LARTE Design has pulled the wraps off a new aesthetic programme for the Cadillac Escalade, and this one leans into a colour you don’t often see on carbon fibre: burgundy. Called the ESTHETE Burgundy Programme, it’s a twelve piece, fully dry carbon exterior kit where the burgundy hue isn’t painted on top of the weave. It’s baked into it.

The kit is built on LARTE’s existing ESTHETE platform for the Escalade and carries TÜV certification. It’s produced at a German facility that the tuning house says also handles dry carbon work for the likes of Bugatti, Koenigsegg and Porsche, so the manufacturing pedigree is there.

A Different Way to Colour Carbon Fibre

Most Escalade owners pick a shade from Cadillac’s standard colour chart. LARTE’s approach starts further back in the process, at the carbon itself. The pigment is cured together with the fibre in a single layer, rather than sprayed or coated over a finished panel afterwards. The result, according to the brand, is a burgundy tone that sits inside the weave with real depth to it, not just a surface tint. It’s a technique LARTE says it reserves for select programmes across its range.

The demo car pictured here pairs burgundy dry carbon across the hood, front and rear sections with the Escalade’s factory silver paintwork and a blacked out grille. That’s just one way to spec it though. All twelve components can also be ordered in full dry carbon, or in a high gloss finish matched to the car’s body colour.

The Twelve Components

The ESTHETE Burgundy Programme covers:

1. Sculpted dry carbon hood with a vented insert
2. Front bumper with integrated lower air intakes
3. Front splitter
4. Carbon mirror caps
5. Wide body fender flares, front and rear
6. Side skirts with a sculpted lower blade
7. Rear diffuser with an integrated exhaust surround
8. Roof mounted rear spoiler
9. Rear bumper lower valance
10. LARTE Design’s signature LED accent strip
11. Quad vertical exhaust tips
12. Forged alloy wheels developed specifically for the ESTHETE programme

No Cutting, No Drilling

LARTE is keen to point out that the whole kit bolts onto the Escalade’s existing mounting points. There’s no cutting into the bodywork and no structural changes involved. The brand says every panel has been measured and tested to work with the SUV’s stock proportions, and that parking sensors, driver assistance systems and towing hardware all continue to work exactly as they did from the factory. Mechanically, the Escalade underneath stays completely standard, so the vehicle’s original factory value should, in theory, remain intact.

Class A Finish, Certified Process

Each component goes through an autoclave curing process to what LARTE calls Class A surface standard, meaning tight, consistent geometry, a genuine weight saving over steel or heavier composite parts, and colour that should hold up over time rather than fading. It’s the same TÜV certified process the brand applies across its wider kit lineup.

Part of LARTE’s Wider Customisation Philosophy

LARTE Design places ESTHETE under what it calls Customisation Level 2, its term for personalisation that’s engineered into a car’s structural components rather than simply bolted on as an afterthought. It’s the same approach the studio has used on the Lamborghini Urus, Mercedes-AMG models, BMW and Porsche, and it’s now been extended to Cadillac’s largest SUV.

All ESTHETE components are manufactured in Germany and shipped internationally in protective packaging, with fitment support available through LARTE Design’s network of international partners.

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The track-only hypercar segment already has no shortage of extreme machinery, but McMurtry‘s Spéirling has managed to carve out its own lane entirely. Built around a rear-mounted fan that sucks the car onto the tarmac, prototypes of the British machine have already set benchmark times and even performed the party trick of driving upside down. Now the production version, called the Spéirling Pure, has finally been unveiled, and it lives up to every bit of the hype the prototypes generated.

Downforce Numbers That Defy Belief

The headline figure is the fan system at the rear of the car, which McMurtry says can generate up to 2,000 kg of downforce even when the car is standing completely still. That is a staggering number for any road going or track focused machine, let alone one that isn’t even moving. This downforce is the foundation of the car’s cornering and braking ability, allowing it to pull up to 3 g under both. A 100 kWh battery pack feeds 1000 hp (746 kW) to the rear axle, and when paired with that relentless downforce, McMurtry claims the Pure can sprint from a standstill to 96 km/h (60 mph) in just 1.55 seconds.

Weight and Performance Trade Offs

The Pure isn’t the lightest thing on the planet relative to its footprint, tipping the scales at around 1,350 kg before any options are added. Even so, that is an impressively low number for a car carrying a 100 kWh battery. Compared to the record chasing prototypes, the production car uses a larger battery and carries roughly 300 kg more mass, yet McMurtry insists that lap times should stay close to what the prototypes achieved.

