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The mood at this year’s Paris Motor Show: Quiet

The Paris Motor Show, held every other year in the early fall, typically kicks off the annual cavalcade of automotive conclaves, one that traverses the globe between autumn and spring, introducing projective, conceptual and production-ready vehicle models to the international automotive press, automotive aficionados and a public hungry for news of our increasingly futuristic mobility enterprise. But this year, at the press preview days for the show, the grounds of the Porte de Versailles convention center felt a bit more sparsely populated than usual. This was not simply a subjective sensation, or one influenced by the center's atypically dispersed assemblage of seven discrete buildings, which tends to spread out the cars and the crowds. There were not only fewer new vehicles being premiered in Paris this year, there were fewer manufacturers there to display them. Major mainstream European OEM stalwarts such as Alfa Romeo, Fiat, Nissan and Volkswagen chose to sit out Paris this year, as did boutique manufacturers like Bentley, Aston Martin and Lamborghini. This is not simply based in some antipathy on the part of the German, British and Italian manufacturers toward the French market — though for a variety of historical and societal reasons that market may be more dominated by vehicles produced domestically than others. Rather, it is part of a larger trend in the industry. Last year, Mercedes-Benz announced that it would not be participating in the flagship North American International Auto Show in 2019 — and that it might not return. Other brands including Jaguar/Land Rover, Audi, Porsche, Mazda and nearly every exotic carmaker have also departed the Detroit show. Some of these brands will still appear in the city in which the show is taking place, and host an event offsite, to capitalize on the presence of a large number of reporters in attendance. And even brands that do have a presence at the show have shifted their vehicle introductions to the days before the official press opening in an attempt to stand out from the crowd. In many ways, this makes sense. With an expanding number of automakers, with diversification and niche-ification of models and with wholesale shifts that necessitate the introduction of EV or autonomous sub-brands, there is a growing sense that, with everyone shouting at the same time, no one can be heard.

Bologna airport puts 631-hp Lamborghini follow-me car into service

Enthusiasts visiting Italy's Motor Valley could get a taste of the region's car-building tradition as soon as they land in Bologna. Airport officials renewed their partnership with Lamborghini to let a Huracan Evo loose on the tarmac. Lamborghini has provided the Bologna Guglielmo Marconi Airport with follow-me cars for several years. The latest raging bull to join the fleet is an all-wheel-drive Huracan Evo powered by a naturally-aspirated, 5.2-liter V10 that delivers 631 horsepower. It's painted in a shade of green named Verde Turbine Matte and it wears specific orange decals, a livery reminiscent of the one seen on the latest Evo-based Super Trofeo race car unveiled earlier in 2021. Pilots need more than a head-turning design to know where they're going, so the Huracan also gains a light bar. What is a "follow-me car" you may ask? The Huracan's main task is to meet an incoming plane at the end of the runway and guide it to the gate where its passengers will disembark. The driver is constantly in contact with the control tower, changes are not unheard of, so Lamborghini installed a radio in the cabin. How officials will decide who gets to drive the Huracan and who ends up in a 55-horsepower econobox hasn't been revealed; we predict an intense, winner-takes-all round of drawing straws (or tagliatelle, considering we're talking about a city globally known for its pasta-based dishes). Lamborghini's latest follow-me car will be in service until January 2022, so you might catch a glimpse of it after landing in Bologna. It's not always out, but it's easy to spot if it's on the clock because most of the other cars on the tarmac are small Fiat models, like the 500 and the Panda. And, if you're into airport car-spotting, keep your eyes peeled at Amsterdam's Schiphol airport: KLM still uses older Mercedes-Benz G-Class 4x4s as service vehicles. Featured Gallery Lamborghini Huracan Evo follow-me car at the Bologna airport View 13 Photos Marketing/Advertising Weird Car News Lamborghini Coupe Luxury

Lamborghini-powered Vector M12 supercar is ultra rare, obscure, and for sale

It's an excellent week for fans of obscure American supercars that never really took off. One of the seven Falcon F7s built is currently being auctioned on Cars & Bids, and one of the 14 Vector M12s made will cross the auction block during Barrett-Jackson's Scottsdale sale taking place in March 2021. Better yet, it's offered with no reserve. Finished in black with a gorgeous red leather interior, this M12 was designed and built for the Prince of Brunei, according to Barrett-Jackson boss Craig Jackson. High-end cars that end up in Brunei rarely leave the microstate. The Sultan's collection allegedly includes more than 7,000 luxurious vehicles that are almost never shown to the public, yet this M12 somehow returned to the United States and found its way into the Larry Winkler collection. Although it has traveled around the world, this M12 has evidently been driven sparingly. Its odometer shows merely 2,160 miles, and they're claimed to be original. Barrett-Jackson also points out that it received a major, engine-out service in November 2019 during which the clutch was replaced and an upgraded ceramic flywheel was installed. Interestingly, the interior was also redesigned to make it easier for taller drivers to take the wheel. Power comes from a 5.7-liter V12 engine borrowed from none other than the Lamborghini Diablo. It develops 492 horsepower and 425 pound-feet of torque, and it spins the rear wheels via a five-speed manual transmission built by ZF. Vector pegged the M12's zero-to-60-mph time at 4.5 seconds, an impressive number in the 1990s. In comparison, the standard Diablo's zero-to-60-mph time hovered around four and a half seconds, too. M12s rarely trade hands, and they're not cheap when they do. When this example crosses the auction block in March 2021, the market will decide what it's worth, because there's no reserve. The highest bidder will take it home, regardless of where bidding stops. If you want a shot at adding it to your collection, you can register to bid online. Auto News Lamborghini Coupe Performance Supercars Classics