Report: Lamborghini's future includes less weight, no forced induction and... no manu

[HighestOfHigh]

Lamborghini has thrown the motoring world a curve ball with a report that Sant'Agata will be leaving manual transmissions to the dinosaurs, just like Ferrari. According to Car and Driver, the decision was part of the company's commitment to increasing the overall fuel economy of its products – something the Raging Bull really hasn't had to bother with in the past. In addition to scrapping the third pedal, the company says it plans to build ever-lighter exotics, which means you can bet your pants there will be even more carbon fiber in Lambo's future line-up.

Don't expect to see any turbocharged Gallardos in the next few years, though. While automakers around the world may be strapping forced induction to their engines as a way to curb fuel consumption and maintain power, Lamborghini says it has no interest in playing with the extra psi. Instead, look for stop/start tech and cylinder deactivation to crop up over the next decade, as well as a mild-hybrid car and an E85-capable V10. The times? They are most definitely changing.

- Report: Lamborghini's future includes less weight, no forced induction and... no manuals?! — Autoblog

 

[HighestOfHigh]

Lamborghini Giving The Boot To Manual Transmissions?

Lamborghini is changing the way it designs and builds cars. For years, Lamborghini would focus on the design, top speed, acceleration and handling of its cars--in that order. However, in the last year or two the automaker has shook things up a little, shuffling the order of priorities to design, handling, acceleration and top speed.

Speaking with Car and Driver, Lamborghini’s director of research and development, Maurizio Reggiani, explained that there’s no real point in spending so much effort on designing cars to reach speeds in excess of 200 mph because there are few owners that will ever take their cars to such speeds, let alone stretches of road that will accommodate such a feat.

Reggiani also revealed that less than 5 percent of customers opt for a conventional manual transmission, so they will soon be gone. However, don’t expect advanced dual clutch transmissions to replace Lamborghini’s e-gear sequential automatic anytime soon. Reggiani pointed out that Lamborghini’s six-speed box is around 50 pounds lighter than a dual clutch unit and the automaker is opposed to unequal gear steps, as is the case with most seven-speed transmissions.

What we will see is more efforts to reduce fuel consumption and carbon emissions. Already we’ve seen the introduction of direct fuel injection on the Gallardo, and this is to be followed with friction reduction technologies, engine stop-start and flex-fuel capabilities, cylinder deactivation and even mild hybrid systems designed at taking the load off the engine when powering ancillary devices. Forced induction, however, has been ruled out for now--a strategy rival supercar manufacturer Ferrari is following.

- Lamborghini Giving The Boot To Manual Transmissions? - MotorAuthority

 

[Human]

EU Emission standards sucks big time!

...who would have thought that politicians and lawmakers would turnaround the international motor industry in less than a decade? - though with other turnaround policies they struggle for decades

If you want to get your way in politics, TAX it! Sweetest and fastest way to make money and get the bill signed!