With just a few days left ’till the end of the year, Lamborghini is celebrating these past 12 months that have been quite a ride for the Italian company.
The story began in March, at the Geneva Motor Show, when Lamborghini introduced the range-topping Aventador LP750-4 Super Veloce.
Lighter, with its V12 tuned to 750PS (740hp) and 690Nm (508lb-ft) of torque and vastly improved aerodynamics, it certainly looked the part; and then some.
It also stunned the world by lapping the Nurburgring in under 7 minutes – the second production car to do so after the Porsche 918 Spyder. Just to make sure sun-loving customers would not be left wanting, the SV Roadster was launched in August.
A month later, at the Frankfurt Motor Show, it unveiled the open-top version of the Gallardo’s successor in the form of the Huracan LP-610-4 Spyder. The Ferrari 488 Spider and McLaren 650S Spider rival has a 610PS (602hp) 5.2-liter V10 and, unlike its two archenemies, all-wheel drive.
Catering to purists’ needs who found the set-up too prone to understeer, the four-wheel drive system was dropped in November just in time for the 2015 LA Auto Show. Enter the Huracan LP 580-2. Yes, with 580PS (572hp) and 540Nm (398lb-ft) it’s slightly less powerful, but no one will care if this means getting a more intimate feel and oversteer-on-demand.
It also confirmed it will build the Urus, which it wants to be the beat every rival for performance and driver involvement, though Lambo’s SUV actual premiere won’t come before 2017.
Finally, the company’s CEO Stephan Winkelmann will join Audi’s Quattro Division and be replaced by former Ferrari F1 team principal Stefano Domenicali.
That was 2015 in a nutshell. Lamborghini is now getting ready for another busy new year, as it will release a new special edition supercar, reportedly based on the Aventador and, probably, more versions of the Huracan.
We’ll definitely toast to that. Salute!