Styling Evolution From Prototype to Production

Anyone familiar with the original Spéirling prototype will recognise the silhouette instantly, though a handful of refinements have smoothed out some of the more awkward details that come with packaging a single seat EV around a giant rear fan. The finished shape now looks like a scaled down front engined prototype racer, drawing comparisons to machines like the Panoz LMP1 or the short lived Nissan GT-R LM Nismo. Unlike those combustion powered ancestors, the Pure’s electric architecture means its mass sits low and centralised in the chassis.

Pricing and Availability

Buyers chasing genuine Formula 1 levels of performance in a road legal free but track only package can secure a Spéirling Pure for $1.3 million (approximately R21 million). In a segment where track only hypercars regularly creep well past the seven figure mark, that price arguably counts as restrained. The figure includes taxes and shipping, though as with any car in this price bracket, the options list will add plenty more before delivery.

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Bentley has pulled the curtain back on something genuinely new for the brand. Called Design Theme by Mulliner, it’s a bespoke styling package built exclusively for the Supersports, and it introduces a feature that’s never appeared on a production Bentley before: a paint finish that fades from one colour into another across the width of the car.

A Paint Job That Splits the Car in Two

Rather than a single, uniform exterior colour, the new theme runs a bold shade down the driver’s side that gradually blends into a darker tone as it wraps around to the passenger side. A single stripe, offset from the centreline and aligned with the passenger seat, runs the full length of the car from nose to tail.

It’s a clever way of reinforcing what the Continental Supersports is all about. This is a car built around the person behind the wheel, and regardless of whether that’s a left hand or right hand drive market, the highlight colour always favours the driver’s side. Finishing touches include a numeral eight badge on the front grille, plus a fine pinstripe tracing the carbon diffusers, fender blades and sills.

Three Curated Colourways to Choose From

Bentley designers have put together three distinct combinations, each covering both the cabin and the bodywork:

Dragon pairs a Dragon Red exterior fading into Black Crystal with a Hotspur and Beluga interior, landing on the more dramatic end of the spectrum.

Electric takes a gentler approach, with Electric Blue melting into Dark Sapphire outside, while the cabin gets a lift from vibrant Klein Blue accents against an Imperial Blue base.

Brodgar offers a more understated alternative, moving from Pale Brodgar into standard Brodgar on the outside, finished with Camel and Beluga inside.

Buyers after something even more individual aren’t limited to these three. Bentley retailers can put customers in touch with Mulliner directly to explore custom paint options beyond the standard theme.

Inside, It’s All About the Driver

The Supersports has always been a strictly two seat proposition, and the cabin doubles down on that idea. Go for the Design Theme by Mulliner and you get a two tone interior layout where the brighter shade wraps around the driver and the darker tone is reserved for the passenger side, mirroring the exterior split.

Full leather trim is standard, with the seats and door inserts finished in a perforation pattern unique to the Supersports. The gear lever is colour matched to the driver’s seat, and contrast stitching carries through to the dashboard and headrests for a properly motorsport inspired finish.

What Came Before: Level One and Level Two Themes

Design Theme by Mulliner sits above the two trims the Supersports launched with, known simply as Level One and Level Two. Both offered a three tone cabin, perforated Dinamica on the seats and doors, contrast stitching and embroidery, plus a heated three spoke steering wheel trimmed in three different hides.

Outside, Level One brought gloss black and diamond machined 22 inch wheels, pinstripe detailing on the body kit and a lower door badge, while Level Two added rear quarter livery stripes on top of that. Buyers could pick from five colour specifications across these trims: Skies, Meteorite, Daybreak, Snowstorm and Nightfall.

Where You Can See It First

The new Design Theme by Mulliner will make its public debut at this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed. It’ll be one of three specially painted Mulliner cars on show at Bentley’s stand, positioned diagonally opposite Goodwood House.

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Lamborghini has pulled the wraps off the new Urus SE Performante, and it’s now the quickest, most powerful and most dramatic looking version of its bestselling super SUV. Built to take on rivals like the Ferrari Purosangue, Aston Martin DBX and Bentley Bentayga, this latest Urus pushes the formula further than ever before.

Power and Performance

The SE Performante produces 801 hp (597kW) and 1,000 Nm (737 lb-ft) of torque, an increase of 144 hp (107 kW) and 150 Nm (110 lb-ft) over the outgoing Performante model.

That jump comes courtesy of a plug-in hybrid setup, pairing a twin-turbo 4.0-litre V8 with a single electric motor and a 25.9kWh battery pack. Drive goes to all four corners through an eight-speed automatic gearbox. It’s essentially the same hybrid system used in the standard Urus SE, but Lamborghini’s engineers have reworked the software to sharpen throttle response and cut down on lag.

Despite carrying more than 300 kg of extra hardware thanks to the hybrid components, and now tipping the scales at 2,473 kg, the SE Performante matches its predecessor’s 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) sprint of 3.3 seconds. It’s actually quicker on the way to 0 to 200 km/h (124 mph), managing the run in 10.8 seconds, and top speed has crept up slightly to 312 km/h (194 mph).

Buyers get more than half a dozen drive modes to play with, including a Rally setting tuned specifically for having fun on loose surfaces.

Efficiency Meets Excess

For those wanting to sneak past the neighbourhood watch quietly, the hybrid system allows for an electric only range of 59.5 km (37 miles). But when you want to be heard, a new titanium exhaust developed with Akrapovič turns up the volume considerably.

That exhaust also happens to save 10 kg in weight. Add in generous use of carbon fibre across the bonnet, roof, wheel arches, side skirts, rear diffuser and spoiler, and the new Performante ends up 32 kg lighter than the regular Urus SE.

Bold New Face

The redesigned front end isn’t just there to turn heads, although it certainly does that too. Lamborghini design boss Mitja Borkert explained that the larger, more aggressive air intakes were needed to improve cooling for both the V8 and the braking system, with the added bonus of giving the car serious road presence. The SE Performante sits on enormous 23 inch wheels, and the bonnet now features an S duct vent to help manage airflow.

Suspension and Chassis Upgrades

For the first time on any Urus, the SE Performante gets dual chamber air suspension paired with dual valve adaptive dampers. Where the previous Performante made do with semi active fixed spring suspension, this new setup allows for a much broader spread between plush comfort and track focused sharpness, switching character almost instantly.

Lamborghini says the changes cut body roll during cornering by more than 50 percent compared to the old Performante, while also reducing vibration through the cabin by a quarter.

Stefano Cossalter, the brand’s product director for Urus, said the three year development process paid off, calling the result “the best SUV in the market.”

To fine tune how the car reads the road, Lamborghini has fitted eight accelerometers, one at each wheel hub and four more spread across the chassis. There’s also a 6D sensor borrowed from the limited run Fenomeno hypercar, mounted near the car’s centre of gravity to help predict how it will react and to sharpen braking performance.

Cabin and Tech

Inside, the layout carries over from the standard Urus SE, with twin 12.3 inch displays taking centre stage. Physical toggle switches remain on the centre console alongside the aircraft inspired gear selector, flanked by separate controls for drive mode and hybrid settings.

Final Send Off for the Current Urus

The SE Performante arrives as one of the last hurrahs for this generation of Urus, which is now eight years old. Lamborghini has confirmed a next generation model is already in development, due in 2029, and it too will use plug in hybrid V8 power, quite possibly with even more output than what we see here.

Pricing and South African availability have not yet been confirmed by Lamborghini. We’ll update this article with rand pricing as soon as official figures are released.

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Most owners of multi-million dollar hypercars go out of their way to protect every panel from the slightest scratch. Bugatti’s new Mistral Blanc Éternel takes that anxiety to another level entirely, swapping out the standard car’s aluminium trim for genuine white porcelain.

A Collaboration With Royal Porcelain Heritage

The one-off Mistral was developed alongside Königliche Porzellan Manufaktur (KPM), a storied porcelain house based in Berlin that traces its roots back to King Frederick the Great of Prussia. That partnership shows up everywhere on this car, starting with a porcelain-white paint finish set off by hand-masked black striping. The lines aren’t just decorative either. They’re meant to echo the digital modelling process Bugatti’s designers used when shaping the Mistral in the first place, and they trace the car’s curves in a way that feels genuinely considered rather than tacked on.

