If you’re heading to Monterey Car Week in August, consider Concorso Italiano a must-see event Saturday, August 19 on the fairways of the Bayonet Golf Course in Seaside, California. This unique show displays nearly 700 cars and motorcycles, covering the gamut of 10 different marques. Alfa Romeo, Ferrari, and Lamborghini dominate in sheer numbers, while other Italian classics, exotics, and obscure models offer many more compelling treats to see. The atmosphere is casual-festival, with an emphasis on fun.
Lamborghini has entered the electrification era with its first plug-in hybrid, a 1,001-hp hypercar called the Revuelto. Named for a fighting bull that decided to bolt from the ring 143 years ago, the new Lambo shows a rowdy spirit with three electric motors unapologetically teamed with a 6.5-liter, gas-fueled V12 that parties like it’s 1970. Sharpened stealth-jet design could only come from Lamborghini, while new “monofuselage” carbon-fiber construction keeps strength high and weight reasonable. Reports say it’s already sold out for the first two years.
Can a track-focused sports car be too track-focused? That’s what one major auto magazine suggested after testing the BMW M4 CSL, a special lighter, more powerful version of its M4. While the “lesser” BMW M4 Competition xDrive model (which is not a competition car, btw) is quicker in some acceleration tests, the 40-hp more powerful, 240-pound lighter, $58,000 more expensive M4 CSL is the faster car around the kind of private membership tracks whose clients this car is intended. You’ll pay for that capability with reduced comfort in everyday driving, but would you care?
When Lamborghini puts the “Performante” badge on a vehicle, you can be sure it’s the hottest version and ready for some track thrills. The Urus Performante lives up to that badge’s promise, but at a cost in both extra dollars and reduced comfort. This carbon-fiber-festooned hooligan is meant for pavement only. For Lamborghini purists, having an exotic SUV with plenty of room that also thrills in track driving might be worth the sacrifices the vehicle demands.
Is there a hotter rivalry in the premium car arena than Ferrari v Lamborghini? Buckle up, it’s only going to get hotter as this decade unfolds. Hot on the trail of its Purosangue, Ferrari unveiled the new Roma Spider. This stunning soft-top will replace the Portofino M in the line. Meanwhile, Lamborghini has unveiled the chassis and powertrain for its upcoming 1,000-horsepower hyper hybrid and confirmed plans for two more hybrids and then two battery EVs. Never a dull moment with these two Italian supercar superpowers.
On the heels of Porsche’s introduction of the 911 Dakar, Lamborghini has announced its plan to launch its own supercar that’s modified to play in the dirt, the Huracán Sterrato. Using the same 5.2-liter V-10 engine as the Huracán Evo, Lamborghini’s new off road-ready SUV can do 0-60 in around 3.2 seconds, has rally lights mounted on the Sterrato’s nose, and includes a built-in camera to record your adventures. Production of 1,499 Sterratos will begin in February of 2023, and U.S. pricing has not been announced.
You might remember Lamborghini’s LM002. One of the first people to purchase an LM002 back in the 1908s was Sylvester Stallone, of “Rambo” movie fame, which inspired the vehicle’s “Rambo Lambo” nickname. Since that era, you may have always wanted to own this V-12, three-ton off-road monster that goes from 0-60 in under 8 seconds, and carries a 75-gallon fuel tank. At its Miami auction in December, RM Sotheby’s is offering a 1991 LM002, with under 6,000 miles on the odometer, which is #279 out of 328 made. Putting this Rambo Lambo in your driveway is guaranteed to make a statement to the neighbors.
Ferrari’s Purosangue – the car designed to lure SUV buyers while “not being an SUV” – has been revealed. The Purosangue is the largest and most luxurious Ferrari ever made, with a dry-sump 6.5-liter V12 that goes from 0 – 100 km/h (62 mph) in 3.3 seconds. Ferrari has not yet announced the price, and says it wants to limit Purosangue’s sales to 20% of its total volume.
Modeled after the F-22A Raptor fighter jet, only 20 Lamborghini Reventón coupes were offered to the public, beginning in 2009. Half of those were purchased in the U.S., priced around $1.5 million. You’ll have an opportunity to purchase Reventón coupe #12, which will be offered for sale at the RM Sotheby’s Monterey auction in August.
