How The Porsche 959 Rally Legend Redefined The Nature of Supercars

How The Porsche 959 Rally Legend Redefined The Nature of Supercars
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How The Porsche 959 Rally Legend Redefined The Nature of Supercars
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The five-minute video is both a history lesson on the race-spec 959 and a highlight footage of the car’s Paris-Dakar adventure. It documents how the 959 was designed and developed and it talks about its then-revolutionary all-wheel-drive system. It also gives us a closer look at the twin-turbocharged inline-six engine, rated at 400 horsepower, and the adjustments Porsche had to make to turn the 959 into a rally race winner.

Finally, it talks a bit about how the three Porsche 959s fielded in the 1986 Paris-Dakar Rally finished the race in first, second, and sixth positions, scoring a historic win for the German brand.

How The Porsche 959 Rally Legend Redefined The Nature of Supercars
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How The Porsche 959 Rally Legend Redefined The Nature of Supercars
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The 959 did more than just race at Paris-Dakar, though. While the video doesn’t mention it, simply because it documents this historic event only, the 959 was also raced at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Called the 961, it won its class and finished seventh overall in 1986.

How The Porsche 959 Rally Legend Redefined The Nature of Supercars
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How The Porsche 959 Rally Legend Redefined The Nature of Supercars
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Of course, the 959 is actually more famous as a road-going car.

Introduced in 1986, it was the world’s fastest streel-legal production car with top speeds of up to 211 mph.

It was also considered the most technologically advanced sports car of its time and set the standard for the competition. It also provided the basis for Porsche’s first all-wheel drive 911, the Carrera 4. Fitted with a twin-turbo, 2.8-liter flat-six engine rated at up to 523 horsepower, the 959 remained in production until 1993. Porsche built 337 units in seven years.

Rare Rides: The 1994 Ford Thunderbird Super Coupe, Fast Personal Luxury

We’ve been talking about Thunderbird often lately, whether it’s in a Buy/Drive/Burn, or a recent Rare Rides on the 007 Edition Thunderbird of 2003.

And earlier today the Internets served up a random ad for a teal 10th-generation T-bird in fantastic condition. Seems like a perfect opportunity to add it to our coverage of the long-lived personal luxury nameplate.

The ninth-generation Thunderbird, or “Aero Bird” as it was commonly called, was a relative revelation in the T-bird timeline. Coming from the downsized Fox-body version of 1980-1982, the new (still Fox-based) ’83 Thunderbird was larger, more modern, more powerful, and even spawned the exciting Turbo Coupe variant. Thunderbird was saved.

But by the late Eighties, the ninth-gen was looking a little aged, and Ford saw it was time to step away from the Fox platform with regards to personal luxury. An all-new 10th-generation debuted for the model year 1989, on the exciting new MN12 platform. Ford started development of the new platform in 1984, when it made an internal declaration that the next Thunderbird and Mercury Cougar be sophisticated enough to compete with European marques like BMW. To that end, the MN12 coupes (and later the FN Lincoln Mark VIII) were given an independent rear suspension amongst their other technical upgrades. They were the only domestic rear-drive cars with that feature outside the Corvette. Ford aimed high and wanted the edge in handling and performance over the front-drive offerings from GM.

For the new cars’ design, Ford relied once more on the VP of design at Ford from 1980 to 1997, Jack Telnack. He’d designed the ninth generation T-bird and Cougar as well. The new MN12 cars were sleeker and more rounded than the Aero Bird, and though they were shorter overall, had a nine-inch growth in wheelbase over the outgoing model. Less overhang, more performance.

Four different engines were on offer depending on the year, and at base was a 3.8-liter Essex V6 in naturally aspirated and supercharged variants (for the Super Coupe). Later, the 4.9-liter Windsor V8 was available (’91-’93), as well as the 4.6-liter Modular V8 (’94-’97). Transmissions were mostly automatic and included two versions of the four-speed AOD and a five-speed manual from Mazda. Shifting yourself was allowed only on the Super Coupe from 1989 to 1995.

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The Super Coupe was popular at its debut and garnered a Motor Trend COTY award in 1989. The supercharged Essex engine had 12psi of boost at 5,600 RPM, which meant 210 horses and 315 lb-ft of torque. Aside from the engine, the Thunderbird “SC” featured different exterior cladding, fog lamps, electrically adjustable shocks, larger wheels, a limited-slip differential, and ABS brakes as standard that were discs at all wheels. Inside, there was an SC airbag cover, and leather-cloth mix sport bucket seats with serious adjustable side bolsters.

The Thunderbird was updated in 1994 and got a little longer at 200.3 inches overall. It also grew in width to 73.2 inches and got a bit heavier. Along with the visual updates for ’94, the Super Coupe had a number of engine changes which improved horsepower to 230. Ford management had already criticized the MN12 team at ’89 introduction for missing both weight and cost targets on the project and caused the project head to take early retirement.

Super Coupe went away after 1995, as the Thunderbird (and personal luxury coupes in general) were not long for the world. By 1996 Thunderbird was offered only as an LX trim. The last one rolled off the assembly line in September 1997 at the plant in Lorain, Ohio.

Today’s Rare Ride is a suitably teal Super Coupe from 1994. With its excellent condition, the 147,000 mileage figure comes as a surprise. Yours in Indiana for $6,500.

[Images: Ford]

Ferrari’s One-Off Creations is A List of the Most Desirable Prancing Horses of All Time

2009 Ferrari SP1

Ferrari's One-Off Creations is A List of the Most Desirable Prancing Horses of All Time
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Ferrari's One-Off Creations is A List of the Most Desirable Prancing Horses of All Time
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Every adventure comes with a beginning, and in the case of Ferrari’s One-Off personalization program, the beginning came in the form of the SP1, the Ferrari F430-based one-off that Ferrari created for Japanese businessman Junichiro Hiramatsu, the former president of the Ferrari Club of Japan. Reports from a decade ago say that Hiramatsu was a big fan of the F100, a concept car designed by Italian design house Fiovaranti back in 1998.

Ferrari’s treatment of the SP1 isn’t as bombastic as some of the more recent one-off models it’s created, which makes you wonder if that was a product of Hiramatsu’s wishes or if Ferrari One-Off was still feeling its way through the endeavor.

Either way, the result still deserves the one-off label, in part because the minimal changes to the F430 somehow added up to a significantly more streamlined look. For those who may be confused, the SP1 is a completely different one-off animal from the Ferrari Monza SP1 Speedster that Ferrari released alongside its sibling, the Monza SP2, last year.

Ferrari's One-Off Creations is A List of the Most Desirable Prancing Horses of All Time High Resolution Exterior
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Ferrari's One-Off Creations is A List of the Most Desirable Prancing Horses of All Time High Resolution Exterior
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The 2011 Ferrari Superamerica 45 was one of the first official commissions by Ferrari One-Off, the department in charge of developing and building all the models on this list. It’s based on the Ferrari 599 GTB and inspired by the 2005 Ferrari 575M Superamerica and the 1961 Ferrari 400 Superamerica from which it gets part of its name.

The Superamerica 45’s one-off status was defined by the model’s one-piece carbon-fiber roof and glass rear window.

The whole roof panel swivels and retracts back under a carbon fiber trunk lid, which is a different treatment, too, compared to the pane of glass that Ferrari used on the 575. Under its hood sat a 6.5-liter V-12 engine that produced 661 horsepower and 457 pound-feet of torque. The Superamerica 45 also came with unique details that eventually found their way to future production models, including the front and rear bumpers that Ferrari ended up using in the 599 GTO and the wheels that made their way into the Ferrari FF. The Ferrari Superamerica was commissioned by American real estate mogul Peter Kalikow, how bought this first Ferrari — the aforementioned 1961 400 Superamerica — 45 years before he commissioned the one-off model.

Read our full review on the 2011 Ferrari Superamerica 45

Ferrari's One-Off Creations is A List of the Most Desirable Prancing Horses of All Time Exterior
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Ferrari's One-Off Creations is A List of the Most Desirable Prancing Horses of All Time Exterior
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The 2012 Ferrari SP12 EC is probably the first one-off Ferrari that captured the world’s attention. Part of that can be traced to the fact that renowned rock star Eric Clapton was the one who commissioned Ferrari to build it. The SP12 traces its roots from the 458 Italia, which, at that time, was still only a year removed from hitting the market. Like the Superamerica 45 that preceded it, the SP12 EC featured design cues pilfered from a number of iconic Ferraris, none as obvious as the boxer-engined Ferrari 512BB.

The two-tone red upper body and black lower body schemes come from the 512BB, as does the long fence-like front grille that occupies the entire lower front section of the car.

The shape of the hood and the body are also nods toward the 512BB. The SP12 EC isn’t as sharp around the edges as the 512BB, and the headlights are actually borrowed from another iconic Ferrari: the Enzo. Taken together, the SP12 EC stands out as a classic example of Ferrari’s ability to blend the designs of its past models to create an entirely new one. It didn’t hurt, too, that the SP12 EC came with the 458 Italia’s 4.5-liter V-8 engine that produced 570 horsepower and 398 pound-feet of torque. All told, there are reports that Clapton spent almost $4 million on the SP12 EC, a staggering sum for a Ferrari. Then again, the SP12 EC isn’t your typical Ferrari, either.

Read our full review on the 2012 Ferrari SP12 EC

Ferrari's One-Off Creations is A List of the Most Desirable Prancing Horses of All Time Exterior
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Ferrari's One-Off Creations is A List of the Most Desirable Prancing Horses of All Time Exterior
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The Ferrari SP Arya was probably the first one-off Ferrari that made me realize that Maranello was on to something with this division. There’s actually not a lot to know about the Arya, only that it’s owned by Indian businessman Cheerag Arya, who wanted to create his dream Ferrari that’s based on the 599 GTO. Since the man already owned a 599XX at the time he commissioned Ferrari to build the SP Arya, I’d say Arya was on to something then.

Most of the fundamental details about the SP Arya remain true to the 599 GTO’s roots, though there were some modifications made to the Ferrari’s suspension and exhaust system.

Oh, and the Arya also featured the same 6.0-liter V-12 engine as the car it’s based on. The powertrain produced 661 horsepower and 457 pound-feet of torque. If there’s anything about the SP Arya that still rings true to this day, it’s that this one-off has one of the best names of the bunch. I know it references its owner’s last name, but given what we know about the “Arya” name in pop culture these days, it’s taken on an entirely different meaning on its own.

Read our full review on the 2012 Ferrari SP Arya

Ferrari's One-Off Creations is A List of the Most Desirable Prancing Horses of All Time High Resolution Exterior
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Ferrari's One-Off Creations is A List of the Most Desirable Prancing Horses of All Time High Resolution Exterior
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The Ferrari F12 TRS was one of two one-off Ferraris that Maranello introduced in 2014. It’s also the first one-off to be based on the F12 Berlinetta, which became one of the go-to base models for future bespoke one-off Ferrari creations. The F12 TRS was completely ahead of its time in terms of its bodywork. You can look at it today and argue that it’s a brand new model. That’s how timeless its speedster-style silhouette looks. Part of it can be traced to the model from which it’s inspired from, the 1957 250 Testa Rossa. But the bigger and more important reason comes from the work put in by Ferrari’s engineers and designers.

The TRS’ low-set, wrap-around windscreen is one of its many design highlights, though you can argue that all off the one-off’s unique qualities come to a head with its 6.3-liter V-12 engine that produces a stomach-punching 740 horsepower and 508 pound-feet of torque.

Features aside, the F12 TRS also holds the distinction of being the only — so far — one-off Ferrari that somehow became a two-off Ferrari. That’s because the car’s unidentified owner actually had a second model built with flamboyant chrome silver paintwork.

Read our full review on the 2014 Ferrari F12 TRS

Ferrari's One-Off Creations is A List of the Most Desirable Prancing Horses of All Time Exterior
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Ferrari's One-Off Creations is A List of the Most Desirable Prancing Horses of All Time Exterior
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The 2014 Ferrari SP America is probably my least favorite one-off Ferrari, but that’s not an indictment on Ferrari One-Off or Danny Wegman, the American supermarket tycoon who commissioned Ferrari to do it. Like the F12 TRS that came before it, the SP America is based on the Ferrari F12 Berlinetta. Unlike the TRS that was inspired by the 250 Testarossa, the SP America was inspired by what is, without question, the holy grail of all Ferrari models, the 250 GTO.

The SP’s reverse scallop rear section that integrates the round taillights are taken straight out of the 250 GTO.

The dramatically kicked-up rear spoiler is another design nod to the icon among Ferrari icons. A few subtle design cues also reference the 250 GTO, including the three openings on the hood and the slip vent aft that you can see in the rear-quarter glass. Power comes from the same 6.3-liter V-12 engine that sits under the hood of the F12 Berlinetta. The mill produces 740 horsepower and 508 pound-feet of torque. The SP America is still a stunner, but as more one-off Ferraris have arrived, this one doesn’t hold as much sway as it once did when it arrived.

