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Weekly Recap: Geneva's splendor reflects growing demand for ultra-luxury cars

Geneva is one of the most glittering auto shows in the world, but the list of high-powered and bespoke luxury cars was decadent this year even by the rich standards of the Swiss exhibition. It's great for enthusiasts to revel in the flame-throwing Aston Martin Vulcan, the racing-inspired elegance of the Bentley EXP 10 Speed 6 concept and the insane performance of the Lamborghini Aventador LP 750-4 Superveloce, but there's a reason for all of this opulence: the luxury market is big business. And it's growing. IHS Automotive forecasts that so-called ultra-premium sales will nearly triple this decade from 123,000 to 353,000 units around the world. The estimate includes brands like Aston Martin, Bentley, Ferrari and Rolls-Royce, but doesn't count BMW, Mercedes and Audi, which offer less expensive models in addition to their high-end flagships. Though IHS includes Porsche and its relatively large volume in the study, the ultra-premium segment is still set grow at about the same rate, even without the German automaker's figures. So what is propelling all of this growth in the most expensive segment of the auto industry? Put simply, there's more rich people. IHS Automotive principal analyst Tim Urquhart pointed to economic expansion in China, market recovery in the United States and a surge in the lucrative technology sector as contributing factors. This dovetails with a research report by UK-based Oxfam, an international relief organization, which found the world's richest one-percent owned 48 percent of global wealth in 2014, and it's expected to increase to more than 50 percent by 2016. View 17 Photos Carmakers are moving quickly to capitalize with new products, expanding their portfolios with low-volume speedsters like the 800-hp V12 Vulcan at Geneva, and plans to enter new segments, like Rolls-Royce's strategy to make an SUV. "Ultra-premium carmakers are looking to explore ways of growing their product offerings, and thus their bottom lines, in this most potentially profitable of segments," Urquhart wrote in a report on the Geneva show. In a nutshell, there are more choices for people with more money. It's a good time to have expensive taste. Other News & Notes 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata production launches It won't be long now. The 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata arrives later this year, and it's officially in production. Mazda announced this week that the roadster began rolling off the assembly line at its Ujina factory in Hiroshima, Japan.

Fastest-ever Lamborghini may debut in Geneva

Lamborghini is headed to next month's 2013 Geneva Motor Show with the brand's fastest car yet. The news comes courtesy of Filippo Perini, Lamborghini's design director, who reportedly dished that the brand will celebrate its 50th anniversary with a new low-volume hypercar. Perini made the comments while at the US launch of the automaker's recent Aventador Roadster in Miami, and he made it clear there will only be 10 production examples of the new model. If you want one, you had better get your wallet to the closest dealer (the designer admits most of the exotics are already spoken for).
Meanwhile, Lamborghini CEO Stephan Winkelmann has said his company will continue to explore special edition models. As you may recall, the Italian automaker built just 20 examples of its Sesto Elemento, originally penned for the 2010 Paris Motor Show. It promptly sold each one for $2.5 million. Then there was last year's Aventador J, which flew out the door at $2.6 million, including taxes. Stay tuned for more information from the show floor.

Even in the rain, the Lamborghini Veneno is amazing

Rare cars and rain typically don't mix. Owners don't want to the get their prized possessions wet and dirty, and they don't want to take the chance they might crash in the adverse conditions. However, someone clearly didn't mind having their Lamborghini Veneno taken around a thoroughly wet race course. According to the person who uploaded the video, this Veneno, one of just three production coupes and a prototype, was participating in an official Lamborghini track event at Vallelunga. The rain didn't dampen the spectacular sound of the rare Lambo, but it may have dampened the driver's spirit. He takes corners with caution, moving through slowly and gently. Even with care, the driver still gets the Veneno slightly loose. There are a few corner exits that you'll notice the tail wiggle a bit. Check out the video above to see the operator's careful driving and the Lambo's glorious wail. And if you need more rain-soaked Lamborghini action, we have good news: this isn't the first time a Veneno has been to a wet track. Related Video: