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Ares Project Panther is a Lamborghini Huracan in DeTomaso Pantera's clothing

Ares is nothing if not ambitious. The Modena-based company specializes in low-volume, boutique reimagining of existing vehicles. That's not a terrible business to be in, if you can make money, and after all this is how many of the famous names in styling came about: Pininfarina, Ghia, Bertone, and Karmann. So far, Ares has announced many projects, including a two-door Bentley Mulsanne and a rebodied Mercedes-AMG G63 called the X-Raid, but the new Project Panther is the most ambitious yet. It appears to be a rebodied Lamborghini Huracan heavily inspired by the classic DeTomaso Pantera, although unlike that car it'll retain the Lamborghini V10 instead of adopting an American powerplant. Which is an odd choice, if you're into the Pantera – and frankly, an odd choice if you're into Lamborghinis. A completely unique body, not inspired by any other make, would certainly be a valuable one-of-one for a well-heeled car collector. But the Pantera? For years it was held in relatively low esteem, a relatively low-buck exotic that wasn't welcome at the local concours events. Its reputation has improved significantly in the last decade or so, but still, this is an odd marriage of convenience. At least it looks really sharp, with crisp lines and a classic Bertone feel without being too overly retro. Ares says the Panther is undergoing final testing at the company's facility in Modena, and will be available for purchase in late 2018. What's entirely unclear is how it all works. We assume a Panther buyer will need to drop off a brand new Huracan for conversion. What happens to the Huracan's existing bodywork? Perhaps part of the business model is making a pretty penny by reselling panels for wrecked Huracans. Who knows? Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

First US customer gets the keys to $1.9 million Lamborghini Centenario

Ferruccio Lamborghini's 100th birthday party has now reached the United States. The Lamborghini Centenario – the souped-up Aventador that celebrates Lamborghini's founder – was delivered to its first US customer in Newport Beach, CA, the company said Thursday. The $1.9 million supercar was unveiled in 2016 to mark the 100th birthday of the industry leader, and it's limited to a 40-car run that's split between coupes and convertibles. Naturally, Lambo says they're all sold out. The first US car is a black and blue hardtop. The company says this one was custom built with a glossy carbon-fiber exterior. Inside, is the same color scheme set to leather and Alcantara. Lambo says the rest of the Centenario's US customers will get their cars this year. In case you've forgotten, the supercar runs a naturally aspirated V12 with 759 horsepower capable of hitting 62 miles per hour in 2.8 seconds en route to a top clip of 217 mph. Lambo builds each one to the personal tastes of the customer through its Ad Personam program. "When Ferruccio Lamborghini began realizing his dream of creating the best supercars in the world, he wanted to reach a large audience through production, but he also wanted to keep the unique nature of limited-edition vehicles that clients are able to personalize to their own tastes and style," Automobili Lamborghini America COO Alessandro Farmeschi said in a statement. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Featured Gallery Lamborghini Centenario Design/Style Lamborghini Luxury Supercars lamborghini centenario

Range-topping 800-hp Lamborghini Aventador SV hits the 'Ring

A couple of years ago, rumors were circulating about a possible high(er)-performance version of the Lamborghini Aventador, and our spy photographers have just captured what appears to be a prototype of this new supercar testing at the Nürburgring. Supposedly called the Aventador SV (for Super Veloce), this even-more-hardcore version of Lamborghini's range-topper could boast as much as 800 horsepower. Yowza.
As for the car you see here, our spies point out new center-lock wheels wrapped in ultra-thin high-performance tires that hide revised brake calipers mounted in a different position than on the normal Aventador. Up front, there's a new aerodynamic piece that makes for an even lower air splitter, and around back, an extra piece of trim (often referred to as a Gurney flap) has been added to the spoiler to provide enhanced downforce.
We don't imagine there's much in the way of weight to shed from the Aventador's carbon fiber monocoque chassis, so this SV version will likely focus more on better suspension tuning, improved aero and a 80-100 more horsepower to set it apart from the rest of the range. Expect more details to arrive around the time of the Frankfurt Motor Show this fall.