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Lambo Urus to stay true to concept, but almost didn't happen

Lamborghini has been making noise about adding a third model line for years, and it's finally going to happen now that the Urus concept has been approved for production. It'll likely be a while yet before all the details are sorted out and revealed to the public, but while visiting the factory in Sant'Agata Bolognese, Autoblog was able to glean some intriguing details about the Italian automaker's forthcoming crossover and its path it is taking from concept to production. "It's good to have heritage, but the LM002 is not the reference or the blueprint." - Lamborghini CEO Stephan Winkelmann We first saw the Urus concept back in 2012, and Lamborghini has been lobbying its parent company Volkswagen ever since for the go-ahead to put it into production. Now three years later, it finally has the green light. A company representative told Autoblog the production version looks "very" close to the concept. (No ground-up redesign here, then, like sister-brand Bentley did with its inaugural crossover project.) Speaking with a small group of journalists in Sant'Agata, the company's chief executive Stephan Winkelmann confirmed that "the SUV could be the [company's] first car with a turbo, and it could be the first car with a plug-in, if we have the opportunity to have more than one engine." The Urus (or however it's ultimately labeled for production) will also be decidedly geared towards on-road performance – unlike the Rambo Lambo on display in the museum next door. "It's good to have heritage," said Winkelmann, "but the LM002 is not the reference or the blueprint" for the new model. As to the question of why it has taken three years to get approval, and why it will take another three to put it into production, Winkelmann was frank: "Basically if you look at our numbers, we are a company which is growing at a fast pace, but we are very small," said the affable executive. "We had to find a way to almost double our efforts, because it's not the exchange of a model line, with the Gallardo and Huracan, it's adding a model line. And not out of 20 to come to 21 models, but from two to three is a major effort, and you have to have a rock-solid business case." "Putting 500 more people inside a company which is now at 1,200, you can imagine what it means. Doubling almost the size of the area here where we are sitting today. Investing hundreds and hundreds of millions.

Lamborghini Urus recalled for screen defect

The Lamborghini Urus has become the latest Volkswagen family vehicle to fall victim to malfunctioning displays. A hardware defect that can render the entire unit permanently inoperable. Lamborghini says replacement head units will be shipped to customers who took delivery of vehicles with improperly-specified infotainment components.  The total population of the recall is just 48 vehicles produced for model year 2022, which is good news for owners of the popular new Lamborghini SUV. The bad news? It's a hardware problem that results in the screen being permanently disabled, not a mere software issue that can be resolved by rebooting the infotainment system or restarting the car.  "Under certain conditions during shutdown of the infotainment main unit, an error in one of the voltage regulators may lead to damage to various components within the control unit causing a loss of all functions including the screen display. In this case, the infotainment main unit is damaged permanently and needs to be replaced," VW's report to NHTSA said. "Upon start-up, the driver will notice that the infotainment screen in the center console is not working and not displaying an image which should prompt the driver to pay extra attention for objects behind the vehicle when reversing." Customers should receive notifications starting in December. All hardware will be replaced free of charge for the customer.  Related Video This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Recalls Lamborghini Safety SUV Luxury Performance

Lamborghini Revuelto, riveting or revolting? The choice is yours with its online configurator

Lamborghini has opened an online configurator for the new Revuelto flagship it unveiled yesterday. You can play with the supercar's many options, though It's a moot exercise unless you're one of the few reserved one already. Lamborghini says the Revuelto had sold out for two years in early March, with most reservation holders never having seen what the car would look like. But if you want to kill a little time, you can build your own. There's something for everyone, whether your tastes lean towards aficionado or influencer. Color is where the Revuelto allows for the most personalization. There's no less than 68 colors, many of which come in both gloss and matte finishes. A connoisseur might go for one of the Classica hues, which take inspiration from Lamborghinis past. The individual oranges and lime greens number greater than the entire palettes of most mainstream cars. It's almost overwhelming. But because we enjoy a good chuckle, we went for the Ecleticca (Italian for "eclectic") finish called Blu Uranus Matt.  Wheels can make or break a car, and we definitely want to fit in with the newly wealthy Soundcloud artists constantly revving up Sunset Boulevard here in Los Angeles. So we'll go for the 20- and 21-inch Bridgestone performance tires wrapping matte black Triguero wheels with carbon fiber center caps and titanium "rim bolts." Even brake calipers are offered in seven colors, but we think the most eye-searing option is Arancio, or orange. Interior upholstery and color options are as plentiful as paint codes. A retina-assaulting Nero Ade Sportiva (black) cabin with Verde Scandal (radioactive green) contrast color and Rosso Alala (red) stitching should not be allowed on a Blu Uranus Matt exterior, but it is, so we're picking it. Naturally, we're checking the passenger display option so we can impress our captiv — er, co-pilots — with exactly how fast we're going, and adding cupholders because why not? For finishing touches, the rear diffuser offers yet another set of colors, but we're going for Verde Scandal again because it's the brightest. Last but not least, let's check the box for the titanium engine grid, which draws attention to the 1,001-horsepower V12 hybrid powertrain, the last 12-cylinder Lamborghini will ever make. Nowhere in the process did we ever come across a price tag, so it's one of those "if you have to ask ..." scenarios. What do you think of our Revuelto? We like that it'll feel right at home in La La Land or Miami.