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Lamborghini Urus Superveloce on the table, Asterion off

Last year Lamborghini revealed the Asterion concept at the Paris Motor Show, showcasing a new design on the surface and hybrid technology underneath. Months later, the possibility of the Asterion entering production was still reportedly on the table, but at this point the Bolognese automaker has other priorities. The company is in the midst of a massive expansion of its production facilities that will not only see it generating its own power, but also adding a new assembly line to double its output with an entirely new model. That, of course, will take the form of a crossover closely previewed by the Urus concept of 2012. But the initial version might only be the tip of the proverbial iceberg. Although additional body-styles might not suit the Urus as well as it would have the Estoque (had Lamborghini gone with the four-door, front-engined sedan design instead of the crossover), the Urus could lead to a range of engine specs and orientations. "We have more than enough ideas, but it is too early to confirm anything," Lamborghini chief Stephan Winkelmann told Autocar. "All options are possible, and we will work on evaluating them in the run-up to launch. If our customers want to see something, we'll do our best to meet their needs." Considering what Lamborghini has done with its supercars, we could see an even higher-output, more performance-focused version to follow – like the latest Superveloce version of the Aventador (soon to be applied to the Aventador roadster, as well). Theoretically, that could be an Urus SV. Though the Huracan has so far (aside from racing versions) only been shown in its initial form, the preceding Gallardo resulted in more model variants than we'd care to count. In addition to a possible hybrid version, the Urus (or whatever it's ultimately called in production form) could lead to an ultra-luxury version at the other end of the spectrum. What's clear is that the Urus program is going to keep Lamborghini busy for some time to come. And while we're expecting more versions of the Huracan to follow in due course, the possibility of putting the Asterion (or some version thereof) into production as well is apparently off the table for the time being. Considering that by the time it reaches production, it will have been a good six years since the Raging Bull marque first showcased the Urus concept, the Asterion could be kept on the back burner for several more years to come.

Ferruccio Lamborghini's life to be chronicled in new film

A new movie is in the works to chronicle the life and times of Ferruccio Lamborghini. The biopic, currently in development under the working title Lamborghini – the Legend, is being undertaken by Italian-Canadian producer Andrea Iervolino though his studio Ambi Group. Shooting for the film is said to begin in Italy this summer. According to Variety, the film will follow the career of the Lamborghini founder born a century ago, from his start building agricultural tractors, through the manufacturing of military equipment during the Second World War, the establishment of his supercar company in 1963, and on to his passing in 1993. Ferruccio sold both of his companies in 1972, with the automaker passing through several hands (including Chrysler's) before the Volkswagen Group bought it in 1999 – several years after the founder's passing – through its subsidiary Audi. Ferruccio's son Tonino Lamborghini, who runs a designer merchandise company, is reportedly consulting on the film's production. The producer Andrea Iervolino is an Italian filmmaker based in Toronto. He's undertaken a couple of projects with Al Pacino, including the 2004 movie adaptation of Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice and 2014's The Humbling. He also co-produced this year's Septembers of Shiraz starring Adrien Brody and Salma Hayek. He and the Ambi Group he co-founded with Lady Monika Bacardi currently have several projects in post-production, including a film adaptation of John Steinbeck's novel In Dubious Battle starring James Franco, Bryan Cranston, Ed Harris, and Robert Duval. Ferruccio's nemesis Enzo Ferrari is similarly said to be the subject of two films under development – one starring Robert De Niro, and another featuring Christian Bale. There's also a project being undertaken in New Zealand to document the life of Bruce McLaren. The bottom line is that the year ahead looks like it'll be a good one for films about the founders of racing teams and supercar manufacturers. Related Video:

Lamborghini to show Gallardo replacement concept in Frankfurt

Lamborghini will give us a big clue as to the look and feel of the impending replacement for its Gallardo model at this September's Frankfurt Motor Show. According to a report by Autocar, the Italian supercar maker will have a concept car in Frankfurt that will preview a 2015 replacement for the current Gallardo (pictured above).
While nothing is set in stone, the word is that Lamborghini is still considering "Cabrera" as the Gallardo-successor's name. We didn't know the company had so many Tigers fans, but the Autoblog Detroit office is stoked.
The same report tells us that the new Lamborghini, currently going by the internal designation LP724, will be based on the same platform as the second-generation Audi R8, rather than on the more exotic Aventador underpinnings. That means a modular spaceframe, aluminum and carbon fiber construction and a reduction in curb weight as a result - the target is less than 3,300 pounds. Even with the diet, the next Gallardo will be slightly longer than the current car, but about the same height and width.