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Chris Shunk, Sam Abuelsamid, Chris Paukert and Dan Roth are the crew for Episode #187 of the Autoblog Podcast. We cover Lamborghini rumors, the new Ford Explorer's fuel economy with its rumored EcoBoost powertrain, the rumors swirling around the possibility that the Wall Street Journal printed an article that was a plant from Toyota, a sports car based on the Nissan Leaf, and the seemingly insatiable appetite for German premium cars. We hit your feedback and questions before throwing in the towel at the hour and a half mark. Thanks for listening, see you next time!
Autoblog Podcast #187 - Lamborghini rumors, Explorer economy, media plants, a sporty Leaf and premium Germans
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Lamborghini LM002 - Click above for high-res image gallery
Hold on to your butts, Lamborghini fans. Word from Car and Driver's German correspondent is that the bullish Italian automaker is strongly considering re-entering the hardcore SUV segment. Considering that the brand's last effort into such uncharted territory brought us the Hummer-esque LM002, you can officially color us intrigued.
If the machine does make it past the planning stages, it will reportedly be based on the platform shared by the Volkswagen Touareg and Porsche Cayenne, but we imagine it would get a powertrain more suitable for Lamborghini use - we can only hope that means a V12, as was the case with the LM002.
Another market Lamborghini is said to be considering is the entry-level V8 supercar segment. If a production model does indeed come about, it would slot below the V10-powered Gallardo. As with the aforementioned SUV, this would not be the first time Lambo has dipped a toe in these waters, as its Urraco, Silhouette and Jalpa played in the exact same market in the 1970s and 1980s before the Italian manufacturer pulled out in favor of traditional range-topping supercars like the Diablo and Murcielago.
Sadly, rumor has it that Lamborghini will not pursue the Estoque concept, leaving the Maserati Quattroporte as the only Italian to do battle with the likes of the Porsche Panamera and Aston Martin Rapide. Still, the company must at least be considering the Estoque since it went ahead and produced a concept to gauge reaction. So, which of these new Lamborghini rumors would you most like to see fulfilled? Take part in our totally unscientific poll after the break.
2010 Le Mans Classic - Click above for high-res image gallery, and help us caption some of the cars!
Every two years in July, hundreds of vintage race cars gather at the famed Le Mans race circuit in France to fire up their engines and relive the glory days in the historic corners and long straights of the nearly 8.5-mile Circuit de la Sarthe. But that's just part of it. In addition to the priceless machinery racing on the track, thousands of other classic cars trek to the grounds to fill nearly every open spot at the huge venue. Autoblog was invited by Porsche France to enjoy the 2010 Le Mans Classic in person, and needless to say, it was absolutely spectacular.
According to the organizers, this year's show welcomed 100,000 spectators, 8,000 display cars, 460 racing cars and 1,000 drivers. With sunny 95-degree temperatures over both days, the weather was unusually hot and the grounds chokingly dusty, but it didn't seem to keep anyone - or anything - from the event.
When not enjoying the racing, we strolled the show and stumbled over well-preserved classics from Jaguar, Aston Martin, Ferrari, Renault, Lamborghini, Audi, BMW and more. Porsche models were everywhere as the various European Porsche Car Clubs stormed the venue with more than 800 cars. Where else can you physically brush elbows with a race-ready BMW M1, a brand-new 2011 Ferrari 599 GTO and ride in the back of a historic war-era Willys Jeep all within the same 60 seconds? Le Mans Classic, baby. And these weren't sterile, stuck-behind-the-ropes museum stock, either - everything was meant to be driven and enjoyed.
We've put together a massive gallery offering just a taste of the caliber of vehicles on display, running hot laps and racing last weekend. While we've attempted to caption many of these, some still have us stumped. If you can identify a few of the nameless, give us a shout in the comments (with the photo number as seen in the URL) and we'll update the captions as quickly as our server's cache will let us.
Lamborghini's Advanced Composite Research Center - Click above for high-res image gallery
Lamborghini has announced its intentions to build lighter cars, and that means more carbon fiber and carbon composites. The stampeding bull is already deep into the stuff, with the Murcielago replacement (rumored to carry the Jota name) swapping out the Murci's steel frame for one of carbon fiber, and the Gallardo LP 570-4 Superleggera winning The Biggest Loser due to its CF parts.
Getting ready for the long term and knowing it will need to do more than merely hang carbon parts on its wares, Lamborghini has opened an Advanced Composites Research Center in Sant' Agata Bolognese. The 30-strong workforce will develop new processes for designing, shaping and producing parts for the "extremely complex carbon-fiber structures" we hope to see on Lamborghinis of the future. Follow the jump for the full press release on the center.
If you've got your ear to the ground, you've probably heard a thing or two about the Targa Trophy. Think of it as a more responsible, but no less entertaining version of the Gumball. Instead of encouraging drivers to be the first across the line, the Targa trophy works just like any other TSD (time, speed, distance) road rally: teams are given the location of a checkpoint and are expected to navigate there within a predetermined amount of time. Those closest to the time without being over (or under) are awarded the most points.
This year's running of the SoCal event has wrapped up with 73 drivers tackling a varied course that wound through the Californian countryside. Radoslav Kalla and his Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder took the overall win with 1,048 points. His closest competitor, Thomas Dillman, piloted an Audi S4 to finish with 966 points.
The Targa Trophy will now head to San Francisco. The green flag drops on August 27, and the checkers will fall the following day in Silicon Valley. For now though, you can enjoy a few shots of the participating metal on hand for the SoCal Targa Trophy, or reminisce about last year's event by reading our own Jonny Lieberman's account of his drive in a Hyundai Genesis in the 2009 event.
Tonino Lamborghini CULV laptop - Click above for image gallery
Take a particular slant on supercar history and you'd be forgiven for categorizing Lamborghini as another pretender to Ferrari's throne. Enzo was, after all, the spiteful impetus for Ferruccio's branching out from tractors to sportscars, and some might say has been playing catch-up ever since. Whatever way you look at it, that's certainly the case when it comes to merchandising, an area which - for better or worse - Ferrari's long been the leader.
As Ferrari has its line of Acer computers, so has Lamborghini teamed up with Asus for a range of laptops. But this is something altogether different. Tonino Lamborghini - Ferruccio's son with his own line of merchandise - has granted his name and variation on the raging bull badge to be used on this seemingly pedestrian laptop. The specs are rather run-of-the-mill and the design is rather uninspired, as you'll find in the gallery below and the source links. But at 649 euros, it's a fair bit cheaper than the four-figure tags on either its namesake's or its rival's more upscale offerings.
Obvious lengthy name jokes aside, the Lamborghini Gallardo LP570-4 Superleggera is one heck of a performance machine. It's all about saving weight when it comes to this car ("Superleggera," after all, means "super light"), so it strikes us as something of a surprise to see this prototype of a Spyder version out testing on the Nürburgring.
Most noticeably, the hardtop Superleggera's rear wing is gone, but the large front spoiler and rear diffuser make it clear that this Gallardo means business. Besides, Lamborghini has been known to keep weight under control with its Erector Set roof assemblies, so we'd expect the Superleggera Spyder to generate the same sort of super lightweight thrills with a whole lot more wind in your hair.
Expect to see the Lamborghini Gallardo LP570-4 Superleggera Spyder (now that's a mouthful) at the Paris Motor Show later this year. For now, click through our gallery below for the full raft of high-res spy shots.
1990 Lamborghini LM002 American - Click above for high-res image gallery
Not only is this one of just 48 Lamborghini LM002 Americans produced, but it's the only "Rambo Lambo" we've ever seen finished in color-shifting DuPont ChromaLusion paint. That may be a good thing, depending on your personal sense of style and how it meshes with your image of Lamborghini. These Italian Hummers were built for military use but never really caught on. Maybe those expensive and fragile Countach V12s in the engine bay had something to do with it. Even after Lamborghini switched to the more robust Diablo mills, the trucks were still relegated to private service, mainly in the fleets of wealthy sheiks and celebs.
The 5.2-liter, 420-horsepower Diablo V12 in this particular LM has just 3,068 original miles on it, and in addition to the chromatic color-shift paint, it features bespoke magnesium wheels, revised hood and trim, along with polished aluminum skid plates. It once belonged to renowned wildlife artist Christian Lassen, who had it painted this quad-toned hue. At Barrett-Jackson's inaugural Orange County auction, this LM002 hammered home $75,000. Check out more photos in the gallery below.
10,000 Lamborghini Gallardo - Click above for high-res image gallery
Italophiles, take note: Lamborghini has announced it's built the 10,000th Gallardo. Naturally, the supercar manufacturer is pleased with this performance, pointing out that the now ubiquitous Gallardo is officially the most successful model Lamborghini has ever created. Says Stephan Winkelmann, President and CEO of Automobili Lamborghini.:
The Lamborghini brand is extreme, uncompromising and Italian, and the Lamborghini Gallardo has played an exemplary role in defining and delivering our brand reputation into our worldwide markets. Today Lamborghini is represented in 45 countries by over 120 dealers, with the strength and presence of the Gallardo product playing a significant role in the growth and recognition of our brand.
We feel obligated to point out that such success in the marketplace is something of a double-edged sword for Lamborghini. One reason exotic machines from manufacturers like Lamborghini have been so revered in the past is due to their rarity and exclusivity. One the flip side, small-scale automakers simply cannot continue to compete on a global scale without runaway success stories like the Gallardo.
That said, feel free to click on past the break as Lamborghini recounts the history of its Gallardo and to find out where lucky number 10,000 is headed.
Lamborghini meet in St. Mortiz, Switzerland - Click above for high-res image gallery
We have an internet-sized soft spot for seeing exotic cars being driven. We mean really driven - slugging it out with the elements, risking door dings and stone chips and racking up mile after mile of unadulterated driving bliss. Yes, there's a place in this world for museum-quality autos, but by and large, supercars are built to be enjoyed, which is exactly why we're so smitten by the pics from David Kaiser. You see, Kaiser was covering the event in St. Mortiz Switzerland for a massive Lamborghini meet up this past weekend and he's provides us with scads of shots from the event.
By massive, we mean 110 Raging Bulls all ready to rack up mile after mile of some of the best driving roads on the face of the planet. The infamous Gallardo police car even showed up as escort, working to shepherd the droves of Countach, Murcielago and Miura models through the Swiss Alps. The man himself, Valentino Balboni, was also on hand to enjoy the occasion. The best part? Photos of Sant'Agata's finest slushing through the Alpine snow. Perfection.
Lamborghini safe by Brown - Click above for high-res image gallery
Terms like "safe" and "vault-like" (particularly when describing that thud from closing a high-end car's door) get thrown around a lot in this business. But once in a while something crosses our virtual desks that brings the terminology back to its literal meaning, all without losing that octane-drenched allure.
Curiously, they all seem to revolve around the Volkswagen Group's most up-scale brands. So after having brought you news of home safes built to Bugatti and Bentley specifications comes another built for - you guessed it - Lamborghini. Unlike those built for its corporate cousins by Stockinger, the Lamborghini safe you see here was crafted by Brown Safe Manufacturing upon commission by a solitary customer and trimmed specifically to match the client's own Lambo. It's built to house jewelry and watches, but could probably keep the keys to the Murcielago safe from any unwanted Ferris Bueller reenactments when the parents go out of town. Have a closer look in the gallery below.
The explosive burble from the V10's exhaust coming off the back straight seems powerful enough to vaporize insects in mid-air. The Howitzer-like concussions shock through the firewall and slam into our spines an instant before the combustive dissonance has time to reverberate off the outside wall and into our eardrums. The menacing acoustics force the other cars on the circuit to back off, while trackside spectators crane their necks to look up and cheer as the Lamborghini rockets by.
We're at California Speedway attending the "The Ultimate Lamborghini Experience." This annual event allows owners to play with their exotics in a controlled environment free of driving citations and other pesky... um, slow cars. Since we don't own an Italian exotic, we have to thank Lamborghini of Beverly Hills for graciously bringing along the automaker's latest and greatest. In this case, it's the Gallardo LP 570-4 Superleggera.
Lamborghini Navarra concept by Adam Denning - Click above for high-res image gallery
Has Lamborghini's current styling direction run its course? Those enamored by the Raging Bulls' sharp creases and intersecting lines would surely protest, but sooner or later, like any other automaker, Sant'Agata will need to look for a new direction. And given that the company's current design language - first seen on the Reventon supercar and inspired by the F-22 Raptor fighter jet - where better to turn for the next step than back to the designers at Lockheed Martin, the aerospace concern that lead its development?
In penning the Navarra concept depicted here, Adam Denning - an American designer with Lockheed Martin who earned his masters in automotive design at Milan's Scuola Politecnica di Design - took into account Lamborghini's succession of V12 supercars from the Miura to the Murcielago, taking the company's current sharp-edged language one step further by blending it with organic shapes inspired by classical Renaissance sculpture. The Navarro's packaging is a touch shorter than the Murcielago's but rides on a slightly longer wheelbase, envisioned to be built largely out of carbon fiber.
With the Murcielago's successor already speeding around the corner, Lamborghini has likely already signed off on its design. But just the same, is this the direction the tentatively-dubbed "Jota" should be taking? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.
Lamborghini "Jota" teaser - Click above for high-res image
Devastatingly fast as it is - particularly in the latest SuperVeloce form - the Lamborghini Murcielago is getting a little long in the tooth. Its successor has been spied undergoing testing time and time again, and now Sant'Agata has graced us (or perplexed us, depending on your perspective) with this solitary teaser image.
Now we've seen some cryptic teasers in our time, but this one has to take the cake. That the Murcielago's successor will have a hood of some sort, bear the Raging Bull emblem and is "Coming soon" serve as no great surprises. The rest is a matter of speculation, but we're expecting the exotic to be built largely from carbon fiber (replacing the archaic steel chassis on the outgoing Murci) and be shorter in length than its predecessor.
Sources also predict a fresh take on the classic Lambo scissor doors - possibly moving out before swinging up, sort of like a Koenigsegg - helping trim weight below the 1,500 kg (3,300 lb) mark. That could translate to a sub-3-second 0-60 sprint and a top end breeching 370 km/h (230 mph).
The Murcielago replacement - tentatively dubbed Jota - is expected to be unveiled at the Paris Motor Show this fall. Dealers and VIP customers, however, could get a sneak peek as soon as next month, so stay tuned for leaks.
Giorgio Bartocci Lamborghini Super Trofeo Crash - Click above to watch video after the jump
The Lamborghini Super Trofeo Cup saw a massive accident during Round 4 of the season. From what we can tell, the number 22 Gallardo LP560-4 driven by Giorgio Bartocci got off into the gravel on the last turn before the front straight. It's unclear whether Bartocci was nudged by another racer or whether a mechanical failure caused the slide, but either way, the car hit the wall at considerable speed and nearly disintegrated on impact.
The driver's side door sprung open as the car slid down the tarmac, and Bartocci could be seen flailing outside the vehicle. When it finally came to a stop, the Raging Bull turned into a raging fireball. Fire crews initially took longer than expected to pull the driver from the wreckage and were seen using underpowered fire extinguishers to battle the blaze. The FIA is expected to investigate the incident. Amazingly, Bartocci survived the ordeal and is currently in intensive care.
Lamborghini canceled the remainder of the event and rounds six and seven have been indefinitely nixed as well. Hit the jump for a video of the incident.
Lamborghini Murciélago - Click above for high-res image gallery
We've seen a rash of recalls in the past few months, but none of the cars and trucks under the spotlight of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration have quite the cache of the Lamborghini Murciélago.
The Raging Bull is recalling 428 of its 2007 and 2008 model year Murcielago coupes and roadsters for a potentially serious problem that could result in a fuel leak and possibly a fire. The problem apparently lies with the welds holding the fuel pump support inside the fuel tank. If the welds fail to hold, the tank could detach - and nobody wants a $350,000 exotic with a detached fuel tank.
Owners of the potentially defective Murciélagos can take their supercar to the nearest Lambo dealer for a free repair. Hit the jump to read over the official NHTSA press release.
Ford Fiesta vs. Lamborghini Gallardo - Click above to watch video after the jump
Spoiler alert: A Ford Fiesta cannot beat a Lamborghini Gallardo in a straight line. However, the "quick and nimble" Fiesta "that loves the tight corners" has a few superhero tricks of its own that lets it take down the Lambo in a fair... or not... fight. We'll call this The Turning Circle Takedown. Follow the jump for the all the gloves-off competition you can handle, and try not to ralph at the presentation or the outcome.
Automobili Lamborghini Boutique opens in Vancouver, BC, Canada - Click above for high-res image
Lamborghini has opened a new store in the Canadian province of British Columbia. Only the retail location doesn't sell sportscars. Nor tractors, for that matter. The new boutique is the third of its kind and focuses strictly on the Collezione Automobili Lamborghini, Sant'Agata's fashion line.
The Vancouver location was opened this past Saturday by no less stylish (or important) an executive than Stephan Winkelmann, the rakish president and chief executive of Lamborghini. Situated at the city's swanky Aberdeen Centre, the Vancouver store follows those opened late last year in LA and Beijing. (Talk about a bull in a China shop. Ha! We'll be here all week.) With the Collezione, the Raging Bull brand is attempting to muscle in on Ferrari's well-worn territory with a line of merchandise sold through an expanding chain of dedicated stores. Details in the press release after the jump.
When the Jota launches in 2011, it will have some relatively big shoes to fill, but Lamborghini is definitely prepared to do battle with the next generation of supercars. The Jota will be lighter, more powerful and more high-tech than the outgoing Murcielago - curb weight is estimated to be around 3,300 pounds, and a new 7.0-liter V12 is in the works, rumored to produce over 700 horsepower and 520 pound-feet of torque. Seven-speed transmissions, in both automated manual and sequential styles will be on hand, helping the Jota storm to 60 mph in just three seconds, on its way up to a top speed of 220 mph.
When will we see the production-ready Jota? Mum's the word on that one, but don't be surprised if it makes an early appearance at the Paris Motor Show later this year, with the first sales being made in mid-2011.
250 mph Underground Racing Lamborghini - Click above to watch the video after the jump
The Texas Mile sounds like a totally kick ass event. You get one mile on flat, straight airport runway to go as fast as possible, with a half mile to bring your vehicle to a halt. This year's big winner was Richard Holt; the lucky owner of a fire-breathing, street legal twin turbo Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera. The 1,000 horsepower super bull turned in an official time of 250.1 miles per hour, or fast enough to make even the most ardent of speed demons a bit leery. To make matters a bit more interesting, Holt drove his twin-turbo Gallardo for the first time ever during his first run on the track.
Hit the jump to watch Holt's pavement-scorching run. If you thought the Gallardo Superleggera looks fast standing still, wait to you see it passing the 250 mark. And Holt reportedly managed his Texas Mile record breaking run with the air conditioning on and the radio blasting. We can't think of a much better Sunday afternoon.
