Life is good when you're behind the wheel of a bright blue Lamborghini Huracan. Or at least it is up until the moment a forgetful minivan driver drives off with the fuel filler nozzle still attached. The result, at a gas station in St. Louis, was a spray of fuel, spilled directly onto the Lamborghini's engine bay, which instantly ignited and turned the supercar into a fireball. As reported by the Riverfront Times, the blue Huracan was actually one of two Lamborghinis, the other being an orange Gallardo, that had stopped to refuel. This video shows the exact moment when the minivan driver pulls away and the fuel hose separates from the pump. Careful if you're watching this at work, or have kiddies present, because some of the language is, well, also incendiary. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Then again, if you're in the middle of seeing gallons of fuel being sprayed directly onto a supercar's hot-running V10 engine, we doubt you'd wax poetic about the experience. And due credit to the Riverfront Times for its headline proclaiming "Incredible Dumbass Turns Lamborghini into Fireball at St. Louis Gas Station." It might not earn a Pulitzer, but kudos for nailing the story in one line, folks. Apparently and, somewhat amazingly, no one was reported hurt in the ensuing fire. The Lamborghini is definitely a total writeoff, but amazingly, the accompanying red Performante was just covered in ash. And according to this same Facebook post, the minivan driver was quickly found and admitted to being the culprit. Update: A previous version of this post incorrectly identified the blue Lamborghini Huracan as a Gallardo. The text has been corrected. Additional photos and video have also been embedded. Related Video: Weird Car News Lamborghini Minivan/Van supercar wreck gallardo

Pininfarina teases its Tesla- and Bugatti-baiting EV supercar

Pininfarina isn't being bashful when it comes to getting into the car business. The Italian design house has revealed a sketch of the PF0 Concept, an electric supercar aimed directly at the world's fastest and most expensive vehicles. With upward of 1,000 horsepower, along with an expected price in the millions of dollars, this extreme EV is meant as a calling card for Pininfarina's upcoming range of electric cars and SUVs. So should the likes of Tesla, Porsche, Ferrari, Bugatti and Lamborghini be worried? Pininfarina might be new to building its own cars, but the company has many decades of experience designing and engineering some of the most desirable cars of all time — including many of the finest supercars to have worn a Ferrari badge on their nose. As we reported earlier this year, Pininfarina has teamed with Indian auto manufacturer, Mahindra, to develop a range of high-end EVs. With this roughly $500 million investment, not to mention some engineering help from Croatian supercar manufacturer, Rimac, Pininfarina aims to start high. The company will first introduce a hypercar, based on the PF0 Concept, within two years, then bring along a range of more affordable electric cars and SUVs. These will more directly take on the likes of Porsche Cayenne, Lamborghini Urus, and Tesla Model X. So yes, if you're in the business of building expensive cars, especially ones with a lot of batteries positioned inside them, Pininfarina's plans for the PF0 (that's a zero, not the letter "O," by the way) should make you sit up and take notice. "Automobili Pininfarina is a pioneering new business created to service the most discerning clients in the world," said Michael Perschke, CEO for Automobili Pininfarina. "Our product portfolio will launch with an innovative, zero-emissions hypercar that represents the progression we aim to make at the pinnacle of the luxury and sports car market." According to its press release, Pininfarina is currently presenting its "business and product plans to prospective retailer partners, clients and media in New York this week." After its tour of the Big Apple, look for Pininfarina to officially reveal the PF0 Concept during Monterey Car Week in August. Related Video: Design/Style Green Bugatti Lamborghini Porsche Tesla Electric Future Vehicles Luxury Performance Pebble Beach supercar mahindra hypercar Rimac

Lamborghini to reveal Aventador SVJ with new Nurburgring lap record?

