2022 Lamborghini Huracan Sto on 2040-cars

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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.

Watch a 1,000 hp twin-turbo Lamborghini Huracan dyno run

AMS/Alpha Performance, known for their Audi R8 V10 Alpha 10 Twin Turbo package, have laid their eager hands on the Lamborghini Huracan. In this short and sweet video, the newly improved prototype Huracan struts its stuff on the dynamometer. Like the Audi, the Huracan also gains a pair of Garrett ball bearing turbos coupled with intercoolers, and the car has been built as a prototype of their stage one turbo system. It is virtually identical to the production version of AMS's twin turbo package for the Huracan, and the system has been devised to be a bolt-on system. The AMS package can be shipped out to anyone in the Alpha dealer network and installation has been made straightforward enough. "There is no hacking or cutting up the car", says Alpha's VP and lead engineer, Arne Toman. "It has been designed to be safe for the stock engine and transmission, and the only driveline improvement is an upgraded clutch pack which we include in the package." With pump gas, the Huracan TT Alpha 10 has a Veyron-baiting 1,000 horsepower, with the fuel system "maxed out" according to Arne. The Stage 2 setup, which will include forged engine internals, will go for 1,500 hp, while the third stage package dishes out more than 2,000 horsepower according to AMS. The prototype Huracan will run at the Gold Rush Rally next month, from Boston to Los Angeles. It should be a proper shakedown to prove the car's reliability, which is one aspect AMS Performance has been going for. Related Gallery AMS Alpha Lamborghini Huracan Twin Turbo Image Credit: AMS Performance Aftermarket Lamborghini Supercars Videos alpha

Enjoy a look at the World's Fastest Police Fleet in Dubai

Last year, it seemed like nearly every month there was news of an additional hypercar joining the fleet of the Dubai Police. It was shocking enough when the force showed off its Lamborghini Aventador, but the armada kept growing to include even more exotic vehicles like an Aston Martin One-77 and eventually even a Bugatti Veyron. To understand the point of building this assortment of supercars, the crew from Vocativ went behind the scenes with the Dubai Police and into the immaculate warehouse where the cars are kept. The Veyron and Aventador are just the headline-grabbers. When their Audi R8 and Nissan GT-R are getting short shrift, you know it must have a wild collection. The video is a fascinating look inside the force and gets some insight into why the Dubai Police would spend around $6.5 million to build this collection. It certainly isn't to catch speeders... Scroll down to learn what it's all about. News Source: Vocativ via YouTube Bugatti Lamborghini Police/Emergency Videos dubai dubai police