Read our full review on the 2014 Ferrari SP America

2016 Ferrari SP 275 RW Competizione

Ferrari's One-Off Creations is A List of the Most Desirable Prancing Horses of All Time
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Ferrari's One-Off Creations is A List of the Most Desirable Prancing Horses of All Time
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Arguably the most retro-inspired design of any one-off Ferrari ever created, the Ferrari SP 275 RW Competizione arrived in 2016 at the behest of American dentist Rick Workman. This one-off is also based on the F12 Berlinetta, though the design inspiration behind its retrofitted appearance comes by way of the 1965 Le Mans-winning Ferrari 275 GTB/C Speciale.

The SP 275 RW Competizione’s pouty nose, bulgy wheel arches, and the abundance of slat vents alongside the car’s body are all design hallmarks of the iconic 275 GTB/C Speciale.

Even if it sits on the underpinnings of the F12 Berlinetta, the SP 275 RW Competizione actually uses the same 6.3-liter V-12 engine that’s found under the hood of the track-focused F12tdf. By virtue of boasting that modified mill, the SP 275 RW Competizione boasts an output of 769 horsepower and 520 pound-feet of torque. This one-off may look like it’s lost in time, but it sure as heck has enough power and performance capabilities to justify its billing as a true one-off Ferrari.

Ferrari's One-Off Creations is A List of the Most Desirable Prancing Horses of All Time Exterior
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Ferrari's One-Off Creations is A List of the Most Desirable Prancing Horses of All Time Exterior
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The Ferrari P540 Superfast Aperta was the second car to come through Ferrari’s One-Off program. It was built for Edward Walson, the son of John Walson, otherwise known as the man who created cable television.

The P540 Superfast Aperta was also the first one-off Ferrari to trace its roots to the Ferrari 599.

Significant modifications were made to the car, including cutting parts of the roof and tweaking the chassis as a result of the roof getting cut. The gold finish on the body was an added touch, presumably to give the P540 Superfast Aperta an extra layer of shine to flaunt its one-off status. As flamboyant as it looked, the P540 Superfast was also fast and powerful. It came with a 6.0-liter V-12 engine that produced 612 horsepower and 448 pound-feet of torque. It was the most powerful series-production Ferrari of that time, making it a fitting candidate to serve as the basis of what’s become one of the nicest-looking one-off Ferraris to come out of Maranello.

Read our full review on the 2009 Ferrari P540 Superfast Aperta

Ferrari's One-Off Creations is A List of the Most Desirable Prancing Horses of All Time Exterior
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Ferrari's One-Off Creations is A List of the Most Desirable Prancing Horses of All Time Exterior
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Every so often, Ferrari creates a one-off whose roots are hard to pin down. Technically speaking, the Ferrari SP FFX is based on the Ferrari FF. That’s been established. But if you look at the actual one-off, it’s hard to shake off images of the California.

The front section, for example, looks a lot more aggressive than a series-production FF, specifically the inclusion of two vertical sections in the grille that completely changes the area’s entire aesthetics.

The rear end was also completely redesigned to accommodate a coupe-like tail. Then there’s the two-tone, red-and-white color scheme, which actually looks good on the one-off. There’s definitely more to the SP FFX than meets the eye, though. Power comes from the FF’s 6.3-liter V-12 engine that produces 651 horsepower and 504 pound-feet of torque. Perhaps the owner of this ride, an unidentified individual from Japan, decided that he wanted a Ferrari FF that looked more like a traditional coupe than a fastback model. Well, he certainly got his wish, didn’t he?

Read our full review on the 2014 Ferrari SP FFX Coupe

Ferrari's One-Off Creations is A List of the Most Desirable Prancing Horses of All Time
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Ferrari's One-Off Creations is A List of the Most Desirable Prancing Horses of All Time
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The Ferrari 458 MM Speciale is an interesting kind of one-off. It’s based on the 458 Speciale, and while you can still see hints of the 458 Speciale in the body, all the actual labels are completely bespoke, designed and created in-house by Ferrari Centro Stile using hand-finished aluminum.

The front and rear bumpers are also different by virtue of being made from carbon fiber.

The other notable Ferrari from which the 458 MM Speciale takes inspiration from is the 288 GTO. You see parts of that homage with the wrap-around windscreen. Ferrari’s Italian ancestry is also prominently displayed with the tricolore racing stripes running the length of the supercar. The 458 MM Speciale gets its power from the same 4.5-liter V-8 engine as the 458 Speciale. That engine produces 597 horsepower and 398 pound-feet of torque. A certain British individual owns the one-off Ferrari 458 MM Speciale so the next time you find yourselves in the U.K., be on the lookout for this striking Ferrari.

