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Weekly Recap: Takeaways from the Frankfurt Motor Show

We obsessively covered the 2015 Frankfurt Motor Show, and naturally, we selected our favorites from this fall's biggest automotive event. Now that the dust has settled, we're looking ahead to what it all means. Here are three takeaways from the floor in Frankfurt. The Germans are serious about electric vehicles: It's a bit cliche to say BMW, Mercedes, and Audi have downplayed electrics in favor of other technologies, like diesels. For a time that may have been true, but those three companies, along with Porsche and Volkswagen, are emerging as leaders in EV development. That was on display in Frankfurt, when all of them revealed either all-electric or plug-in hybrid models. Gas prices are relatively low in the United States, but clearly the Germans are thinking long-term and globally. Everyone is serious about SUVs: You gotta have one, even if you're Bentley or Jaguar. It's 2015 and it's what consumers want. As Jaguar design director Ian Callum put it, "Not to be in the sector would be a little naive for the sake of purity." It's not just the flashy exotic luxury makers. Nissan showed the Gripz concept, which is rakish, radical, and meant to blend traits of SUVs and sports cars into a vehicle that really crosses over. Look for more, especially in the luxury sector, as Rolls-Royce, Lamborghini, and Aston Martin ramp up their own SUV efforts. There's no ceiling to the luxury market: Speaking of high-end cars, companies are continuing to invest in extravagant wares beyond just SUVs. Even during the recession, ultra-luxury makers remained relevant, and now they're back at full stride. In Frankfurt, that was illustrated by yet another S-Class model, the cabriolet, which will come in S550 and S63 AMG variants in the United States. Ferrari also showed off the 488 Spider, and Lamborghini opened up the Huracan LP 610-4 Spyder. Meanwhile, Bugatti's Vision Grand Turismo concept reminded enthusiasts that it's plotting life after the Veyron. European auto shows always draw the glitziest reveals from luxury makers, and this year didn't disappoint. OTHER NEWS & NOTES 2016 Honda Civic redesigned with snazzier style, turbo power The 10th-generation of the Honda Civic debuted this week at events in Los Angeles and Detroit ahead of its launch in the United States this fall as a 2016 model. Honda fortified the Civic with LED lights, an available turbo engine, and a more tech-laden cabin.

Lamborghini and Quattro Executive Shake-Up | Autoblog Minute

There was a shake-up this week at Lamborghini. Long time boss Stephan Winkelmann is out. He's moving over to another Audi property, Quattro GmbH. Replacing him is Ferrari's former team principle, Stefano Domenicali.

Lamborghini gets barbecued at St. Louis gas station

Life is good when you're behind the wheel of a bright blue Lamborghini Huracan. Or at least it is up until the moment a forgetful minivan driver drives off with the fuel filler nozzle still attached. The result, at a gas station in St. Louis, was a spray of fuel, spilled directly onto the Lamborghini's engine bay, which instantly ignited and turned the supercar into a fireball. As reported by the Riverfront Times, the blue Huracan was actually one of two Lamborghinis, the other being an orange Gallardo, that had stopped to refuel. This video shows the exact moment when the minivan driver pulls away and the fuel hose separates from the pump. Careful if you're watching this at work, or have kiddies present, because some of the language is, well, also incendiary. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Then again, if you're in the middle of seeing gallons of fuel being sprayed directly onto a supercar's hot-running V10 engine, we doubt you'd wax poetic about the experience. And due credit to the Riverfront Times for its headline proclaiming "Incredible Dumbass Turns Lamborghini into Fireball at St. Louis Gas Station." It might not earn a Pulitzer, but kudos for nailing the story in one line, folks. Apparently and, somewhat amazingly, no one was reported hurt in the ensuing fire. The Lamborghini is definitely a total writeoff, but amazingly, the accompanying red Performante was just covered in ash. And according to this same Facebook post, the minivan driver was quickly found and admitted to being the culprit. Update: A previous version of this post incorrectly identified the blue Lamborghini Huracan as a Gallardo. The text has been corrected. Additional photos and video have also been embedded. Related Video: Weird Car News Lamborghini Minivan/Van supercar wreck gallardo