We'll soon be seeing the Lamborghini Aventador Superveloce J, and rumor has it that we'll be seeing a new production car lap record at the Nurburgring to go with it. Remember, last year the Huracan Performante lapped The Green Hell in 6:52.01, then in September the Porsche 911 GT2 RS bettered that with a time of 6:47.25. Lamborghini supposedly wants its record back, and has used the track-biased Aventador SV J to set a lap about two seconds quicker than the Porsche. Both vehicles take liberties with the phrase "production car." Porsche built just 1,000 of the 911 GT2 RS, and the Aventador SV J is expected to come in numbers well below that. The Italian carmaker only built 600 of the Aventador SV. The J, in a circular bit of word logic, stands for the Spanish word "Jota," and is how to pronounce the letter "J" in Spanish. Lamborghini has used the appellation three times before on extra-special special editions: a one-of-one Miura, on 30 Diablo SE30s, which were track versions of the 30th Anniversary Diablo SE, and a one-of-one Aventador. Odds are the newest Jota will maintain respect for such limited numbers. The Aventador SV J's been captured on all kinds of video running hard at the 'Ring. Last week, Instagram user 43lambo posted on the new lap record. When Autocar asked Lamborghini about it, the carmaker didn't respond to queries. In 2015, the 630-horsepower Aventador SV set a time 12.5 seconds behind the Porsche. The SV J should up the 6.5-liter's V12 output to between 780 and 800 horsepower, lose a substantial amount of weight, and benefit from a suite of serious aerodynamic aids like a larger front splitter, that sculptured rear wing, and a high-mounted dual-exhaust blown diffuser. A rumor from a few months ago said the SV J had already set a time of 6:54 while navigating traffic and a coned-off section of track. If that's true, it seems entirely within the realm of possibility that, without interruptions, the new V12 Lamborghini could establish a record. We should find out soon. Tangential rumors also say the Lamborghini Urus nailed a 7:47 lap at the 'Ring, which would make it the swiftest SUV around the 'track, eclipsing the 7:51.7 time set by the Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio. Related Video:

Lamborghini debuting limited-edition hypercar soon?

Rumor, anonymous sources, and Internet probing point to Lamborghini preparing a new limited-edition hypercar in the vein of the Centenario, Veneno, and Sesto Elemento. At the Frankfurt Motor Show last year, the carmaker's head of R&D told Car Advice, "Soon we will present to our most important customers a new version of what we call a one-off." The Supercar Blog reports Lamborghini did just that a few weeks ago at a private event in Italy. An anonymous source said the vehicle is codenamed LB48H, and looks like the 2017 Terzo Millennio concept. Assuming all of this is true, whatever's coming won't be a genuine one-off. Remember, the Sant' Agata brand made 40 Centenarios, four Venenos, and 20 Sesto Elementos. The only true one-off for recent sale was the 2012 Aventador J. According to The Supercar Blog, Lamborghini will make 63 of this newest revelation. We checked the production runs for every Lamborghini, no previous model got exactly 63 units. But the company started production in 1963 with the 350 GTV. The same way the Centenario referenced the 100th anniversary of Feruccio Lamborghini's birth, the LB48H could celebrate the company's beginnings in the second millennium — a natural tie-in with the Terzo Millennio (Third Millennium) inspiration. The name, and an Instagram post, bolster suspicions. Lamborghini's already said the next-gen Aventador due in 2020 and Huracan due in 2022 will get naturally-aspirated engines with hybrid power. We also know alphanumeric Lamborghini vehicle names identify aspects of the car. In the hybrid Asterion LPI 910-4 concept from 2014, the LP stood for longintudinale posteriore, as with current production models, the I stood for the Italian word for hybrid, Ibrido, the 910 for the horsepower. With the LB48H, we take the the L we know, we'll take the H for Hybrid. So what do the B and 48 represent? On June 18, Miguel Costa, who appears to head Lamborghini's Lisbon, Portugal dealership, published an Instagram post that said, "We made it possible! Soon!" For hashtags, he wrote, #masterpiece, #lamborghini, #lamborghinilisboa, and #lb48h. The #masterpiece and #lb48h hashtags soon disappeared from the post. When Jalopnik asked Lamborghini about the situation, the automaker said, "We are not confirming this." The Italian automaker uses these specials to preview design and technology elements headed for the range; the Centenario introduced rear-wheel steering that made its way to the Aventador S, for instance.

