AUTONEWS

South Korean researchers develop new battery recycling process

South Korean researchers have developed a process that could overcome one of the major obstacles in directly recycling used batteries by completely separating current collectors from cathode material.

The Korea Institute of Energy Research said Tuesday that a team led by researchers at its Gwangju Clean Energy Research Center developed the new separation technology.

A current collector is a conductive component that helps electricity flow through a battery.

It is bonded tightly to electrode materials so that it does not separate during repeated charging and discharging.

That strong adhesion, however, creates difficulties during recycling. Conventional processes can require specialized solvents containing hazardous chemicals to dissolve the bonding material.

Residues from the process can also be absorbed into recycled material and reduce the performance of reconstructed electrodes.

As the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) continues to grow, the disposal of spent EV batteries is emerging as a major social and environmental challenge. Wastewater generated during conventional battery recycling processes can contain high concentrations of heavy metals, posing risks of soil and groundwater contamination.

Cathode materials*, which play a key role in determining battery capacity, also contain significant amounts of costly critical metals such as cobalt, whose extraction can cause environmental damage. As a result, direct recycling technologies for spent batteries, which can preserve the existing structure of battery materials while recovering valuable resources, are gaining increasing attention.

* Cathode material: A key battery component that stores and releases lithium ions during charging and discharging, playing an essential role in the generation of electrical energy

Against this backdrop, a research team led by Dr. Jung-Je Woo of the Gwangju Clean Energy Research Center at the Korea Institute of Energy Research (KIER) has developed a technology that completely separates current collectors, one of the major technical challenges in the direct recycling of spent batteries. The team also succeeded in simultaneously regenerating spent cathode materials to a performance level comparable to that of pristine materials.

The key to the newly developed technology lies in the complete separation of the current collector from the cathode material. Current collectors facilitate the flow of electricity within batteries and are strongly bonded to cathode materials so that they remain firmly attached during repeated charging and discharging. During battery recycling, however, this strong adhesion has traditionally required the use of specialized solutions containing hazardous chemicals to dissolve the bonding components. In addition, residual substances generated during this process can remain on the cathode material, potentially degrading the performance of the regenerated electrodes. As a result, current collector separation has remained a major challenge in direct battery recycling.

Researchers discuss the technology developed by the team(image above). Credit:KOREA INSTITUTE OF ENERGY RESEARCH

To overcome this limitation, the research team developed a solution-based recycling process. When spent cathode materials are immersed in a diethylene glycol solution and heated to 130°C, the diethylene glycol undergoes oxidation to form glycolaldehyde. Because glycolaldehyde readily interacts with other molecules, it weakens the adhesion between the cathode material and the current collector, enabling complete separation of the current collector. At the same time, electrons generated during the oxidation of diethylene glycol facilitate the replenishment of lithium ions in the cathode material, enabling delamination and regeneration occur simultaneously in a single step.

Using the developed process, the researchers regenerated NCM and LFP cathode materials, both widely used in electric vehicles. The regenerated NCM cathode recovered 99.1% of the capacity of pristine material, while the regenerated LFP cathode recovered 99.7%, demonstrating performance nearly equivalent to that of pristine cathode materials.

* NCM: A lithium-ion battery cathode material containing nickel, cobalt, and manganese.

* LFP: A lithium-ion battery cathode material containing lithium, iron, and phosphate (lithium iron phosphate).

The researchers also applied the technology to degraded cathode material from a 50-ampere-hour (Ah) EV battery and fabricated it to a small pouch cell using the regenerated material. The discharge capacity increased from 30.6 milliampere-hours (mAh) to 34.6 mAh, demonstrating the potential of the technology for regenerating cathode materials recovered from actual EV batteries.

Dr. Jinju Song of KIER, who led the study, said, “This technology enables spent battery cathode materials to be recycled without dissolving the active material, making it an environmentally friendly approach that can reduce both wastewater-related pollution and energy consumption.” She added, “The process is simple and does not require specialized sealed processing environments, giving it strong potential for industrial application.”

To address the problem, the researchers developed a solution-based recycling method using diethylene glycol.

When used cathode material is immersed in diethylene glycol and heated to 130 degrees Celsius, or 266 degrees Fahrenheit, oxidation converts part of the solution into glycolaldehyde.

