Fresh Service And Clutch! Carbon Interior And Engine Pkg, Branding Pkg!! on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Lamborghini takes Veneno out to play on wet Vallelunga [w/video]

With only four examples in existence, you're not very likely to ever see a Lamborghini Veneno roaming your local highways and byways. That's what makes this clip a little out of the ordinary.
Lamborghini brought the super-rare supercar out to the Vallelunga circuit near Rome for the World Finals of its Super Trofeo series, where, incidentally, American driver Andrew Palmer beat out the competition from Europe and Asia to claim the world title. Prospective buyers for the even more expensive Veneno Roadster were taken for laps to give them a taste of what to expect, because with no roof whatsoever, the open-top supercar wouldn't be our choice for a drive in the rain.
Lambo also brought out the Sesto Elemento, the previous release from the company's new prototype development center, to play on the wet track alongside the anthracite Veneno that remains the company's property. Check out the action in the image gallery above and the video below.

Lamborghini Aventador SV Roadster will debut in Monterey

While the Monterey Car Week and Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance remain a brilliant place to watch cars (and people), it just wouldn't be the same if some of the world's finest automakers didn't bring something new to the affair. Lamborghini will take center stage in the lead up to this year's Concours, unveiling the all-new Aventador LP 750-4 Superveloce Roadster at The Quail on Friday, August 14. While normally we'd say that details are scarce, the truth is, we expect the Aventador SV Roadster to simply mimic the standard SV hardtop. That should mean a screaming, 740-horsepower V12, a sub-three-second sprint to 60 miles per hour, a 200-mph-plus top speed, and a price tag in excess of half a million dollars. The SV Roadster will be limited to just 500 units, making it rare even among the ultra-pricey world of Lamborghini. Look for much more on the SV Roadster when it makes its debut next week at The Quail, in sunny California. Until then, scroll down for Lambo's brief press release. Related Video: Sant'Agata Bolognese 7th August 2015 – Automobili Lamborghini will present the global unveiling of the Aventador LP 750-4 Superveloce Roadster during a press conference at "The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering" on Friday, August 14 at 10 a.m. Following the sold-out coupe, Lamborghini will offer a more exclusive option for customers seeking the performance associated with the Superveloce moniker and the joy of open cockpit driving. Representing a true expression of super sports car purity, the Aventador LP 750-4 Superveloce Roadster is limited to a 500-unit production run. Further details about pricing, dealer delivery and specifications will be released in conjunction with the official debut.

Are supercars becoming less special?

There's little doubt that we are currently enjoying the golden age of automotive performance. Dozens of different models on sale today make over 500 horsepower, and seven boast output in excess of 700 hp. Not long ago, that kind of capability was exclusive to supercars – vehicles whose rarity, performance focus, and requisite expense made them aspirational objects of desire to us mortals. But more than that, supercars have historically offered a unique driving experience, one which was bespoke to a particular model and could not be replicated elsewhere. But in recent years, even the low-volume players have been forced to find the efficiencies and economies of scale that formerly hadn't been a concern for them, and in turn the concept of the supercar as a unique entity unto itself is fading fast. The blame doesn't fall on one particular manufacturer nor a specific production technique. Instead, it's a confluence of different factors that are chipping away at the distinction of these vehicles. It's not all bad news – Lamborghini's platform sharing with Audi for the Gallardo and the R8 yielded a raging bull that was more reliable and easier to live with on a day-to-day basis, and as a result it went on to become the best-selling Lambo in the company's history. But it also came at the cost of some of the Italian's exclusivity when eerily familiar sights and sounds suddenly became available wearing an Audi badge. Even low-volume players have been forced to find economies of scale. Much of this comes out of necessity, of course. Aston Martin's recent deal with Mercedes-AMG points toward German hardware going under the hood and into the cabin of the upcoming DB11, and it's safe to assume that this was not a decision made lightly by the Brits, as the brand has built a reputation for the bespoke craftsmanship of its vehicles. There's little doubt that the DB11 will be a fine automobile, but the move does jeopardize some of the characteristic "specialness" that Astons are known for. Yet the world is certainly better off with new Aston Martins spliced with DNA from Mercedes-AMG rather than no new Astons at all, and the costs of developing cutting-edge drivetrains and user interfaces is a burden that's becoming increasingly difficult for smaller manufacturers to bear. Even Ferrari is poised to make some dramatic changes in the way it designs cars.