Filed under: Auction Action, Supercars, Lamborghini, Celebrities

We’ve had too many opportunities to redefine the term “auto erotic” lately. As if the ongoing saga of FIA president Max Mosley’s alarming sexual encounters or the mating habits of exotic automobiles weren’t enough, here come the results of what could very well be the celebrity auto auction of the year: Jenna Jameson’s Lamborghini.

For those who pretend they don’t know who Jenna Jameson is, she’s perhaps the world’s most famous, er…”adult film star”. (We had to look it up on Wikipedia, of course.) While her clothes may be consistently a couple of sizes too small, it’s only fitting that the starlet should drive the most explicit erotic exotic supercar on the market: the Lamborghini Murcielago. It’s hard to believe she didn’t go topless this time — Jameson actually went for the coupe, which she bought in 2002. Since then, Jenna’s yellow Raging Bull has done 11,658 miles. In case there was any doubt that Jameson could handle a stick like a pro, the Lambo is equipped with a six-speed manual (instead of smacking it around with the paddles) and decked out in black leather (naturally) offset by blonde highlights (yellow topstitching). The car was advertised - *ahem*, tongue in cheek - as “extremely clean” and “ready to go”, and as our compatriots over at CarScoop pointed out, there’s a decent chance there’s some tread left on the tires. Complete with dual front airbags (hey-o!), the car sold on Friday for a video-on-demand Buy-It-Now price of $182,900 on eBay Motors.

Check out the perfectly-safe-for-work images in the gallery below to oggle the car (yeah right). Oh, and feel free to contribute your own innuendos in the comments section below that…just keep it clean until after 10pm.

[Source: eBay Motors]

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Filed under: Concept Cars, SUVs, Lamborghini

click above image to view more pics of the Lamborghini LM400 Concept

The original Lamborghini LM002 combined the qualities of a HUMMER (before there really was HUMMER) with a level of power and performance one would expect from a Italian exotic. It eschewed actual design for a slab-sided, utilitarian look, with a pair of round headlights that toned down its aggression so it looked safe to pet without getting bitten.

Of course, the LM002 missed out on the big SUV boom that saw luxury, high-performance SUVs like the Porsche Cayenne padding its parent company’s pockets with big profits. But now that SUVs are truly mainstream and Lamborghini finds itself under the care of VW/Audi, design student Rene Harrigan thought it might be time to reconsider bringing this beast back to life. His idea, called the LM400 Concept, updates the old bruiser with a new Lamborghini-esque design that sits on an Audi Q7 platform. We like Harrigan’s vision from the A-pillar back, but the front end lacks a strong visual connection with current Lambos and looks too anonymous to wear a Raging Bull badge. He says the LM400 would be powered by various V8, V10 and V12 engines plucked from the corporate parts bin, and be offered in four trim levels: the LM V8, sporty LM-S, luxurious LM400 V10 and the obscene LMR that sports a 600-hp V12.

The idea of a new LM for Lamborghini is fun, but in reality would say something about how far the brand has come from its many trips to the edge. Porsche got away with offering an SUV and not alienating its fanbase too much, so perhaps Lamborghini could do the same.

[Source: CarBodyDesign via CarScoop]

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Filed under: Spy Photos, Supercars, Audi, Lamborghini

Audi goes up, Lamborghini goes down. Just as the R8, which wasn’t really supposed to compete with the Gallardo, is getting revved up for a V10 transplant, the less expensive Gallardo could be going downmarket, swapping adding a V8 model to accompany the current V10. Admittedly its speculative, but sources and pics from the ‘Ring indicate to World Car Fans the possibility of a V8 Gallardo with a revised fascia, altered exhaust treatment, and a less raucous exhaust roar than the V10. If true, that would mean we’ll have two different versions of an Audi supercar (perhaps a third if a diesel engine is offered) and an “affordable” Lamborghini. Who saw that coming?

[Source: World Car Fans]

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Filed under: Time Warp, Aston Martin, Bentley, Cadillac, Ford, Jaguar, Lamborghini, Lincoln, Mercedes Benz, Porsche, Rolls Royce, Ferrari, Alfa Romeo, FIAT

click above for a HUGE gallery of concours entrants

For the second year in a row, the Assistance League of Southern California (ALSC) presented a pretty exceptional Concours d’Elegance for the greater Los Angeles area right in the shadow of the historic Rose Bowl. While Greenwich needed two days to present all of its automotive gems, LA managed to pack its 300 or so cars onto a golf course adjacent to the Bowl and made it a one day affair. Last year’s featured marque, Ferrari, was again well-represented with an alloy 275 GTB/4, a trio of 330 GTCs, Dinos, Daytonas, a Lusso, Boxer, 308, and a familiar 375 MM to name a few. Rolls and Bentley had a strong showing that included a jaw-dropping custom Hobbit-door Roller that is owned by the nearby Petersen Museum.