Porcelain Everywhere You Look Inside

Step inside and the KPM influence continues. The speaker grilles, gear selector, window switches and various trim pieces are all crafted from porcelain rather than the usual carbon or aluminium. White leather upholstery ties the cabin together, again finished with the same black pinstripe detailing found on the exterior. One quirky omission: there are no cupholders anywhere in the cabin. Bugatti has compensated in its own way, teaming up with KPM to produce a limited run of 1,000 reusable porcelain coffee cups designed to match the car.

Power From Bugatti’s Final W16 Engine

The Mistral holds the distinction of being the last Bugatti built around the brand’s iconic W16 engine, and the Blanc Éternel edition dresses that eight litre, quad turbo unit in white trim with KPM’s signature sceptre emblem stamped into it. Output remains unchanged from the standard car at 1,578 hp (1,177 kW), enough to send this hypercar from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in just 2.4 seconds and on to a top speed of 439 km/h (273 mph).

Not Bugatti’s First Porcelain Project

This isn’t new territory for Bugatti. Back in 2011 the brand released the Veyron Grand Sport L’Or Blanc, another W16 powered, open top hypercar built with porcelain detailing in collaboration with KPM. It remains a niche pairing, but clearly one Bugatti is happy to revisit roughly once every decade and a half.

Pricing and Availability

Given the Blanc Éternel is a one of one build, Bugatti hasn’t released official pricing. For context, though, the standard Mistral is limited to just 99 units and starts at around £4.2 million (approximately R91,140,000) before options, so a bespoke porcelain edition will sit comfortably above that figure.

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Porsche has confirmed that its trio of one off Toy Story inspired sports cars, revealed earlier this month, has already been sold. A single collector has snapped up all three vehicles in a deal that comes with a generous twist: a pledge of $3.0 million (roughly R49.2 million) split between three children’s charities.

A $3 Million Donation Behind the Sale

The buyer, who has chosen to remain anonymous, is directing $1 million (about R16.4 million) each to Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, the American Red Cross, and the Starlight Children’s Foundation. Speaking about the purchase, the buyer, a long time Porsche collector with a history of philanthropic work, explained that once they understood both the craftsmanship behind the cars and the impact of the charities involved, the decision practically made itself.

Inside Porsche’s Sonderwunsch Workshop

All three cars were built by Porsche’s Sonderwunsch division, the in house team that handles the brand’s most ambitious personalisation projects. Each car reportedly took around 350 hours of hand painted detailing to complete, a level of effort that puts these builds firmly in showpiece territory rather than anything close to a standard customisation order.

Buzz Lightyear Takes Shape as a 911 GT3 RS

The first car, based on the 911 GT3 RS fitted with the Weissach Package, channels Buzz Lightyear through a white, green, and purple exterior livery. The cabin continues the theme with matching purple and green accents woven throughout the interior trim.

Jessie’s Look Comes Alive in a 911 Targa 4 GTS

The second build, a 911 Targa 4 GTS, takes inspiration from Jessie. It’s a more restrained exterior statement, with blue rocker panels and touches of yellow, but the interior tells a different story. Dark Night Blue leather dominates the cabin, set off by red stitching and accents, while the floor mats carry a playful cow print nod to the character.

Woody’s Denim Finish Steals the Show

Rounding out the trio is a 911 Carrera T finished to resemble Woody, complete with a genuine denim textured exterior. To achieve the look, the Sonderwunsch team pressed actual denim fabric into the wet paint before it cured, leaving a one of a kind texture behind. Inside, brown leather and a checkered pattern carry the cowboy theme through to the seats.

Why This Sale Matters Beyond the Cars Themselves

What makes this story stand out isn’t just the artistry on display, it’s the way Porsche and its buyer have turned a flashy collector’s purchase into a meaningful contribution for children and families. It’s a reminder that even the most niche corners of the car world can do real good.

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BMW has lifted the covers off the fifth generation X5, and this time round the Sports Activity Vehicle pioneer is offering something it has never done before: a genuine spread of powertrains under one roof. Diesel, plug-in hybrid and a pure electric variant will all sit on the same showroom floor, with a hydrogen fuel cell version reportedly joining the lineup further down the road in 2028.

For South African buyers, three derivatives are confirmed at launch: the xDrive40d, the 50e xDrive plug-in hybrid, and the fully electric iX5 60 xDrive. A high performance M Performance PHEV is also part of the global range, with a full M variant expected to follow once the new generation beds in.