Lamborghini restores ultra-rare one-off Miura SVR

This is the one-of-one Lamborghini Miura SVR. It's a racing development of the already rare Miura SVJ, and its 19-month factory restoration has just been completed. It could very well be the most desirable Miura ever built. The SVR is one of 763 Lamborghini Miuras built by the factory between 1966 and 1972. In addition to "regular" Miuras, there was a limited-number run of "Jota" specification cars, or SVJs, developed by factory test driver Bob Wallace. The specific car here was originally a green Miura S with the chassis number #3781, built in 1968 and displayed at the Turin Motor Show. In 1974, it was acquired by a German customer, who brought it back to the factory to be reborn for the first time. During that 18-month rebuild, it was converted into special, created-for-the-occasion SVR spec, a notch above the vaunted 440-horsepower SVJ cars. In 1978, #3781 was sold to Japan, where it became an actual hero car, making it into manga comics and serving as a basis for toymaker Kyosho's SVR model car line. It certainly takes something for a single car to be so breathtaking that it creates its own niche and following. After 40 years, the SVR was deemed to need restoration, and it arrived to the factory already in pieces. It wasn't a rotten shell, as it was sold as a complete car in Japan in 2015; however, the gold leather interior seen in this Petrolicious post didn't make it to 2018. The head of Lamborghini's factory restoration division Polo Storico, Paolo Gabrielli, says that the factory wasn't really able to use the same approach as Polo Storico restorations usually require. "The original production sheet wasn't of much help, as we relied mostly on the specifications from the 1974 modifications," said Gabrielli. The only ways where the restored SVR differs from the original 1974 build is that it now has 4-point safety belts, better racing seats and a removable roll bar, as the car sees race track use and these modifications were requested by the car's current owner for safety's sake. Now that it's finally finished, #3781 was shown at the Nakayama Circuit in Japan. Related Video:

Chinese automaker readies a Lamborghini Urus fake

Do you love the absurd angular looks of the Lamborghini Urus, but don't have anywhere near the $200,000 needed to buy one? We have good news, then. A Chinese automaker is building a knockoff that costs about a tenth the price. Of course, you'll probably have to go to China to own and drive it. According to carnewschina.com, the vehicle in question comes from Huansu, one of several brands under major Chinese automaker BAIC. The company's name translates to "Magic Speed" according to the news outlet, as well as a Google translated version of PCAuto, a Chinese car news website. The model name is reportedly called C60, but it also has the name Hyosow on the back. It certainly hits the design on the head. Or at least 90 percent of the head. The silhouette of the grille is nearly identical, but it picks up a quartet of LED foglights on each side. The massive hexagons in the Lamborghini's grille are replaced with slats. The headlights are similar with individual LEDs, but the shape is much simpler. Continuing around the side, the Lambo's triangular fender vents have morphed into something that looks more like a shovel. The doppelganger lacks some of the sharp creases of the Italian car, and the resemblance really starts falling apart at the back. The large taillights of the Huansu have some of the angular lighting designs of the Lamborghini, but they aren't nearly as striking as the Lambo's narrow elements. There aren't any big vents, and the diffuser is far more boring on the Huansu. All that being said, though, this sucker is a blatant knockoff, regardless of how accurate it is or isn't. Despite a name like "Magic Speed," we don't expect this C60 Hyosow will have much of it, since it will reportedly have just a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder making 195 horsepower. At least it will be practical, housing between 5 and 7 people depending on how it's equipped. And of course, it's way cheaper. Converting Car News China's price estimate to U.S. dollars, the Huansu will only cost between $15,000 and $24,000. It may be a shameless knockoff, but we have to admit it probably isn't going to cost Lamborghini sales. People with Toyota Corolla money aren't on the verge of buying a supercar anytime soon. The official reveal of the SUV will be on June 6 at the Chongqing auto show, according to PCAuto. Related Video: News Source: China Car News, PCAuto Lamborghini Crossover SUV chinese copy

Pope's Lamborghini Huracan raises over $850,000 for charity at auction

Last November, Lamborghini gave Pope Francis a Huracan RWD customized in the white and gold colors of Vatican City. Unsurprisingly, Pope Francis announced it would be auctioned for charity, and that auction occurred this past week. The car rolled across the block of an RM Sotheby's auction and brought in 715,000 euros, which at current exchange rates is about $857,000. View 6 Photos That's a fairly impressive price considering that an entry-level Huracan starts at right around $200,000. Of course, regular versions don't come with such a prestigious previous owner. An owner who signed and blessed it. Plus all the money is going to charity. Actually, make that charities. The money will be split among a group rebuilding villages in Nineveh Plain in Iraq, an organization that helps abused and trafficked women, and two organizations that help women and children in central Africa. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.