Because glycolaldehyde readily bonds with other molecules, it weakens adhesion between the cathode material and the current collector, allowing the collector to be completely separated, the institute said.

At the same time, electrons released as the diethylene glycol oxidizes can help recharge lithium ions into the cathode material.

Tests using nickel-cobalt-manganese, or NCM, cathodes and lithium iron phosphate, or LFP, cathodes used in electric vehicles showed that the process restored the NCM material to 99.1% of the capacity of new material and the LFP material to 99.7%.

Researchers also restored degraded cathode material taken from a 50-ampere-hour electric vehicle battery and tested it in a small cell.

Discharge capacity increased from 30.6 milliampere-hours to 34.6 milliampere-hours, demonstrating potential application to batteries used in electric vehicles, according to the institute.

"This technology allows used battery cathode materials to be recycled without dissolving them, reducing environmental pollution from wastewater while also lowering energy consumption," researcher Song Jin-joo said.

"The process is simple and does not require a sealed operating environment, giving it strong potential for industrial application," Song said.

Korea Institute of Energy Research

RENAULT

Redesigned Dacia Duster to arrive in 2028

Dacia Duster, one of Europe's best-selling SUVs, has unexpectedly found itself in a sales slump. After ruling the affordable SUV class for more than a decade and a half, the new Duster has seen its sales plummet by 41 percent in France since the beginning of the year. The leaders of the Romanian brand owned by Renault are forced to react quickly, and a radical redesign and a serious technological leap are already scheduled for 2028 to preserve its dominant position.

There are several reasons for the decline in customer interest, and the first blow came from the Dacia family itself. With the advent of the larger Bigster model, many buyers who need more cabin space were willing to pay a small price difference to get a more spacious car. In addition, the absence of a fully electric version at a time when electrified vehicles are taking an increasing share of the market has further slowed sales. However, the biggest threat comes from the East, where Chinese cars and brands offer extremely affordable, modernly equipped and hybrid SUV models at prices that directly threaten the Romanian trump card.

The invasion of Chinese cars and a blow from its own home...In order to keep up with ever stronger competition, Dacia is preparing a thorough refresh for the Duster, which will debut in 2028. The exterior design will take over details from the latest elevated Striker model, primarily in the form of a striking T-shaped light signature. The front will receive a thin horizontal LED strip with a potentially illuminated brand logo, while vertical light elements on the bumper will give the car a more robust and modern stance, similar to the latest Škoda models.

In addition, new wing mirrors taken from the sixth-generation Renault Clio model, a fresh wheel design and modified rear lights that will extend all the way to the trunk sill are expected, writes the “MotorLand” portal.

The interior of the new Duster will undergo a digital transformation, first of all. The Romanian SUV is expected to adopt the modern solution from the version sold in India under the Renault badge, which includes two connected large screens on the dashboard. Dacia will not abandon its basic philosophy of an affordable car, so expensive soft plastics will not massively replace harder materials. However, the cabin will receive higher-quality fabrics and new upholstery seen on the Stiker model. When it comes to powertrains, the offer will remain modern mild hybrids, classic hybrids and gas versions, while major mechanical changes are not expected because Renault is redirecting all development resources towards full electrification.

Autonews

MOTO GP

Marc Márquez unstoppable in MotorLand

Marc Márquez confirmed his expected dominance at Aragón, repeating his Saturday performance to win the main race this Sunday (30). The Spaniard made short work of Marco Bezzecchi in the opening laps, withstood pressure from Pedro Acosta, and once again turned MotorLand into a sea of ​​fans, celebrating the victory in front of a crowd of over 50,000.

Acosta put in a very strong ride to secure second place for KTM, while Bezzecchi settled for third to round out the podium for Aprilia. Álex Márquez and Jorge Martín completed the top five in Spain.

Diogo Moreira repeated the strong form he had shown all weekend on the LCR Honda; capitalizing on crashes involving Francesco Bagnaia and Franco Morbidelli, he crossed the finish line in ninth to secure another top-10 finish and more points in the Riders' Championship.