A New Design Language Built On Neue Klasse Foundations

The new X5 carries over the same Neue Klasse design philosophy first seen on the smaller iX3, though it isn’t simply a stretched copy. The body has been pulled wide over its haunches, the wheel arches can swallow rims up to 23 inches, and the glazed kidney grille is flanked by sharp, technical headlight clusters.

Every version gets a new double X headlight signature as standard, though buyers who prefer a more familiar look can switch this to a simpler two bar design. M Performance models go a step further with yellow tinted headlight elements, although EU lighting rules mean they only illuminate in yellow when the main beam is switched on.

Door handles have disappeared entirely, replaced by small flush mounted nodules at the base of the window line, a move that echoes what Volvo has done on its new EX60 and gives the cabin sides a cleaner, almost concept car finish. One change that won’t please everyone is the move to a single piece tailgate, doing away with the split opening boot that has long been an X5 signature.

BMW X5 xDrive40d: The Diesel Anchor

The inline six cylinder diesel remains the volume seller in most markets, and it hasn’t been left behind in the shift toward electrification. The xDrive40d gains a 48V mild hybrid system that smooths out engine operation and extends idle stop functionality.

Output sits at 308 hp (230kW) and a meaty 670 Nm of torque, sent to all four wheels through an eight speed automatic gearbox. BMW pegs the 0 to 100 km/h (62mph) sprint at 6.1 seconds, putting it well ahead of the Audi Q7 TDI on both power and pace. Fuel economy is provisionally rated at 40.1mpg on the UK cycle.

BMW X5 50e xDrive: Plug-In Hybrid Muscle

Sitting above the diesel is the 50e xDrive, built around a 3.0 litre inline six petrol engine paired with an electric motor sandwiched between the engine and the eight speed transmission. Total system output comes in at 482 hp (359kW). For buyers wanting more, the M60e variant lifts this to 603 hp (450 kW), though it isn’t part of the initial South African lineup.

Both hybrid versions share a 26.5kWh battery pack mounted beneath the cabin floor, good for roughly 96km (60 miles) of electric only range depending on wheel specification. That puts the 50e firmly among the class leaders for EV range in a plug-in hybrid SUV. Under the newer, more realistic weighted test that accounts for a depleted battery.

BMW iX5 60 xDrive: The Fully Electric Flagship

This is the headline act. The iX5 effectively takes over from the outgoing iX as BMW’s flagship electric SUV, and the numbers are seriously impressive. The 60 xDrive uses a dual motor setup paired with a huge 141kWh battery pack, delivering a claimed range of up to 845 km (525 miles).

That figure puts real distance between the iX5 and key rivals. The latest Porsche Cayenne electric tops out at around 642 km (399 miles), while the Mercedes EQE SUV manages 599 km (372 miles) at best. Charging is equally strong, with peak DC rates of up to 460kW for those who can track down a charger capable of delivering it.

Performance hasn’t been sacrificed for range either. The iX5 60 xDrive produces 569 hp (424kW) and 805Nm of torque, enough to send it from 0 to 100k m/h (62mph) in just 4.6 seconds, with a top speed capped at 209km/h (130mph).

Chassis And Suspension Tech

The X5’s underpinnings are noticeably more sophisticated than what you’ll find on the smaller iX3. Adaptive air suspension is fitted across most of the range, while M Performance derivatives add active anti-roll control and rear-wheel steering for sharper handling at speed.

Cabin Tech: Panoramic i-Drive Takes Centre Stage

Step inside and the traditional driver’s instrument cluster is gone, replaced by BMW’s full-width Panoramic i-Drive display that stretches along the base of the windscreen. It’s a configurable strip that keeps key information directly in the driver’s line of sight without forcing their eyes too far from the road.

Two further screens dominate the dashboard, headlined by a 17.8-inch central touchscreen handling most of the car’s core functions, plus a secondary display angled toward the passenger. Both run BMW’s newest software, with route planning baked directly into the navigation system.

Material quality has been lifted noticeably above the iX3, with leather and suede-style fabric trim spread across the dash and doors, plus a new ambient lighting strip woven into a metallic panel that runs behind the screens and into the door cards. Practical touches haven’t been forgotten either, with twin cupholders, a deep central storage bin, and a MagSafe wireless charging pad for iPhone owners built into the lower dash.

For now, BMW has only confirmed a five-seat, two-row layout for the X5, with seven-seat duties expected to remain the job of the larger X7.

