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We're set to record Autoblog Podcast #323 tonight, and you can drop us your questions and comments regarding the rest of the week's news via our Q&A module below. Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes if you haven't already done so, and if you want to take it all in live, tune in to our UStream (audio only) channel at 10:00 PM Eastern tonight.
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Lamborghini Huracan Spyder promises 201-mph top speed

After chopping the roof off the Aventador SuperVeloce in Monterey, Lamborghini has, unsurprisingly, decapitated its entry level Huracan and given birth to the successor to the Gallardo Spyder. The new Huracan LP 610-4 Spyder is set to debut this week at the 2015 Frankfurt Motor Show, offering the same 5.2-liter, 610-hosrepower V10, seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, and all-wheel-drive system. The top speed is a hair-raising 201 miles per hour, down just a single digit from the hardtop model, while the 0-62-mph time has fallen from 3.2 to 3.4 seconds. Blame the increase in weight for the slight drop in performance – the Spyder model adds 264 pounds to the hardtop's 3,135-pound dry weight. Of course, unlimited headroom and looks that can kill more than make up for that. According to Lamborghini, the lightweight softtop can be dropped in just 17 seconds and at speeds of up to 31 miles per hour. Impressive though that may be, it's the improvements that Lambo has made over the old Gallardo Spyder that are really newsworthy. Torsional rigidity is up 40 percent over Sant'Agata's last entry level droptop, while downforce jumps by 50 percent with the Huracan Spyder. Prices for Lamborghini's newest convertible start at 186,450 Euros ($211,341 at today's rates), with deliveries slated to begin in the spring of 2016. Read on for the official press release, and check back soon for live images from the floor of the Frankfurt Motor Show. Or, if you really want to see the debut go down, you can watch the livestream of the reveal, here. Related Video: Lamborghini Huracan LP 610-4 Spyder: Performance and lifestyle under the open sky • Inspiring Huracan technology and performance with open air emotion • Electrohydraulic, lightweight soft top for pure Spyder feeling • Smart aerodynamic solutions for maximum open-top driving comfort • Naturally aspirated 5.2 l V10 engine with 449 kW/610 hp, 0 - 100 km/h in 3.4 seconds, top speed 324 km/h (201 mph) • 'Cylinder on demand' technology in combination with stop-and-start system for lower CO2-emissions Sant'Agata Bolognese/Frankfurt, 14.09.2015 – Automobili Lamborghini presents the new Huracan LP 610-4 Spyder at Frankfurt International Motor Show. The open top version of the Huracan LP 610-4 combines the power and performance of the coupe with the emotion of open-air driving.

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.