Lamborghini Crafts Gallardo Tricolore Special in Celebration of Italy�s 150th Anniversary of Unification

This year Italy is celebrating 150 years since its unification, an event that a Italian symbol like Lamborghini couldn't ignore. To honor the event, the super car maker will build a special edition of the Gallardo called the Tricolore. The name pays tribute to the Italian flag, which decorates the car in the form of a three-colored stripe that stretches across the hood, the driver's seat and the roof in a way that reminds of the LP550-2 Valentino Balboni edition.

Other than the green, white and red stripe, the Gallardo Tricolore also sports carbon-fiber mirror caps and a white paint. �To celebrate the 150 years of Italian unity we felt that it was appropriate to propose a tri-color livery for our most succesful model, the Lamborghini Gallardo,� said the company's CEO, Stephan Winkelmann. �With the Lamborghini Gallardo Tricolore we give a further impulse to the development of the 'Made in Italy' label in the world.�

The car will be officially introduced on March 16 in Turin, at an exhibition dedicated to the Italian state anniversary. For the time being, Lamborghini offered no technical details of the special edition model and has yet to announce the number of cars it plans to build, though our bet would go to 150.

By Dan Mihalascu

Sources: Quattroruote , Omniauto

�Ay, Caramba! Reader Films New Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4 Revving it Up

We know you have been waiting for it ever since you first laid your eyes on the Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4, and well, thanks to Carscoop reader Matt and his friend, here it is: the hair-raising sounds of the Raging Bull�s 700-horsepower strong 6.5-liter V12 engine as it awakens� Hit the break to watch the video clips and don�t forget to turn up the volume of your speakers...

Many thanks to Matt for the heads up!

VIDEOS

Lamborghini Confirms that it has Sold More Than 12 Months� Production of Aventador LP700-4

Last week, we told you that the first year of production of both the Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4 and Ferrari FF have reportedly been spoken for. Today, Lamborghini made it officially-official confirming that it has already sold more than 12 months� production of its new flagship V12 model, deliveries of which will start in the second half of 2011.

The VW Group-owned Italian automaker also released final sales figures for last year that showed a 14 per cent drop from 2009. In particular, Lamborghini delivered a total of 1,302 units to customers worldwide in 2010, compared to 1,515 cars the previous year.

However, the Italians were quick to note that the difference versus 2009 was due to the run out of the Murci�lago in May 2010 adding that they sold 4,099 Murci�lagos over a ten-year production period, making the Aventador�s predecessor the company�s best-selling V12 model ever. Sales for the remaining seven months of the year were based on the production of just one model, the Gallardo.

The final year turnover was at �271 million in 2010, compared to �281 million in 2009. Lamborghini said that the pre-tax result improved over 2009, �while still remaining below profitability.�

Stephan Winkelmann, President and CEO of Automobili Lamborghini said that the introduction of the Aventador combined with a gradually improving economy should help the company�s financial results in the future.

�We confirmed our long term strategy, which calls for stable and significant investments in new products even in difficult times,� said Winkelmann. �We see a slow but steady recovery of the market, and we will benefit from this. The extraordinary response to the new Lamborghini Aventador LP 700-4 is the best proof that our vision is right.�

PHOTO GALLERY

VIDEO: Chris Bangle Speaks Out on Supercars, Mistresses, Wives and...You Know

Former BMW Group Design boss Chris Bangle was on a roll at the Geneva Motor Show. Following his encounter with Saab's new chief designer, Jason Castriota, Bangle also had a quick video chat with Car Design News Editor Eric Gallina about his views on supercars.

"Well, I'm kind of old school on supercars, you know," said Bangle. �If they're not something that, just, you know, knocks your balls off, you know, they're nice cars, and go fast too, you know. The world needs another, oh that's good!" Want more Bangle? Hit the jump to watch the clip.

Source: Cardesignnews / Youtube

VIDEO

Ferrari FF and Lamborghini Aventador Both Sold Out for their First Year of Production

They are two of the most hotly anticipated and talked about cars at this week's 2011 Geneva International Motor Show. We're talking of course about the Ferrari's first ever four-wheel drive model, the FF, and Lamborghini's replacement for the Murcielago, the Aventador LP700-4.

Though catering to different tastes and needs, these two supercars have something in common, and we're not referring to their Italian roots nor their twelve-cylinder powerplants, but to the fact that both are sold out for their first year of production even before they arrive in showrooms across the world.

"We have already sold all 800 Ferrari FFs planned to be produced in 2011," Ferrari CEO Luca Cordero di Montezemolo said at the Geneva Motor Show. The four-seater, golf bag-loving FF comes with a 660-horsepower strong 6.3-liter V12 engine and carries a base sticker of �260,000 or about US$360,000 at today's exchange rates.

The VW Group's flagship Lamborghini model is powered by a 6.5-liter V12 engine pushing out 700HP and is priced at $370,000 or �267,200.

Source: Reuters & Businessweek

PHOTO GALLERY

Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4: Video and Mega Gallery with 115 Photos

For those of you that still haven't had enough of the Lamborghini's newest dream car, here's a comprehensive photo gallery and a video presentation of the Aventador LP700-4 straight from the Geneva Motor Show floors.

Named after a bull that entered into battle in October 1993 at the Saragossa Arena, earning the �Trofeo de la Pe�a La Madro�era" for its courage, the Aventador is the latest in a long line of Lamborghini V12-powered supercars that span back to the 1970s Miura. It comes equipped with a brand-new 6.5-liter V12 engine pushing out 700HP and 509 lb-ft of torque for a 0-100 km/h (62mph) sprint time of 2.9 seconds and a top speed of 350km/h (218mph). For more details, you can check out our previous post here.

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