Read our full review on the 2016 Ferrari 458 MM Speciale

Ferrari's One-Off Creations is A List of the Most Desirable Prancing Horses of All Time
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Ferrari's One-Off Creations is A List of the Most Desirable Prancing Horses of All Time
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The Ferrari SP38 Deborah is, hands down, my favorite among all one-off Ferraris ever made. It’s based on the 488 GTB and was designed with none other than the iconic Ferrari F40 in mind. You can find traces of the F40 scattered throughout the SP38 Deborah, none more prominent than the static rear wing that sits at the rear of the F40-like rear clamshell. Everything else about the SP38 Deborah’s design speaks to the skills of Ferrari’s designers.

The wrap-around windshield that we saw in the 458 MM Speciale makes a return appearance in the SP38 Deborah.

The slit-looking headlights exude aggressiveness, and the free-flowing nature of the whole body perfectly encapsulates how incredible the SP38 Deborah is to look at. It comes with the same powertrain as the 488 GTB — a 3.9-liter V-8 engine that produces 661 horsepower and 561 pound-feet of torque — but it’s an entirely different car in it of itself. There’s no word on who the owner of this one-off Ferrari is, but I’m willing to bet that whoever that individual knows someone named “Deborah.”

Read our full review on the 2018 Ferrari SP38 Deborah

Lamborghini’s V-12 Isn’t Going Anywhere Anytime Soon

 

2017 Lamborghini Terzo Millennio Concept
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2017 Lamborghini Terzo Millennio Concept
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Technically, the Sián isn’t the first hybrid car to come out of Lamborghini’s workshops. Back in 2014, the Italians revealed a prototype called Asterion at the Geneva Motor Show and it mixed the Huracán’s 5.2-liter V-10 with three electric motors powered by Li-ion batteries.

Fast forward to 2019 and we’re greeting the Lamborghini Sián, an Aventador-based production car (albeit limited to just 63 units) that uses supercapacitor technology. The Sián is at the time of writing Lambo’s fastest and most powerful car as it churns out 819 horsepower and needs less than 2.8 seconds to blast from naught to 62 mph en route to 218 mph.

 

2020 Lamborghini Sian FKP 37 Exterior
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2020 Lamborghini Sian FKP 37 Exterior
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Lamborghini Sian specifications
Engine 6.5-liter V-12, naturally aspirated
Power 785 hp
Torque undisclosed
Electric motor 34 horsepower
Combined system power 819 hp
0-100 km/h (62 mph) 2.8 s
Top speed 350 km/h (217.5 mph)
Power-to-weight ratio 505 hp/ton

Of course, the Aventador isn’t the youngster it used to be and a replacement is due very soon. Word is that its successor will drop next year as a 2022 model but until that happens, we’ve got news about what will power it.

Car and Driver had a chat with Lamborghini’s Chief Technical Officer Maurizio Reggiani, who made it clear that the brand won’t ditch the V-12 but instead opt to adapt it to the times.

“The V-12 has been part of the story of Lamborghini since the very beginning. It has been present in every year of our history, which is why our strategy and our vision for the future is to continue to have a V-12 coupled with a hybrid motor.”

 

Lamborghini's V-12 Isn't Going Anywhere Anytime Soon Drivetrain
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Lamborghini's V-12 Isn't Going Anywhere Anytime Soon Drivetrain
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On top of this, the V-12 will also remain naturally-aspirated because such engines “are how you prove engineering is good.” And of course, a Lamborghini must sound like a Lamborghini, and “when you have a turbo you have a damper on the sound, like a muffler,” Mr. Reggiani explains.

From what the Sián showed us, pairing an ICE with one e-motor isn’t just about sheer power. I mean, of the Sián’s 819 horsepower, just 34 come from the electric motor, and Lamborghini says that’s enough for quicker mid-range acceleration, crisper gear shifts, and more torque off the line. Plus, you can get your Lambo out of the garage and on the driveway in complete silence, without acoustically abusing your neighbors.

 

Lamborghini's V-12 Isn't Going Anywhere Anytime Soon High Resolution Drivetrain
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Lamborghini's V-12 Isn't Going Anywhere Anytime Soon High Resolution Drivetrain
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Looking at the big picture, the Sián is acting like a bridge between the internal combustion engined Lambos that were and the electrified ones that will be. About the latter we’ll learn more once the Aventador’s successor comes to take the throne.

Source: Car & Driver

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