2014 Lamborghini Aventador 2dr Conv on 2040-cars

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As VW electrifies, it questions the role of Lamborghini, Bugatti, Ducati

FRANKFURT — Volkswagen needs to change to stay relevant in the electric and digital vehicle era and will announce "important steps" to that end before the close of the year, Chief Executive Herbert Diess said on Wednesday. "Volkswagen needs to change: From a collection of valuable brands and fascinating combustion-engine products that thrill customers with superb engineering — to a digital company that reliably operates millions of mobility devices worldwide," Diess told shareholders at the company's virtual general meeting. Vehicles need to stay in contact with customers, offer new services and comfort functions on a weekly or even daily basis, he said. "We will take further important steps to set the course for this in the rest of 2020," Diess said. Senior executives told Reuters the company is reviewing what role its high-performance brands Lamborghini, Bugatti and Ducati will play as the company increasingly focuses on electric, digital and autonomous vehicles. Volkswagen, which also owns VW, Audi, Porsche, Seat and Skoda, is looking at whether it has the resources to accelerate development of electric platforms for smaller brands at a time it is investing billions to transform its more mainstream cars. Asked whether Ducati, which is known for making noisy combustion-engined motorbikes, has an electric future, Markus Duesmann, who oversees research and development for the group, said: "It will not take long until we see an electric Ducati." Whether Ducati, which is a medium-sized premium motorbike brand, would offer an electric variant, depends on whether a bike could offer range comparable to a combustion-engined variant, Duesmann said. Advances are being made in battery technology which could make this possible, he added. Separately Frank Witter, the company's chief financial officer, in response to a question about whether a sale of Lamborghini is planned, said Volkswagen does not comment on speculation about potential divestments. Lamborghini's Chief Executive Stefano Domenicali this week announced his departure from the sports car maker to take on a new job as president of Formula One. VW needs cash Volkswagen is reviewing the future of these three high-performance brands as part of broader quest for more economies of scale as it shifts to mass producing electric cars, senior executives told Reuters.

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 owner parks Countach near London Tower Bridge, everyone freaks

With its razor-sharp wedge shape, high performance and minuscule ride height, the Lamborghini Countach has always been a supercar made to be gawked at and grab attention. Even the model's name supposedly comes from an Italian exclamation. But not all recognition is positive, as is the case with this Lamborghini illegally parked within sight of London's famed Tower Bridge.
According to The Telegraph, this white Countach was reportedly abandoned after running out of fuel, blocking a lane in the process. In that time, someone apparently attempted to scratch off part of its no-parking sticker. In the end, the supercar was hooked up and lifted onto a flatbed truck to be towed away, drawing a sizable crowd in the process. Those interviewed seemed pretty upset and mystified that someone would illegally park the car there.
According to The Telegraph, the owner was traced via license plate, whereupon it was discovered there was a warrant out for his arrest on harassment charges. He was subsequently arrested in London and later released on bail. Sadly, there's no word yet on whether the classic Lamborghini was released with its owner or if its angular self is sitting in an impound lockup somewhere.