Thanks to Bentley‘s strongest sales performance since 2008, the gentlemen of Crewe are looking to expand their line-up with the introduction of a new luxury SUV by 2014.

Known for its generous application of wood and leather, Bentley does not intend to compete against the likes of Cayenne or Range Rover. Instead, Bentley aims to position its SUV above any other SUV currently on the market. Expect prices to begin at $140,000 plus.

Volkswagen, Bentley’s German owner, also plans to carry this project over to its Lamborghini operation as well. A new Lamborghini SUV would become the third model in the brand’s exotic line-up and would also mark the return of the Lamborghini SUV after the LM002 “Rambo Lambo” was built from 1986 to 1993.

In 2008, Lamborghini first unveiled the 4-door Lamborghini Estoque concept car. Although the sedan was well received by both the press and public, a strong demand for sporty soft-roaders from emerging markets like China, Russia, and India suggest that a high-performance SUV for Lamborghini may be better going forward.

An official Lamborghini address on the matter is expected by the 2012 Geneva Motor Show in March.

[Source: MotorAuthority]

Reiter Engineering ushered in the New Year by showing off their 2012 GT3 race package for Lamborghini‘s Gallardo LP600+. The 2012 update consists of some major upgrades as Hans Reiter confirmed that endurance racing will be their next step in development.

Reiter Engineering’s goal for 2012 is to have a safe and reliable car for long distance races. In short, they hope to have a winning 24-hour race car. So upgrades to their 2012 GT3 package include a new 2012 Holinger gearbox that is lighter and consists of less parts that can break. On the outside, the LP600+ now has a larger splitter and double dive plates on the front bumper corners for additional downforce.

Currently still under development is the suspension, being retuned for more mechanical grip while reducing tire scrub. For braking, a new AP Racing brake kit will be used, equipped with six-piston calipers and reworked brake cooling in the front to improve braking performance on long races.

Power will remain unchanged from the 5.2L V10 with 592-hp. No pricing has been announced for the 2012 edition GT3, but last year’s rendition ran around $373,400 not including taxes.

Reiter Engineering promises that the development of their endurance parts will be ready for the 24 Hours of Dubai and Gulf 12 Hours in Abu Dhabi races.

GALLERY: Reiter Engineering 2012 Lamborghini LP600+ GT3

[Source: Jon Sibal]

The #40 of 40 Special Edition Lamborghini Diablo 6.0L VTs ever built will be going up for sale at the upcoming Scottsdale, Arizona Barrett-Jackson auction. Sporting only 12-miles on the odometer, this limited edition Diablo (the last of the final edition Diablos) is practically new.

The 6.0L VT SE Diablos featured a V12 powerplant with 550-hp, all-wheel-drive and a six-speed automatic transmission. It’s the last SE ever built and still has the original plastic covers on the seats. Since it was first bought, it has sat in a large climate-controlled collection on the West Coast. This particular Diablo’s exterior is Marrone Eklipsis with a Cocoa/Cream interior.

No reserve is set on this rare exotic.

GALLERY: 2001 Lamborghini Diablo Coupe

[Source: Barrett-Jackson]

The Volkswagen Group, which consists of Volkswagen, Audi, Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini and Porsche brands in America, are looking to become the number one seller of vehicles in the world by 2018. That’s a bold proclamation as they’re currently sitting in the number three position behind Toyota and General Motors.

As of last year, the VW Group was at 7.14-million vehicles sold while Toyota was at 8.42-million and GM was at 8.39-million. They’re currently aiming to be moving 10-million vehicles a year by 2018 and CEO Martin Winterkorn anticipates it’ll even happen before then.

Their plan will be to target the global market obviously, having already secured the European market. Their new plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee currently has the capacity to produce 150,000 vehicles a year, but VW is working on expanding it to 500,000, the majority of which will remain within the US market.

Even though VW has taken over European automotive sales with 2.9 vehicles sold in 2010, they still look to increase their market share with their new Up! model. But key to VW becoming the global leader in sales will be how they perform in other markets including Brazil, Russia, India and most importantly, China.

[Source: Car and Driver]

Although official stats are lacking for this beast, the video footage alone is enough to tell most of the tale.

This fake Lamborghini Diablo looks as impressive as the real thing from the outside, and when you see whats under the hood it begins to look like an enthusiasts wet dream. Outfitted with four turbo units attached to a BMW 5.0L V12 engine, this “Diablo” is a scary powerful machine that probably puts out more horses than anyone could ever want. But it certainly looks cool.

The video was uploaded by youtube user wcheck08 and comes from an undisclosed location which appears to be an auto show of some kind. Watch the video after the jump to see a walk around of this unique kit car.

[Source:GTSpirit]

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What some people aren’t aware of with contests and sweepstakes is that when you win a car, often you end up having to pay taxes and other fees. While this sure beats having to pay for the car itself, sometimes the taxes and fees are more than someone can handle. This was possibly the case with David Dopp, winner of this lime-green Lamborghini Murcielago.

David Dopp, a truck driver for Frito-Lay in Santaquin, Utah won a $350,000 Lamborghini Murcielago in Maverik’s “Joe Schmo to Lamborghini” contest. Shortly after receiving the vehicle, he posted on his Facebook page that he was already stopped by the cops. Ok, no surprise – the man just won a Lamborghini and drives a chips truck for a living.

But then six hours later, Dopp wrecks his Murcielago, spinning out on an icy road after going 40-50 mph in a 35-mph road. He went right back on Facebook to let all his friends know him and his passenger were safe, no one was hurt (except for the car) and that he has insurance. So that’s where it gets interesting. If the vehicle is totaled, Dopp will get a nice payday from insurance. If it isn’t totaled, well, he just screwed himself and will be stuck with a wrecked and repaired Murcielago with the same amount of taxes to pay.

Now we have to give Dopp the benefit of the doubt and believe he wouldn’t wreck a Lamborghini on purpose – and honestly if he was going to, he should have done a lot more damage. But hey maybe he wanted to play it safe and make sure no one was injured in the process, but we honestly believe he had every intention of keeping it nice and clean so that he could sell it. The accident is probably a result of getting his hands on the steering wheel of a real car.

Check out the quick clip after the break showing off the winner of the Lambo, pre-cash.

[Source: Jalopnik]

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Rumor has it that Lamborghini has the Roadster variant for its new LP700-4 Aventador ready for production. When it actually makes it to the market will depend on Lamborghini, but a respected source notes that it’ll make a debut at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show – something that doesn’t really come as a surprise.

As with most rumors, not many details were supplied other than the fact that the model is confirmed. One great detail that was also included was the fact that the Aventador Roadster should feature a retractable roof solution much better than the one seen in the Murcielago Roadster. Needless to say, we reckon the Aventador Roadster will be absolutely gorgeous, and with a 700-hp V12 powerplant, it will definitely be one of the best Lambos to date.

GALLERY: Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4

[Source: Teamspeed]

An bizarre accident over the weekend in Japan severely damaged 14 cars, eight of which were Ferraris. The other vehicles involved in the smash-up include three Mercedes-Benzes, a Lamborghini, a Nissan Skyline and a poor little Toyota Prius. According to the news report, a caravan of foreign car enthusiasts were heading from Hiroshima to Kyushu when one of the Ferrari drivers hit the median while trying to overtake a car on the wet, curved road.

Fortunately no one was seriously hurt in the crash, but it’s a sad sight to see all these exotics demolished the way they are. From what we can tell in the video, there were multiple F355s, F430s, an F360 and some form of an F512. Even worse, the accident shut down the road for six long hours as officials tried to determine exactly what happened.

Check out the news report from Japan below:

[Source: Jalopnik]

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Remember we told you about that Lamborghini Aventador LP700 model car that is selling for about $4.8 million (15 times more than the real thing)? Well, now there’s a model that’s set to beat that price tag.

The Lamborghini Aventador in question has been gilded in gold. German car model maker Robert Guelpen is in talks with a private collector for this special commission, which will see this model sporting the Midas touch. Guelplen is set to break his old record with this new version. There’s no word what he’ll use this time around to craft the golden model, but we’re guessing platinum, carbon fiber and diamonds will make its way into the mix. Word on the street is that the gold model will boast 700 diamonds studded on each of the two seats inside, a chassis made with solid gold, and accessories like platinum wheel rims.

If you had the money, would you spend it on a gold model or do you think spending so much on a car you can’t even drive is a waste? Let us know in the comments section below.

[Source: Born Rich]

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Don’t live in LA, or you just can’t be bothered to face the crowds and finish off your day with sore feet? Then you’re in luck. AutoGuide has done all the footwork (and the talkie talkie, and the video editing), to bring you the highlights from the 2011 LA Auto Show. From the Subaru BRZ STI Concept, to the 650-hp Shelby GT500 watch our video series to get the rundown on the most exciting vehicles at this year’s show.

Watch all of AutoGuide’s 2011 LA Auto Show videos below:

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