Sports and GT cars from Porsche, Jaguar, Lotus, Alfa Romeo, Aston Martin, Morgan, Austin Healey, Jenson, Facel, Mercedes, Renault, Lancia, Fiat, Maserati, AC, and Lamborghini lined the fairways and greens. There were plenty of Woodies and other American and European classics from the ’40s, ’50s and ’60s with their full figures and exaggerated fins. Even a few dream cars from Desoto and Hudson showed up. American muscle also had a decent turnout that included the mandatory Corvettes and Mustangs, as well as an AMX, Chevelle, and whole flock of Cobras among others. A stellar display of race cars really makes this show a standout. A fleet of go-karts, tons of midgets and sprint cars, an LSR motorcycle, Keke Rosberg’s F1 car, a March GTP car, a Trans-Am Benz, and something from just about every other form of racing was on display.

But the concours circuit really thrives on the classic and vintage cars. Packards, Delahayes, Bentleys, Duesenbergs, Cadillacs, Lincolns, Model Ts, Auburns and the like were particularly well-represented with examples plucked from some local private collections and museums, many of which have appeared at Pebble Beach over the years. Although not quite on par (despite the golf course setting) with top-tier shows like Pebble, Meadowbrook and Amelia Island, for such a young show, the cars and people they have managed to attract are first-rate. The show’s official site is available by clicking here.

All photos Copyright (C)2007 Frank Filipponio / Weblogs, Inc.

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Filed under: Government/Legal, Safety, Lamborghini, Lotus, Porsche, Ferrari, Peugeot, Brabus

For would-be criminals, the police supercar is a bit of a paradox. Unless you have some serious get-away hardware, there is no freaking chance that you’re going to outrun, say, a Lamborghini Gallardo “fuzz edition.” On the Yang side, an officer would have to have some serious fortitude to cut you off or bump or your back end, and it’s not likley he or she will haul you off to the slammer in a two-seater.

The folks over at Deputy Dog have compiled a list of their nine favorite emergency service vehicles, and we think they’ve done a bang up job. The Italians and Germans dominate this list, and with good reason. The two countries stamp some of the hottest metal on the world market, and it only makes sense that their police departments have a shot in hell of catching suspects with like power. One of our favorite models is the Porsche Cayenne ambulance. If you required emergency medical attention, wouldn’t you want to get to the hospital as fast as possible. Check out the entire list of top emergency service vehicles by clicking the Read link. Just one question though, why the Top 9 instead of 10?

Thanks for the tip, deputydog!

[Source: deputydog]

Continue reading Top 9 Emergency Service Vehicles from around the world

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Filed under: Aftermarket, Tuner Tuesdays, Sports/GTs, Supercars, Lamborghini

Click image for high-res gallery

The Lamborghini Murcielago LP640 is a rolling monument to automotive badassedness. It’s as if the Italians captured the mojos of Darth Vader, John Shaft, Jules from Pulp Fiction, Chow Yun Fat, Snake Plissken, Lawrence Taylor, Boba Fett and Dirty Harry Callahan and somehow turned them into a car.

Edo Competition found a way to make it better badder.

Think of it as adding a little Lee Van Cleef to the mixture, coaxing out an additional 23 horses for a grand total of 663. Zero to 60 mph runs should should take 3.4 seconds or less, and the Lambo tops out at 216 mph. The boost comes as a result of a reprogrammed ECU, high-flow air filters, performance cats, a new muffler with a stainless tip, and an exhaust butterfly valve that can be controlled remotely by the driver. The Murci’s menacing bodywork is left largely undisturbed, save for a new rear wing with an adjustable lip on its trailing edge. Perhaps the best modification is the simplest: a Calvin sticker, shown at right, that communicates how the car’s owner feels about the raging bull’s competition from Maranello. And you thought those things only came in Ford and Chevy versions…

[Source: Edo Competition]

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Filed under: Sports/GTs, Supercars, Lamborghini

Joan Ferci, the designer who somehow has permission to slap Lamborghini badges on the fishlike creations his mind comes up with, has actually found three buyers for the bizarrely-named, ridiculously-styled, Coatl sports car. According to Argentina Auto Blog, which has led the way regarding coverage of all things Ferci, reports that these Coatl production cars will have 350 horsepower and a top speed of 300 km/h. The original “Lamborghini” Coatl Ferci produced (shown above) was Diablo-based, boasted a far more robust 675 horsepower and was priced at over $600,000. The cars being built and sold now are supposedly under $100,000 each. Whether they use any Lamborghini mechanicals at all is a complete mystery, but the low power output and price compared to the original is puzzling, to say the least.

