2002 Lamborghini Murcielago Twin Turbo Reventon Kit on 2040-cars

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The best cars we drove this year

Six hundred and fifty. That's roughly how many cars pass through the hands of Autoblog editors every year, from the vehicles we test here at home, to the cars we drive on new product launches, testing roundups, long-term cars, and so on. Of course, our individual numbers vary due to several reasons, but at the end of the day, our team's repertoire of automotive experience is indeed vast. But let's be honest, some cars certainly stand out more than others. So as the year's about to turn, and as we're readying brand-new daily cat calendars for our cubicles, our editors are all taking time to reflect on the machinery that made this year so special, with one simple, open-ended question as the guide – a question that we're asked quite frequently, from friends, family, colleagues, and more. "What's the best car you drove this year?" Lamborghini Huracan When I review the list of everything I drove in 2014, picking an absolute favorite becomes almost impossible. I mean, how does one delineate between the joy offered by cars as different as the Alfa Romeo 4C, Volkswagen Golf R, Mercedes-AMG GT S and even the humble-yet-wonderful Chevy Colorado? Okay fine, I'll just pick the Lamborghini. I drove the Lamborghini Huracan LP 610-4 on a racetrack, in the mountains, and along southern coast of Spain. It felt like the king of the car jungle in all of those places, sucking the eyeballs of observers nearly out of their heads as it drove by, and almost melting my brain with its cocktail of speed and grip and intense communication. It feels a little easy to say that the one new supercar I drove this year was also my favorite, but the fact is that the Huracan is one of the finest cars I've driven during my career, let alone 2014. Judge me if you must. – Seyth Miersma Senior Editor Rolls-Royce Wraith There are a couple of ways to look at the question, "What's the best car you drove this year?" In terms of what was so good I'd go out and buy one tomorrow, that'd be my all-time sweetheart, the Volkswagen GTI. Or if I'm just talking about sheer cool-factor, maybe something like the Galpin GTR1, BMW i8, or Mercedes-Benz G63 AMG. But instead, I'm going to write about the sheer opulence of being the best of the best. The hand-crafted, holier-than-thou, shut-your-mouth-when-I'm-talking-to-you supremacy. I'm picking the Rolls-Royce Wraith. I drove the Wraith for a week in April, and was really, really impressed. This car does everything, perfectly.

Lamborghini previews the Aventador's hybrid, 1,001-hp successor

Lamborghini is nearly ready to introduce the Aventador's long-awaited successor. Referred to as the LB744, the company's next flagship model adopts a gasoline-electric hybrid powertrain that's built around a new, naturally-aspirated V12 and rated at about 1,000 horsepower. We'll need to be patient to discover the model's exterior design, but Lamborghini provided us with a very good idea of what the specifications sheet looks like. The system's centerpiece is a mid-mounted, 6.5-liter V12 that eschews forced induction — the company has previously made it clear that it wants to keep the naturally-aspirated 12-cylinder alive for as long as possible. While the Aventador was V12-powered as well, it sounds like the mechanical similarities between the two cars end there. In the upcoming LB744, the engine is bolted to an eight-speed, dual-clutch automatic transmission that's mounted transversely behind the engine instead of longitudinally directly in front of it. The company will need to find a new name for the transmission tunnel: it now houses a 3.8-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack. The electricity stored in it zaps three electric motors: one is integrated into the transmission, while the other two are each assigned to one of the front wheels. This layout delivers through-the-road all-wheel-drive, so there's no mechanical connection between the axles, and it allows the LB744 to drive on electricity alone for short distances. The configuration also provides a torque vectoring function for sharper cornering. Lamborghini pegs the system's total output at 1,015 metric horsepower, which represents approximately 1,001 horsepower measured in U.S. terms. The bulk of the cavalry comes from the V12; it's billed as the lightest and most powerful 12-cylinder that Lamborghini has ever made and it develops about 813 horsepower at a screaming 9,250 rpm (that's 250 rpm short of its redline). Maximum torque checks in at 535 pound-feet. We haven't heard the new engine yet, but Lamborghini stresses that it went to great lengths to give it an exhaust note worthy of a supercar. More details about the LB744 will emerge in the not-too-distant future. Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Lamborghini updates its logo for the first time in over 20 years

Enthusiasts meandering through the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance in 50 years will have an easy way to tell approximately when a Lamborghini was made. Starting later in 2024, the brand's cars will wear a logo that has been redesigned with a focus on minimalism. Lamborghini notes this is the first time it has redesigned its logo in over 20 years, and the changes made are relatively subtle. The emblem is still shield-shaped, and its overall layout remains the same; there's "LAMBORGHINI" written at the top, right above a bull that looks like it's about to charge. However, the shield's frame is smaller, with a flatter look, and the bull becomes an outline with fewer details (like the spine). Here's the old logo for reference: While the bull has appeared on the logo since the company's inception in 1963, it will soon stand on its own for the first time. Not on cars, it sounds like they'll still wear a shield, but in some of the brand's marketing and promotional material. Lamborghini also developed a brand-specific font to further strengthen its identity. You'll see it in the magazine that the company publishes, for example, and on social media. Lamborghini hasn't revealed which car(s) will inaugurate the new logo. The latest addition to its range is the Revuelto, which is powered by a 1,001-horsepower plug-in hybrid drivetrain built around a new, naturally-aspirated V12. Developed to replace the Aventador, it was unveiled in 2023 with the old logo; if it gets the new logo, early examples with the old emblem will likely be interesting from a collector's perspective. We know that the brand has at least three new models in its pipeline: There's a plug-in hybrid evolution of the Urus, which should also get a handful of visual updates inside and out, and a replacement for the Huracan, which will reportedly downsize to a twin-turbocharged V8 and go hybrid. One of these will surely be the first to wear the new logo. Looking ahead, the first electric Lamborghini will arrive in about 2028. Marketing/Advertising Lamborghini Luxury Performance