Automotive Einstein

That massive hunk of steel in your driveway is slowly corroding into obsolescence — both figuratively and literally. About the time that rust finally eats through the floorboards of your shiny new 2012 model, you’ll be able to purchase — no, afford — a plastic car.

Photo Gallery: The Death of Metal: McLaren MP4-12C, Lexus LFA, Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4 and Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport – Automobile Magazine

Photo Gallery: The Death of Metal: McLaren MP4-12C, Lexus LFA, Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4 and Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport – Automobile Magazine

Lamborghini has taken the wraps off its much-anticipated full-size crossover. Although we’re still not convinced that the Italian supercar maker has any business building such a vehicle, we can at least report that the Urus, as the concept is called, does not look hideous. In fact, it’s rather nice.

Photo Gallery: First look: Lamborghini Urus – Automoblie Magazine

Photo Gallery: First look: Lamborghini Urus – Automoblie Magazine

Lamborghini’s supercars are, by and large, immune to criticism. Their job description is simple: to be a rolling exclamation point, capturing the attention of everyone within eyesight and earshot. Rational concerns like the ability to provide transport from point A to point B are better left to lesser cars — you don’t even need a destination to take a journey in a Lamborghini. So when we were offered the opportunity to spend more time with the Aventador, we felt no need to take it on a contrived road trip. Instead, we orchestrated a family reunion on California’s central coast, inviting a 1972 Miura SV, a 1988 Countach 5000 QV, a 1999 Diablo, and a 2006 Murcielago to join us. Five generations of Lamborghini supercars would spend the day together posing for the camera, filling the hills with hydrocarbons, and ultimately going nowhere. But very quickly.

Photo Gallery: Going Nowhere Fast: Lamborghini Supercars – Automobile Magazine

Photo Gallery: Going Nowhere Fast: Lamborghini Supercars – Automobile Magazine

The Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4 is unquestionably one of the most amazing supercars ever produced, what with its ferocious 12-cylinder engine and menacing raging-bull design. So what would happen if the Sant’Agata Bolognese-based automaker threw away the rules and made an even more extreme car? The answer comes in the form of the Aventador J, a unique roadster making its world debut at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show.

Photo Gallery: Lamborghini Aventador J – First Look – Automobile Magazine

Photo Gallery: Lamborghini Aventador J – First Look – Automobile Magazine

Stephan Winkelmann is master of Lamborghini, but the fate of his company and the type of products he must sell are decided elsewhere. What we are witnessing right now is a struggle for power and a fight for responsibilities among Volkswagen, Audi, and, to a certain extent, Porsche. Lamborghini is part of the Audi Group, which in turn is part of the Volkswagen empire. The bone of contention among these parties is the third model that Lamborghini wants to put into production in 2015 or 2016. The two rival proposals are an evolution of the 2009 Estoque concept and a super-SUV based on the same platform as the next Porsche Cayenne/VW Touareg/Audi Q7 and an upcoming Bentley crossover. Audi wants its Italian satellite to go ahead with the SUV. To the dismay of Audi leaders, this strategy doesn’t seem to meet the approval of VW Group chief Martin Winterkorn, who recently voiced a clear preference for the four-door coupe and a possible two-door sister model. The Nuova Estoque would share elements with the next Porsche Panamera and the new Bentley Continental GT. The catch is that the architecture for these vehicles is being developed by Porsche, which means that Lamborghini may fit more comfortably under the Porsche umbrella than with Audi. More reticent than usual, Winkelmann stated in a recent interview that “the final decision is still pending. We are working toward a solution that is best for the brand and for our bottom line.”

Photo Gallery: Sneak Preview: Lamborghini – Automobile Magazine

Photo Gallery: Sneak Preview: Lamborghini – Automobile Magazine

The Lamborghini Aventador replaces the Murcielago, and those are some pretty big shoes to fill. As one of the world’s preeminent supercars, the Murcielago was devastatingly quick and, despite its demure-for-Lambo looks, loud and brash. The Aventador takes a big step forward, technologically speaking: its seven-speed transmission uses only one clutch but is lighter than comparable dual-clutch setups, and it snaps off gearshifts like a machine gun. Power comes from a 6.5-liter V-12, which manages to be cleaner and more efficient than the old engine while amping up the power to a mind-blowing 691 horses. The Aventador uses carbon-fiber construction throughout its body (the passenger cell is one solid tub of carbon fiber), which keeps weight down despite the car’s hulking size. With styling reminiscent of the Sesto Elemento concept car, the Aventador draws visual comparisons to a jet fighter, but it could draw performance comparisons, too. Lamborghini claims that the Aventador can go from 0 to 60 mph in less than three seconds and tops out in excess of 200 mph, putting it in an elite club of supercars. The Aventador is the ultimate metamorphosis of the Italian sports car. For those with the money to spend, having an Aventador in the garage is a one-way ticket to a world of speed and striking looks.

For all the hype surrounding the new Aventador LP 700-4, you might have forgotten that Lamborghini still builds the Gallardo supercar. There is now yet another variant of the Gallardo, baptized LP 570-4 Super Trofeo Stradale and unveiled to the public at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show. The car’s suffix succinctly explains its purpose: Super Trofeo refers to the one-make European racing series featuring the Lamborghini Gallardo, while Stradale is Italian for road. This car, then, is a road-going Gallardo inspired by the Super Trofeo race cars.

Photo Gallery: Lamborghini Gallardo LP570-4 Super Trofeo Stradale First Look – Automobile Magazine