The top 10 for the MotoGP Aragon GP was as follows: Marc Márquez, Pedro Acosta, Marco Bezzecchi, Álex Márquez, Jorge Martín, Fermín Aldeguer, Fabio Di Giannantonio, Enea Bastianini, Diogo Moreira, and Brad Binder.

He beat fellow Spaniard Pedro Acosta and Italian Marco Bezzecchi, moving up to second place in the 2026 MotoGP standings—just 19 points behind Spaniard Jorge Martín, who managed only fifth place.

Marco Bezzecchi got a good start from pole position, but Marc Márquez repeated his move from the previous day to take the lead at the first corner. However, Bezzecchi fought back and reclaimed the position, while Álex Márquez found himself sandwiched between two riders, with Jorge Martín coming out on top. Shortly after, Martín overtook Marc as well.

Marc lunged into the chicane, catching Martín off guard and giving him a slight bump that cost him the position, bringing Pedro Acosta into the mix. Still on the first lap, Álex Márquez reclaimed fifth place from Raúl Fernández, and on the second lap, he overtook Martín to take fourth.

Bezzecchi opened up a gap of nearly a second over Marc, who gradually began to close the distance until, on the sixth lap, he lunged into the chicane; they went side-by-side down the straight, with Marc taking the position on the outside while Acosta seized the opportunity to overtake the Italian as well.

Behind them, several riders dropped out in quick succession: first Pecco Bagnaia crashed, then Raúl Fernández pitted with a mechanical issue, and within a single lap, Franco Morbidelli crashed out.

Marc Márquez began to set the pace—a pace Acosta seemed able to match without much difficulty—while Bezzecchi struggled and Álex closed in. This left Martín completely isolated, five seconds behind Fermín Aldeguer, who was beginning to pull away from Fabio Di Giannantonio.

Acosta kept pace with Márquez until the nine-time champion dropped his lap times into the 1:46 range for several consecutive laps, opening up a lead of over a second with eight laps remaining. The rider from Murcia then turned his attention to Bezzecchi, who was less than a second behind and had already definitively left Álex in his wake.

After opening up a one-and-a-half-second lead, Marc Márquez eased off and settled into a comfortable pace to maintain the gap and secure an undisputed victory, while Pedro Acosta held a solid lead over Marco Bezzecchi to clinch an excellent second place.

Álex Márquez and Jorge Martín rounded out the top five, with Fermín Aldeguer finishing sixth after overtaking Fabio Di Giannantonio. Enea Bastianini snatched eighth place from Diogo Moreira on the final lap. Brad Binder completed the top ten, with Joan Mir and Álex Rins finishing in the points.

Pedro Acosta seized the opportunity during the battle to overtake the Italian rider as well, moving up to second place. Bezzecchi finished the race in third. With this result, Marc has now taken over second place in the championship standings.

Fermín Aldeguer secured P6 for Gresini, keeping VR46's Fabio Di Giannantonio behind him during the battle. The Spaniard was returning to racing after suffering back injuries at Assen.

Further back, Raúl Fernández retired due to a technical issue. The result deals another blow to his championship hopes, coming on a weekend when his Trackhouse teammate, Ai Ogura, was sidelined by injury.

Francesco Bagnaia also failed to finish the race. The Ducati rider crashed early in the GP while running in P7. Shortly after, his compatriot Franco Morbidelli also crashed out.

Toprak Razgatlıoğlu crashed with three laps remaining while running in P15. As a result, Johann Zarco gained a position to finish P15, scoring a point on his return weekend after serving the two long-lap penalties imposed in Catalonia.

Marc Márquez won the 23-lap race for Ducati Lenovo. Acosta finished P2, 1.754s behind the winner, while Bezzecchi rounded out the podium, 3.629s back.

Álex Márquez finished P4, followed by Martín in P5. Aldeguer took P6, ahead of Di Giannantonio in P7. Enea Bastianini finished P8, while Diogo Moreira was P9 and Brad Binder completed the top 10.

Jack Miller finished P11, Joan Mir P12, Álex Rins P13, Luca Marini P14, and Zarco P15. Pol Espargaró finished P16, Lorenzo Savadori P17, and Fabio Quartararo P18.

Diogo Moreira rode a strong race and battled Enea Bastianini in the closing laps; he managed to hold off the Tech3 rider for much of the time but ultimately couldn't match the Italian's pace, losing eighth place to him. 

Marc Márquez secured victory at the Aragon Grand Prix, completing a double win at MotorLand following yesterday's victory in the Sprint race (video below).

by: Autonews

 

AUTONEWS

Volkswagen CEO warns of cuts: "Half in Germany and half internationally"

Oliver Blume, CEO of the German automotive group Volkswagen, told employees at a staff meeting that cost-cutting measures are necessary.

"We need to reduce complexity, consistently simplify our structures, and cut costs," Blume said in his speech at the staff meeting in Wolfsburg—where the group is headquartered—according to German media reports.

More than 10,000 employees protested against the cost-cutting plans and booed Blume in Wolfsburg, according to reports from ZDF, Germany's second public television channel.

A plan that eliminates 100,000 jobs..."Tariffs, new competitors, and geopolitical risks: the entire automotive industry is under enormous pressure," Blume said in his speech.

Volkswagen Group, owner of brands such as VW, Audi, Porsche, and Seat/Cupra, has already begun restructuring the company and announced in December 2024 the cutting of 50,000 jobs in Germany. However, in recent months, Blume has stated that it is necessary to cut another 50,000 jobs and close four factories in Germany.

Works council chair Daniela Cavallo criticized Blume's announcement regarding the layoff of another 50,000 employees, arguing that the figure was theoretically calculated to improve the company's image on the stock market.

"You can't work with a CEO who doesn't tell his employees what to do!" declared Cavallo in her speech, in which she criticized the lack of a concrete plan. "Our market share is growing, but it is still not enough," Blume added to the employees.

"We have a permanent annual deficit of 1.5 billion euros, which is why we are under great pressure to act"... Oliver Blume, CEO of Volkswagen Group

Volkswagen Group's non-production costs are 30% higher than those of similar companies. "From the current perspective, approximately half of the necessary adjustments are in Germany and the other half internationally, across a total of about 170 companies," the VW CEO added during a meeting with employees at the group's headquarters.

Volkswagen's CEO told workers at the Emden plant that cost-cutting measures at the German automaker are ongoing. The facility, located in Lower Saxony, is one of four group plants without a defined business plan beyond 2030.

Blume described plant closures as a last resort and a costly measure for the company. Even so, he made it clear to employees that the company must measure itself not only against its own past performance but also against the group's best European plants.

According to Blume, the payroll costs at Emden are more than double those of comparable facilities in Europe, and other plants continue to operate with significantly lower expenses. He presented this numerical difference as a reflection of the reality against which the company must measure itself, rather than as a direct criticism of the workers.

"Labor costs today are more than double those of comparable European facilities. And when it comes to plant costs, other units are still significantly cheaper. This isn't a criticism—it's the reality against which we must measure ourselves," Blume said.

He spoke during a series of visits to Volkswagen factories this week, part of an effort to garner support for restructuring measures amidst uncertainty regarding the future of plants lacking defined projects.

Despite the high-cost scenario, Blume told workers that Volkswagen's responsibility would not end if the group failed to secure the plant's future. The company will seek industrial solutions with partners and investors to preserve jobs at its facilities.

"This journey isn't over yet. Because we don't just compare ourselves to our own past performance. We compare ourselves to the best plants in Europe," he told the employees. Volkswagen shares closed up 3.47% last Wednesday (27) at €76.10, marking a gain of €2.55 during the trading session. Blume’s remarks reinforce that cost-cutting will remain a priority for the automaker in the coming months, with the Emden plant among the key areas of focus for management.

High costs weigh on competitiveness...Volkswagen is not at its best right now. Facing pressure from the growth of Chinese automakers, the brand saw a 26% drop in sales in China during the first half of 2026. Other factors, such as high tariffs on car imports to the United States and declining demand in Europe, have also impacted the company.

“The situation is critical,” Blume said in the statement. He added that while an operating margin below 4% is solid in the current environment, “it is not enough to generate long-term funds for new technologies, new products, and our facilities.”

German plants may operate below capacity...In July, Volkswagen revealed plans to trim its model lineup and reduce production capacity. In early August, VW’s controlling entities ramped up pressure on stakeholders, demanding drastic restructuring efforts.

