2006 Lamborghini Murcielago Base Convertible 2-door 6.2l on 2040-cars

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VW Group plan puts Porsche in charge of a 'super-premium' division

An Automobile report looks into what's happening on the organizational and technical sides of the Volkswagen Group, and what those changes could mean for the premium brands. The wide-angle view is that Porsche appears to have been anointed to "coordinate the future activities" at Audi, Bentley, Bugatti and Lamborghini. Audi would cede Lamborghini guardianship to Stuttgart, and Ducati — via a new concern called Ducati Enterprises — would become the shepherd for VW's other Italian investments. Executives target Jan. 1, 2019, to complete the reshuffle. VW wants to save a boodle by tying up four of its five top-tier brands, and putting the one with the highest ROI in charge. Porsche, within its own house, wants to reduce expenditures by $2.3 billion per year over for four years, the savings already earmarked for improving internal processes like R&D and production. Having Porsche share those gains as well as lead development of platforms, components and future-tech strategies for the sister sports car brands could benefit everyone. In the near-term, the brands have their own plans: Bugatti CEO Stephan Winkelmann is said to want a Chiron Superleggera, a roofless and "completely reskinned" Chiron Aperta, and a track-only Chiron SS. The Superleggera could take the Chiron Sport's and Divo's Jenny Craig routines even further. The Aperta seems a natural successor to the Veyron Grand Sport, a natural evolution of the recently introduced Sky View roof, and a reskin might include numerous Divo cues. It's also said Bugatti's considering "an all-electric high-end model" in conjunction with Porsche, Rimac, and Dallara, but name one supercar or hypercar manufacturer that isn't considering a lightning-fast EV. Lamborghini, deep into work on follow-ups for the Huracan and Aventador, might get a bit of a bump with the new plan. The carbon "monofuselage" for the next V12 flagship is said to be too far developed and too complex to scrap. It puts two electric motors on the front axle, batteries in the middle, and a naturally aspirated V12 with around 770 horsepower plus another e-motor with 402 horsepower in back. The Huracan is said to get a version of the same carbon architecture at the moment, but the corporate reorganization might press pause on it. Automobile says options include continuing the Huracan/ Audi R8 twinning, but that depends on Audi saying "Ja" to a third-gen R8 with Lamborghini bones.

Lamborghini Concept S up for auction in New York

Reach back a decade into your supercar memory banks and you may recall that in 2005, Lamborghini rolled in to the Geneva Motor Show with a dramatic Gallardo speedster concept. That was the Concept S, designed by Luc Donckerwolke long before he shifted over to (and subsequently left) the Bentley design department. It packed all the cutting-edge angular design of the Gallardo coupe that had just debuted the year before, but predated the emergence of the Gallardo Spyder that followed the next. The Concept S featured more radical bodywork that bisected the open cockpit, with a pair of low-profile wind deflectors instead of a single-frame windshield. Sort of like the Aventador J concept from a few years ago, but in a more compact (and relatively more stylistically restrained) form. The original show car wasn't a runner, but it proved such a hit that Lamborghini made a second one – this time fully functional with V10 power – and brought it to Pebble Beach that summer. The static model is still on display at the Lamborghini Museum in Sant'Agata, and we took our time ogling it while in town for the opening of the new Trigeneration plant last week, but the runner was sold to a private collector, and now it's set to cross the auction block as part of RM Sotheby's upcoming sale in Manhattan. The auction house expects that it'll fetch between $2.4 and 3 million, and given this particular model's rarity, we don't doubt it'll command every penny, if not more. After all, the Veneno went for more than that, and as scarce as that crazy hypercar was (and remains still), between the coupes and roadsters, Lambo made a baker's dozen of those. In fact, the Concept S stands to set a new record for the highest amount ever paid for a Lamborghini at auction, which according to Sports Car Market was set in 2009 when a Reventon sold online for $2.5 million. The Reventon was a more dramatically styled version of the Murcielago and precursor of the Aventador, of which 21 were made. So just imagine how much collectors might prove willing to spend on the one-of-a-kind Concept S.

Valet Crashes Lamborghini Outside Of Hotel

Security cameras were rolling as a valet at a swanky hotel in India crashed a Lamborghini Gallardo while trying to pull forward into a crowded driveway. In the video, the $187,000 supercar lurches forward and hits several cars and a hotel worker before careening into a wall. The hotel worker was taken to the hospital for minor injuries and released the same day, according to The Telegraph. Police are investigating the crash to determine if the hotel or the valet owes the car's owner damages. This seems like an egregious error in judgement, but valets are people too and they make mistakes. Earlier this year, a valet forgot to put the parking brake on a vehicle, which allowed it to roll into the ocean. Another valet accidentally allowed an SUV to roll down a ramp and into a wall in a parking garage. Related Gallery These Pricey Rides Are Among The Best Of The Best Weird Car News Lamborghini Safety valet