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Ariel has done it again. The British manufacturer’s most extreme road car yet, the Atom 4RR, has set a new road legal lap record at the Anglesey International (GP) Circuit in Wales, and it didn’t just nudge the previous mark, it obliterated it.

Behind the wheel was Ariel’s in house test driver Phil Keen, who guided the 4RR around the 2.05 mile (3.30 km) North Wales venue in 1:27.77. That’s a full second and a half quicker than the previous benchmark of 1:29.35, a time set by a Manthey racing developed Porsche 911 GT2 RS. The kicker is that Ariel achieved this in a fully road legal car, riding on regular road tyres, not slicks.

Why Anglesey Suits the Atom So Well

Anglesey isn’t your average circuit. Carved into the dramatic North Wales coastline, the track is known for its quick, flowing corners, constant elevation changes, and exposure to brutal crosswinds coming off the water. It’s a layout that punishes hesitation and rewards a driver, and a car, that can commit fully through fast direction changes.

That combination plays directly into the Atom’s hands. The car’s entire design philosophy revolves around shedding mass and sharpening the connection between driver and machine, so a track like Anglesey becomes the perfect proving ground for exactly that kind of engineering.

Data From the Track Feeds Back Into Every Atom

This record run wasn’t a one off marketing exercise. It’s part of Ariel’s continuous track testing programme, where lap data gathered from cars like the 4RR is fed straight back to the engineering team. The benefit isn’t only theoretical either, Atom owners get genuine access to that same engineering and driving talent, closing the loop between what’s learned on track and what ends up in customer cars.

Henry Siebert Saunders, Ariel’s Managing Director, summed up the achievement by pointing to the brand’s habit of evolving the Atom through a mix of engineering ambition and direct customer feedback. He described the 4RR as the sharpest expression of that approach so far, crediting both Phil Keen’s driving and the wider Ariel team for the result.

Inside the Ariel Atom 4RR

The 4RR sits at the very top of a nameplate with 25 years of history behind it, now into its fourth generation. True to Ariel’s roots, the car tips the scales at under 700 kg and pairs that featherweight structure with a bespoke, motorsport specification engine producing 525 bhp (391 kW).

Every part of the car, from the hand built engine through to the chassis, suspension, and aero package, has been reworked with one goal in mind: consistent, predictable performance when you’re pushing hard for an extended stint, not just a single fast lap. Despite the track focus, the 4RR remains fully road legal, so it isn’t confined to circuit days only.

Pricing and Availability

The standard Ariel Atom range kicks off at £48,000 (+ taxes), which converts to roughly R1,040,318 at current exchange rates. The 4RR, as the range topping model, starts from £208,000 (+ taxes), working out to approximately R4,508,046. It’s being built strictly to order and only in limited numbers, so this isn’t a car you’ll find sitting on a showroom floor.

Ariel will also be bringing the Atom 4RR to the 2026 Goodwood Festival of Speed, giving fans a chance to see the record breaking machine up close.

The post Ariel Atom 4RR Smashes Anglesey Lap Record Beating Manthey Porsche 911 GT2 RS appeared first on Zero2Turbo | High-Performance Car News, Reviews and Videos from South Africa.

Just months after offloading Italdesign, Volkswagen Group’s appetite for trimming its Italian portfolio appears far from satisfied. Fresh reporting from the Financial Times suggests that two of the group’s most prized possessions, Lamborghini and Ducati, are once again being discussed internally as potential sale or part-sale candidates to help fund the carmaker’s enormous transformation costs.

A Sale That Once Seemed Impossible

For Italy’s automotive world, this would be no small story. Italdesign, the studio behind the Fiat Panda, Lancia Delta and original Volkswagen Golf, has already changed hands. Now two unmistakably “Made in Italy” names sit under the spotlight.

Last year Volkswagen handed a majority stake in Italdesign to Indian conglomerate UST. At the time, the company insisted little would change day to day, with the Turin base, staff and Italian character all staying intact. Yet the deal made one thing clear: Wolfsburg is willing to reshape its business empire to keep the bigger transformation plan funded.

Why Volkswagen Needs the Cash

The backdrop here is a brutal restructuring drive. Volkswagen is working through a plan that could see as many as 100,000 jobs cut and several German factories shuttered. At the same time, the group still has to pour tens of billions of euros into EVs, battery production, software and autonomous driving systems, none of which come cheap.

A recent 51 percent sale of Everllence, the marine and industrial engine specialist, brought in roughly 7.4 billion euros (R138.75 billion). Analysts reckon a large chunk of that windfall will simply be swallowed by restructuring bills rather than reinvested in new technology.

Lamborghini and Ducati Back in the Spotlight

Both brands keep surfacing in conversations among financial advisors mapping out Volkswagen’s options, and it’s easy to see why. Lamborghini consistently posts some of the fattest profit margins in the entire industry, while Ducati carries a fiercely loyal following and a brand image that punches well above its size.

Talk of a standalone Lamborghini listing isn’t new. Industry watchers have floated the idea of an IPO for years, a move that would let Volkswagen bank fresh capital while still holding onto a slice of the Sant’Agata marque. Ducati, meanwhile, has already walked right up to the exit door once before.

Ducati’s Near Miss in 2017

Back in 2017, in the aftermath of Dieselgate, Volkswagen actually kicked off a process to sell Ducati to help bankroll its pivot toward electrification. Serious suitors lined up, among them Investindustrial, Bain Capital and the Benetton family, with bids said to be hovering around 1.5 billion euros (R28.13 billion).

That deal never happened. German labour representatives, who carry real weight on Volkswagen’s supervisory board, pushed back hard against the sale. There was also friction between Volkswagen and Audi, which has owned Ducati since 2012 and wasn’t keen to let it go.

What’s Different Nine Years Later

The landscape today looks nothing like 2017. Competition from Chinese manufacturers has intensified sharply, EV investment demands have ballooned, and Volkswagen’s share price has slid considerably since Oliver Blume took over as CEO. All of that adds pressure that simply wasn’t there the first time Ducati’s sale was on the table.

No Decision Yet, But the Door Isn’t Closed

For now, Volkswagen has not confirmed any intention to sell either brand, and no final call has been made. Other avenues are reportedly being explored too, including bringing in outside investors for parts of the battery, software and autonomous driving businesses rather than offloading entire marques.

Still, the fact that Lamborghini and Ducati keep coming up in these discussions says a lot about the pressure Europe’s largest carmaker is under. After watching Italdesign change hands, the idea of Lamborghini or Ducati eventually leaving the Volkswagen fold no longer feels far fetched.

The post Could Volkswagen Be Ready to Cut Lamborghini and Ducati Loose? appeared first on Zero2Turbo | High-Performance Car News, Reviews and Videos from South Africa.

The 2027 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1X has done something remarkable at one of motorsport’s most demanding venues as it has rewritten the production car record at the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb (PPIHC).

The annual race up Colorado’s iconic mountain was blessed with ideal conditions this year. No clouds, no rain, and no snow meant the stage was perfectly set for the mountain to give up some of its records, and that’s exactly what happened.

A Record That Needed No Official Class to Matter

The production car record at Pikes Peak isn’t an officially recognised PPIHC class, but that hasn’t made it any less coveted. The previous benchmark had been held by a 2022 Porsche 911 Turbo S which is a formidable standard-bearer by any measure.

That record now belongs to the ZR1X.

The Run That Changed Everything

Driver JR Hildebrand piloted the 2027 Corvette ZR1X to the 14,115-foot summit in a time of 9:30.104. To put that into context, the previous record stood at 9:53.541, set by David Donner under non-race-day conditions. Donner’s official race-day best had been a 10:34.053.

This year, Donner returned and posted a very respectable 9:53.740. But just two runs later, Hildebrand and the ZR1X arrived and rendered it irrelevant.

Stock From the Factory, Fast From the Factory

What makes this achievement particularly striking is what the ZR1X was not. It wasn’t a stripped-out time-attack special or a factory-backed prototype with hidden modifications. The car ran on its standard carbon wheels fitted with Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R tyres with the only changes being the mandatory safety equipment required by race regulations, including a roll cage, racing harness, and fuel cell.

Everything else? Straight off the production line.

The ZR1X Continues to Make Its Case

This Pikes Peak record is the latest in a growing list of landmark moments for the ZR1X. The car has already proven itself at the Nürburgring, and its straight-line performance credentials are equally impressive. With a Pikes Peak production car record now added to its résumé, Chevrolet’s American hypercar continues to make the case that genuinely world-class performance doesn’t have to come with a European badge or an eight-figure price tag.

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