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If VW defaults on loans it may sell Bentley or Lamborghini

If something goes catastrophically wrong with Volkswagen Group's recent $21 billion loan, brands like Bentley or Lamborghini could hit the auction block. According to two insiders to Reuters, the beleaguered German automaker agrees with its creditors to sell assets if the company somehow can't pay back the debt in a year. One of these anonymous people claimed the company hasn't yet deliberated over what to sell. However, the sources were willing to speculate that the power engineering portion of Man could be among the first to go. "Volkswagen may also consider divesting luxury car brands Bentley and Lamborghini or motor bike brand Ducati, although these units don't really move the needle," an insider said to Reuters. VW Group negotiated with the banks earlier this week to get the massive loan. The cash is necessary as a buffer in case the automaker doesn't have enough money on hand to repair vehicles or settle upcoming fines. VW would reportedly issue bonds in the spring to begin paying the debt. The company's bills will start racking up quickly in the new year. German authorities mandate a recall there in early 2016, and repair campaigns in the US for the 2.0- and 3.0-liter diesel engines are inevitable. There are also hundreds of class-action lawsuits to settle. The company needs to resolve its CO2 emissions scandal in Europe, too. In response to these financial threats, VW management created a cost-cutting plan to slash the research and development budget by $1.1 billion next year.

Watch a 1,000 hp twin-turbo Lamborghini Huracan dyno run

AMS/Alpha Performance, known for their Audi R8 V10 Alpha 10 Twin Turbo package, have laid their eager hands on the Lamborghini Huracan. In this short and sweet video, the newly improved prototype Huracan struts its stuff on the dynamometer. Like the Audi, the Huracan also gains a pair of Garrett ball bearing turbos coupled with intercoolers, and the car has been built as a prototype of their stage one turbo system. It is virtually identical to the production version of AMS's twin turbo package for the Huracan, and the system has been devised to be a bolt-on system. The AMS package can be shipped out to anyone in the Alpha dealer network and installation has been made straightforward enough. "There is no hacking or cutting up the car", says Alpha's VP and lead engineer, Arne Toman. "It has been designed to be safe for the stock engine and transmission, and the only driveline improvement is an upgraded clutch pack which we include in the package." With pump gas, the Huracan TT Alpha 10 has a Veyron-baiting 1,000 horsepower, with the fuel system "maxed out" according to Arne. The Stage 2 setup, which will include forged engine internals, will go for 1,500 hp, while the third stage package dishes out more than 2,000 horsepower according to AMS. The prototype Huracan will run at the Gold Rush Rally next month, from Boston to Los Angeles. It should be a proper shakedown to prove the car's reliability, which is one aspect AMS Performance has been going for. Related Gallery AMS Alpha Lamborghini Huracan Twin Turbo Image Credit: AMS Performance Aftermarket Lamborghini Supercars Videos alpha

Lamborghini Urus Superveloce on the table, Asterion off

Last year Lamborghini revealed the Asterion concept at the Paris Motor Show, showcasing a new design on the surface and hybrid technology underneath. Months later, the possibility of the Asterion entering production was still reportedly on the table, but at this point the Bolognese automaker has other priorities. The company is in the midst of a massive expansion of its production facilities that will not only see it generating its own power, but also adding a new assembly line to double its output with an entirely new model. That, of course, will take the form of a crossover closely previewed by the Urus concept of 2012. But the initial version might only be the tip of the proverbial iceberg. Although additional body-styles might not suit the Urus as well as it would have the Estoque (had Lamborghini gone with the four-door, front-engined sedan design instead of the crossover), the Urus could lead to a range of engine specs and orientations. "We have more than enough ideas, but it is too early to confirm anything," Lamborghini chief Stephan Winkelmann told Autocar. "All options are possible, and we will work on evaluating them in the run-up to launch. If our customers want to see something, we'll do our best to meet their needs." Considering what Lamborghini has done with its supercars, we could see an even higher-output, more performance-focused version to follow – like the latest Superveloce version of the Aventador (soon to be applied to the Aventador roadster, as well). Theoretically, that could be an Urus SV. Though the Huracan has so far (aside from racing versions) only been shown in its initial form, the preceding Gallardo resulted in more model variants than we'd care to count. In addition to a possible hybrid version, the Urus (or whatever it's ultimately called in production form) could lead to an ultra-luxury version at the other end of the spectrum. What's clear is that the Urus program is going to keep Lamborghini busy for some time to come. And while we're expecting more versions of the Huracan to follow in due course, the possibility of putting the Asterion (or some version thereof) into production as well is apparently off the table for the time being. Considering that by the time it reaches production, it will have been a good six years since the Raging Bull marque first showcased the Urus concept, the Asterion could be kept on the back burner for several more years to come.