2006 Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder. Yellow Over Black. E-gear. Carbon Fiber. 9,952 on 2040-cars

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Dad 3D-printed a Lamborghini because his son liked one in Forza

Sterling Backus's son only had one question after he drove a Lamborghini Aventador in the XBOX video game Forza: Can we build one? Most dads would respond with a chuckle and some quip about winning the lottery. But not Backus, whose day job is laser physicist. Backus responded, "Sure," and he meant it. As of this week, the replica is capable of driving under its own power. Backus, the chief scientific officer at KMLabs in Boulder, Colorado, and his 11-year-old son dubbed the project "Interceptor," and the build has a budget of about $20,000. Backus hand-built the steel chassis and pulled an LS1 V8 from a Corvette for power. He found the panel layouts through online design community GrabCAD, and then he modified them for 3D printing.  But he ran into a problem: The 3D-printed plastic would melt in the sun. So, he decided to incorporate carbon-fiber encapsulation (shown below), in which he wraps the parts and covers them in epoxy. Piece by piece, he assembled the shape of the supercar using a Creality CR-10 105 desktop 3D printer that he got for about $900 from Amazon. The front brake air intake alone is said to have taken 52 hours to complete. Additional cool features include a gated shifter, functioning lights, and scissor doors.  One of the fun aspects of the whole story is that Backus admits he had some learning to do when it came to the art form of additive engineering. So, he turned to the same place everybody else goes these days: YouTube. The physicist joked that he went to YouTube University and learned by watching videos.  With the end of the project in sight, Backus says he wants the final product to serve as an educational tool for Science Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics (STEAM) programs.  "The intent is to take the car to local schools to show kids how cool technology can be," the project's Facebook page says.  In the words of Jesse Pinkman, "YEAH SCIENCE!"  This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Lamborghini Centenario possibly revealed in patent photos

Newly published Lamborghini patent images might give us a preview of the upcoming Centenario, which celebrates the hundredth anniversary of Ferruccio Lamborghini's birth. The low-slung design features a pointed nose, and the profile has an arc running from the tip of the front to the rear. The shape looks like it would slice through the air, and the massive diffuser is definitely attention grabbing at the rear. From the top, there appears to be a small, roof-mounted vent into the engine compartment. Three exhausts poke out the rear, including a slightly smaller one in the center. In traditional Lamborghini fashion, visibility out the back seems practically nonexistent. Hopefully, the company mounts a camera back there to make life easier. Lamborghini reportedly bases the Centenario on the Aventador, which seems likely from these renderings. The company allegedly plans to build 20 coupes and 20 convertibles for $2.4 million each, and power would come from a more potent version of the supercar's V12. Rumors suggest we might see the Centenario launch at the Geneva Motor Show in early March, but the debut might be perfunctory. Even at the astronomical price, they're supposedly already sold out. These renderings come from the Office of Harmonization for the Internal Market, which handles patents and trademarks in the European Union. The documents with this listing unfortunately don't give away the model name, but it shows Lamborghini registered for the design patent on October 26, 2015. The renderings were just published on February 17, 2016. Related Video:

Even in the rain, the Lamborghini Veneno is amazing

Rare cars and rain typically don't mix. Owners don't want to the get their prized possessions wet and dirty, and they don't want to take the chance they might crash in the adverse conditions. However, someone clearly didn't mind having their Lamborghini Veneno taken around a thoroughly wet race course. According to the person who uploaded the video, this Veneno, one of just three production coupes and a prototype, was participating in an official Lamborghini track event at Vallelunga. The rain didn't dampen the spectacular sound of the rare Lambo, but it may have dampened the driver's spirit. He takes corners with caution, moving through slowly and gently. Even with care, the driver still gets the Veneno slightly loose. There are a few corner exits that you'll notice the tail wiggle a bit. Check out the video above to see the operator's careful driving and the Lambo's glorious wail. And if you need more rain-soaked Lamborghini action, we have good news: this isn't the first time a Veneno has been to a wet track. Related Video: