DMC's Lamborghini Aventador LP900 Tune Alone will Cost You More Than a New Porsche 911

Modifying exotic supercars can be a very, very expensive sport. How expensive, we hear some of you ask? In the case of DMC, the German tuning firm's LP900 “Molto Veloce” upgrade package for the Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4 will cost potential buyers a whopping €125,000 (US$163,200) or about 20 percent more than a brand new 2012 Porsche 911 Carrera S in Germany!
The tune starts out with an exterior styling kit made out of carbon fiber priced at €19,500 (US$25,500). It includes a front splitter and spoiler, side skirts, a new rear fascia with a diffuser and a rear wing.
Another €7,800 (US$10,200) will get you a new set of alloys from ADV1. DMC says it also offers a comprehensive interior package which it does not details but prices at €17,700 (US$23,100).
Last but certainly not least, is the performance kit for the Aventador LP700-4's V12 engine that costs €80,000 (US$104,500). DMC doesn’t provide any performance numbers but the company tells us that the car is rebranded to "LP900", which suggests that the V12 produces 900PS – which it better for 100 grand….
"The Molto Veloce aims at Aventador owners that seek to add a little more exclusivity to their LP700" says Thorsten Grebers, Marketing Manager at DMC Germany. “The LP900 engine upgrade clearly targets speed enthusiasts," he added.

 

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Middle East as Governments Toss Around Money

When oil prices go up, car sales, especially those of gas-guzzling models, go down. There's one place, though, where the exact opposite is happening right now: it’s the Middle East where new car sales are booming. Sure, many countries in the region, like Bahrain and Syria, are facing severe political turmoil, but on the other hand, since oil prices are on the rise with crude oil having gained 6.7 percent over the last 12 months, revenues of local governments have increased accordingly.
Said governments, wanting to avoid uprisings, are injecting cash into the economy increasing their citizens’ income.
Abdullah Saeed, who works at an investment firm in Saudi Arabia and was checking out an Audi dealership in Riyadh for a replacement to his Q7 told Bloomberg News: “Most people, when an increase in their income comes, they spend it on buying cars”.
Automotive analyst IHS expects sales of cars and light commercial vehicles in the Gulf region to increase by 6.6 percent, to 1.28 million units, this year.
The world's number one oil exporter, Saudi Arabia, is unsurprisingly the biggest market in the region, accounting for 50 percent of total sales. Saudi King Abdullah promised to spend an extra US$130 billion (!) in teaching and health care, creating 66,000 new jobs.
Likewise, the U.A.E. government will allocate US$1.9 billion for housing in Dubai in order “to maintain social stability” and Qatar raised government employees’ salaries by 60 percent. If you think that's generous, then consider that the army and police received double the raise: yep, that’s 120 percent more.
Automakers have therefore found their new promised land after a slowing down Chinese market and a struggling European market that’s expected to post a sales drop for the fifth year in a row.
It's not just luxury brands like Porsche or Rolls-Royce that are profiting from this situation. Mainstream manufacturers are also rushing into the Middle East. That’s because, as Ford’s director of sales in the Middle East Hussein Murad said, “The middle class are more and more empowered now.”
Ford invested US$53 million in Dubai last year and will open six new dealerships in Saudi Arabia in 2012. Simon Firth, managing director of Toyota’s distributor in the U.A.E., said that the Japanese carmaker, which recently introduced the Yaris and the Camry to the local market, would open two new showrooms this year.
Meanwhile, it's still business as always for the elite: Lamborghini’s CEO Stephan Winkelmann said that the Aventador already has a two-year waiting list.

Meet The Newest V12 Lamborghini

Lamborghini isn’t letting us see their latest V12 supercar up close and personal until next month’s Geneva Motor Show, but that didn’t stop them from leaking the above image of the new car in camo guise. The good news is that this test mule isn’t clad in black vinyl, so we get a decent feel for the lines of the car. If this is the final design, I have to say two thumbs up; Lamborghini had been going down a bizarre styling path lately (case in point: the Reventon), and this car pulls them back to center. You can see the influences from Murcielago, but I’m also seeing heritage here. The muscular front fenders remind me of the iconic Countach, but in a more evolved manner.
Lamborghini’s latest will be built using a carbon fiber monocoque, and will utilize a pushrod suspension similar to F1 cars for more precise control. The car will be powered by a 6.5 liter V12, said to be good for 691 horsepower and 509 ft lb of torque. Like newer Ferraris, buyers won’t get the option of a traditional manual gearbox; instead, the car will come only with a single clutch, automated manual gearbox. Drivers can select between Strada (Street) mode, which will shift like a conventional automatic transmission unless manually shifted; Sport mode, which will hold gears longer and quicken upshifts and Corsa (Track) mode, which includes launch control and provides the most extreme driving experience. To ensuring that the power gets to the ground, the new Lambo is AWD and includes a computer-controlled front differential, a Haldex4 center differential and a rear diff integrated into the engine casting to save weight. We promise more pics and more details after the Geneva Motor Show.

Lamborghini Shows Off Murcielago Replacement’s High-tech Carbon Fiber Composite Monocoque

Over the past few months, Lamborghini has released several teasers displaying components of the Murcielago's replacement, rumored to be called either Aventador or Jota and set for a world premiere at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show.
The Italians first showed us the all-new 700HP 6.5-liter V12 engine, followed by a preview of the Formula 1-inspired pushrod suspension. Now, new information is available on the supercar’s monocoque, built entirely from carbon fiber using carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) technology.

Although touted as a “single shell” design, the monocoque that also has its roots in F1 racing is actually made from various individual parts, which, once joined, physically function as one component.
Known for its extreme durability, carbon fiber is also lighter compared to conventional materials, which makes it an excellent choice for building performance car components. In the case of the Murcielago successor, the monocoque only weighs 147.5 kg or 324 lbs and has excellent torsional rigidity, according to Lamborghini.
To build the different elements needed, engineers used three CFRP manufacturing methods that not only differ as processes, but use different types of carbon fiber as well. The monocoque also contains epoxy foam pieces to further increase stiffness and aluminum inserts, which facilitate the connection of the front and rear sub-frame elements.
It’s evident that the building process is not what one would call simple, therefore Lamborghini chose to do everything in-house, thus making sure that every piece is made according to specifications.

By Csaba Daradics

[From Lamborghini Press Release] CFRP manufacturing methods
Resin Transfer Moulding (RTM): In this process the carbon fiber mats are preformed and impregnated with an exact amount of resin. Afterwards, they are cured under heat while the part is in the mold. Lamborghini has achieved a major breakthrough by further developmening this method. Using the patented “RTM-Lambo” process, the final mold is no longer a heavy, complex metal piece, but is made instead from lightweight carbon-fiber parts, thus making the manufacturing process faster, more flexible and more efficient.
An additional benefit of the RTM-Lambo process is the low injection pressure that doesn’t require expensive equipment.
Prepreg – The carbon fiber mats used in this method, commonly known as prepreg, are pre-injected by the supplier with a thermosetting liquid resin and must be stored at a low temperature. The mats are then laminated in molds and cured under heat and pressure in an autoclave. Prepreg components are complex to make, but have an extremely high-quality surface finish (Class-A surface quality) and are therefore the preferred option for use in visible locations.
Braiding – These components are manufactured by using RTM technology. This carbon fiber weave technology is derived from the textile industry and used to make tubular components for special applications such as structural roof pillars and rocker panels. The woven components are made by diagonally interweaving the fiber in several layers.

Edo Competition Outdoes Itself with 227mph – 365 km/h Lamborghini Murcielago LP750

  

  Edo Competition’s previous Lamborghini Murcielago LP640-tune was a 710HP monster capable of reaching a top speed of 352 km/h or 219 mph, which apparently made it the fastest and most powerful Murcielago in the world. Now, the German tuner has gone one step further by introducing a 750HP variant that continues on to a maximum velocity of 365 km/h (227 mph).

The other performance figures are equally impressive, as the LP750 hits 100 km/h (62 mph) in 3.1 seconds, 200 km/h (124 mph) in 9.7 seconds and 300 km/h (186 mph) in 24.5 seconds.
The comprehensive engine conversion that makes all this possible includes modified cylinders, new intake system with hand-made manifold and revised air ducts, high flow air filters, reprogrammed Engine Control Unit and a high performance exhaust system. The latter is made from plasma-coated stainless steel and is also available with an optional remote controlled butterfly valve system.
The 6.5-liter V12 engine sends no less than 740 Nm (546 lb-ft) of peak torque to all four wheels through a new single plate clutch. However, Edo Competition offers a 40 kg (88 pounds) lighter rear-wheel drive version as well, which is said to be even more agile.
A 300+ km/h (186+ mph) supercar is never complete without an optimized aerodynamics package and the LP750 is no exception. Edo Competition says it has managed to find a good balance between high-speed stability and looks, and is especially proud of the revised rear wing complete with adjustable lip spoiler.
For good measure, the Germans also threw in a set of lightweight alloys, comprised of 18-inch front and 19-inch rear wheels, shod in 265/35 and 345/30 tires respectively. Unsurprisingly, Edo Competition did not release pricing for the tune.

Pagani Zonda F Driver Survives 199mph - 320 km/h Crash After Spinning Out of Control

There are very few (if any) people that can lose control of their car at 199mph or 320km/h and live another day to tell the tale. But that's exactly what happened to a 28-year-old German driver of a black Pagani Zonda F and his 21-year-old [sic...] Lithuanian passenger, after the young man lost control of the $1.5 million supercar earlier this week on Italy's A10 autostrada.
According to reports from Italy, the driver was going around 320 km/h (198.8 mph) when the car spun out of control hitting a guardrail on the right, losing a wheel, overturning and then colliding with a Mercedes, with which the driver was allegedly racing on the highway. Both the driver and the passenger of the supercar, as well as the driver of the Mercedes, came out unscathed.

Italian daily Corriere Della Sera also reported that the owner of the Pagani Zonda F had been fined last April on the same highway after he was clocked traveling in a Lamborghini at triple digit speed.

Lamborghini LP700-4: Two-Minute Long Video Looks Completely Official

With the Geneva show just around the corner, it seems that Lamborghini has secretly released a new video of its Murcielago supercar replacement, which is expected to be called Aventador or Jota LP700-4 and will bow at the Geneva Salon next March. Although we didn’t find any official information on the footage, the quality of the clip and the fact that it contains interior shots gives it a distinctly legitimate aura.
The 700-horsepower supercar is still camouflaged, but it’s evident that it has sharper edges and sleeker lines, while new features are also revealed, includings the shape of the rear view mirrors, steering wheel and center console, richly clad in what appears to be aluminum or chromed trim. Enjoy the video right after the break.