Ferci is still looking for a location upon which to build the manufacturing facility for his most recent Diablo-derived creation, the gratuitously ugly Lamborghini Alar. For reasons only Ferci knows, the Alar (concept version shown at right) looks like it’s wearing a Spider-Man costume when viewed from above. The mind reels.

[Source: Argentina Auto Blog]

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Filed under: Sports/GTs, Supercars, Lamborghini

UPDATE: We misread the original Argentina Auto Blog piece when we reported that Joan Ferci has found buyers for three Coatls. it reality, he’s building three of the cars in the hopes of finding buyers for them. The Coatl remains as bizarre and fishlike as ever, and everything else below holds true.

Joan Ferci, the designer who somehow has permission to slap Lamborghini badges on the fishlike creations his mind comes up with, has actually found three buyers for the bizarrely-named, ridiculously-styled, Coatl sports car. According to Argentina Auto Blog, which has led the way regarding coverage of all things Ferci, reports that these Coatl production cars will have 350 horsepower and a top speed of 300 km/h. The original “Lamborghini” Coatl Ferci produced (shown above) was Diablo-based, boasted a far more robust 675 horsepower and was priced at over $600,000. The cars being built and sold now are supposedly under $100,000 each. Whether they use any Lamborghini mechanicals at all is a complete mystery, but the low power output and price compared to the original is puzzling, to say the least.

Ferci is still looking for a location upon which to build the manufacturing facility for his most recent Diablo-derived creation, the gratuitously ugly Lamborghini Alar. For reasons only Ferci knows, the Alar (concept version shown at right) looks like it’s wearing a Spider-Man costume when viewed from above. The mind reels.

[Source: Argentina Auto Blog]

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Filed under: Etc., Marketing/Advertising, Lamborghini

Who wants to smell like a bull? Everyone, or so the fashionistas are banking on. Tonino Lamborghini and perfume company Coty (which, unfortunately, does not stand for “car of the year”) have signed a licensing agreement to produce a Lamborghini cologne.

Well, more or less. Tonino Lamborghini is the company founded by its namesake, the son of Ferrucio Lamborghini who, prior to selling the company to Chrysler, served as its CEO. Today Tonino has his own line of luxury goods that stretches from clothing to furniture to cafes, and aside from its roots, similar name and logo, has little to do with the Audi-owned exotic carmaker.

While Automobili Lamborghini has just recently been getting on track with its merchandising efforts, Tonino Lamborghini has been reaping the brand’s marketing potential. It was Tonino Lamborghini, not the automaker, that was responsible for the sleek coffee machine we brought you a few months back, and it is Tonino Lamborghini that will now give the Raging Bull a signature scent to join those of rival Ferrari and corporate cousin Bugatti. Let’s just hope it smells better than fried brakes, burnt rubber and spent gasoline.

(Press release after the jump.)

[Source: Luxist]

Continue reading Smells like Bull: Lamborghini cologne

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Filed under: Etc., Government/Legal, Supercars, Lamborghini, Driving

The Lamborghini Countach was everywhere in the 1980s. It was so often presented as the ultimate car, photographed with celebrities, and generally placed in the spotlight that even your grandmother could’ve recognized it. Because of its vaunted status, the Countach is an aspirational car that you might purchase to celebrate a milestone in your life. Oregonian Marlowe Treit spent two years tracking down the perfect Countach as a way of marking 60 years on the planet.

In May of 2006, Marlowe’s 1985 Countach had an unfortunate meeting with an FBI-leased Cessna 206 at the Aurora, Oregon airport where Treit owns a business. The NTSB has investigated the incident and blames both the plane’s pilot and Treit for not noticing each other. Nevertheless, the shredded Italian exotic will cost a considerable amount to repair or replace, and Treit is suing the United States for $105,500, claiming that the Cessna pilots had a clear view of his vehicle, and should have yielded the right of way. We can understand the heartache that having your dream car mangled must cause, but it looks like an uphill battle for Mr. Treit, with the NTSB essentially declaring the event as a “no-fault” accident. The big question we’ve got is will Mr. Treit replace his Countach with a Diablo, Gallardo, or Murcielago should he win? We’d probably go for an Islero, Jarama, or Series III Espada. Check out a video interview of Treit after the jump.

[Source: The Oregonian via All Cars All The Time]

Continue reading Countach vs. Cessna

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