Nav + Carbon Fiber + Shiny Black Hermera Whls + Bi-color Inter + Q-citura Stitch on 2040-cars

Auto blog

If VW defaults on loans it may sell Bentley or Lamborghini

If something goes catastrophically wrong with Volkswagen Group's recent $21 billion loan, brands like Bentley or Lamborghini could hit the auction block. According to two insiders to Reuters, the beleaguered German automaker agrees with its creditors to sell assets if the company somehow can't pay back the debt in a year. One of these anonymous people claimed the company hasn't yet deliberated over what to sell. However, the sources were willing to speculate that the power engineering portion of Man could be among the first to go. "Volkswagen may also consider divesting luxury car brands Bentley and Lamborghini or motor bike brand Ducati, although these units don't really move the needle," an insider said to Reuters. VW Group negotiated with the banks earlier this week to get the massive loan. The cash is necessary as a buffer in case the automaker doesn't have enough money on hand to repair vehicles or settle upcoming fines. VW would reportedly issue bonds in the spring to begin paying the debt. The company's bills will start racking up quickly in the new year. German authorities mandate a recall there in early 2016, and repair campaigns in the US for the 2.0- and 3.0-liter diesel engines are inevitable. There are also hundreds of class-action lawsuits to settle. The company needs to resolve its CO2 emissions scandal in Europe, too. In response to these financial threats, VW management created a cost-cutting plan to slash the research and development budget by $1.1 billion next year.

VW Group to split brands under four holding companies

The Volkswagen Group is planning a tremendous shift in its internal structure that will decentralize operations by splitting its 12 brands into four different holding companies. Here's the breakdown. Things will be split logically, considering the inter-sharing of parts, platforms, and engines. The Volkswagen brand, Seat, and Skoda make up a passenger vehicle division led by former BMW man Herbert Diess. Audi, which is tightly intertwined with Lamborghini and motorcycle manufacturer Ducati, will be managed by current Audi exec Rupert Stadler. Porsche and Bentley, which are already quite close, will be joined by Bugatti and run by Matthias Mueller. Finally, a commercial vehicles division will include Volkswagen Commercial, Scania, and Man. Former Daimler exec Andreas Renschler will take care of the big vehicles. The massive move, according to Automotive News Europe, is part of an internal VAG effort to move away from the structure established by ousted Chairman Ferdinand Piech, who favored a compact, but highly centralized, management structure to oversee the independent actions of the company's brands. Criticism of Piech's arrangement stemmed from the company's slow responses to changes in the market, ANE reports. The new structure should make for a more efficient, streamlined company that's better able to make crucial decisions. What are your thoughts? Should VAG decentralize, or did Piech have the right idea? Have your say in Comments.

Lamborghini Huracan LP610-4 Avio is ready for takeoff

The 760-horsepower Lamborghini Centenario understandably gets most of the attention at the Italian supercar maker's Geneva Motor Show booth this year, but the company has the limited edition Huracan LP 610-4 Avio on display there, too. This coupe doesn't have the Centenario's vast array of exclusive parts or any mechanical upgrades at all. Instead, the aviation-inspired model's buyers get special colors and additional standard equipment. You can easily spot the Avio edition from the outside from its white or gray flourishes on the lower portion of the mirrors, side sills, the front spoiler's lip, and a double stripe down the roof and hood. Customers can also order five new colors: pearlescent finish Grigio Falco and matte shades of Blu Grifo, Grigio Nibbio, Grigio Vulcano and Verde Turbine. The final exterior tweak is a small L63 emblem on the doors, which stands for Lamborghini and the company's founding in 1963. Inside, customers find a combination of black leather and hexagonal-pattern Alcantara upholstery with white stitching. Lambo also puts the L63 emblem on the seats, and there's a hand-enameled plate on the driver's side window. In addition to the upgraded surfaces, the Avio comes standard with a lifting system, cruise control, and GPS, which should probably come every version of the supercar. Lambo will limit the Avio to 250 units, and they'll start arriving at dealers in Europe this summer. Related Video: LAMBORGHINI INTRODUCES A HURACAN SPECIAL EDITION AT THE GENEVA MOTOR SHOW: THE HURACAN LP 610-4 AVIO Sant'Agata Bolognese/Geneva, 2 March 2016 – Alongside the Lamborghini Centenario, the Lamborghini Huracan LP 610-4 Avio will make its debut at this year's Geneva Motor Show. Produced in a run of only 250, this special edition's name, colors and materials pay tribute to the world of aviation and aeronautics. From the outset, Lamborghini has been inspired by powerful fighter jets, from which it has borrowed technological, aerodynamic, ergonomic and stylistic solutions. References to the aeronautical world in Lamborghini's current product line include digital instrument clusters; controls located on the center console as in airplane cockpits; the red engine 'start' button; the tight stylistic language of exterior lines; and a broad range of matt exterior finishes. The new Huracan Avio offers a host of premium functional features in its standard configuration including lifting system, cruise control and GPS*.