Oliver Blume projects that four of the automaker's German sites—Hanover, Zwickau, Emden, and the Audi plant in Neckarsulm—will fail to reach competitive levels of capacity utilization by 2030, though he emphasized that no official decision has yet been made regarding plant closures.

According to the CEO, progress has been made in some areas of Volkswagen’s operations, but it is not enough to fully turn the automaker around—even without factoring in the pressure from new Chinese competitors or the situation at its European plants.

 

TUNNING

BTS Creativity Indecent 009

BTS Creativity has taken the Porsche 911, one of the most iconic sports cars of all time, and transformed it into something even more extreme, wider and more dramatic.

This is the Indecent 009, a radical reinterpretation of the German coupe created by BTS Creativity, an Italian company specializing in luxury conversions.

This is not a project that just changes a few details. Instead, it completely changes the proportions of the 911 with an aggressive body kit, air suspension, huge wheels and a cabin worthy of a truly unique car.

The transformation begins with the body, which has been significantly modified to give it a more muscular and aggressive look. The Indecent project replaces and reshapes a large part of the original body panels, keeping only elements such as the hood, roof and doors.

A more muscular 911...The transformation starts with the bodywork, which has been heavily modified to create a more muscular and aggressive look. The Indecent project replaces and reshapes much of the original exterior paneling, retaining only elements such as the hood, roof, and doors.

The result is a wider, more imposing silhouette, with enlarged wheel arches housing huge wheels made specifically for this model. The air suspension also allows the car to sit extremely low, to the point where the tires almost appear tucked into the bodywork, creating the dramatic stance typical of the most extreme custom builds.

The rear end is also one of the Indecent 009’s most distinctive features. The tail has been redesigned with much wider proportions, a full-width LED light bar spanning the rear, and a central dual exhaust that underscores the car’s sporty character.

The result is a wider and more striking silhouette, with flared fenders that house huge wheels made especially for this model. The air suspension also allows the car to sit extremely low, so much so that the tires almost appear to be pulled into the bodywork, creating a dramatic stance characteristic of the most extreme car modifications.

The rear end is also one of the most recognizable elements of the Indecent 009. The rear end has been redesigned with significantly wider proportions, an LED light strip that runs the entire width of the rear and a centrally placed dual exhaust system that further emphasizes the car's sporty character.

Beneath the modified bodywork, the character of the 911 997.1 and 997.2 generations remains, with a traditional naturally aspirated six-cylinder boxer engine developing 355 hp.

The cabin of this special Porsche follows the same philosophy as the exterior, featuring premium materials, sporty details and a strong focus on personalization. Sparco seats, upholstered in suede-like material and crafted with carbon shells, are reminiscent of the world of motor racing, while leather and carefully crafted surfaces cover much of the interior.

The price of the Indecent 009 model has not been publicly announced and is only being communicated to interested buyers, which further emphasizes the exclusivity of this conversion.

 

Autonews

 

MOTO GP

MotoGP: Marc Márquez wins Aragon GP sprint

Marc Márquez won the MotoGP Aragon Grand Prix Sprint this Saturday (29) at the MotorLand Aragón circuit in Spain. The Ducati rider dominated the race and crossed the finish line ahead of his brother, Álex Márquez, while Marco Bezzecchi rounded out the podium.

Marco Bezzecchi got a good start from pole position, but Marc Márquez forced his way into the first corner and overtook the Italian, with Álex Márquez seizing the opportunity to pass his brother. Raúl Fernández and Jorge Martín followed close behind. Further back, Luca Marini crashed out.

The battle between Fernández and Martín played into Pedro Acosta's hands; he overtook both of them to take fourth place. Behind them, Diogo Moreira passed Fabio Di Giannantonio to catch up to Fernández, whom he managed to overtake after Di Giannantonio crashed on the second lap.

On the third lap, Martín attempted to pass Acosta and succeeded on his second try, further extending the gap to the leading trio, where Marc Márquez was gradually gaining tenths of a second on Álex and Bezzecchi. Further back, Fabio Quartararo retired from the race with smoke pouring from his Yamaha.

Martín tried to overtake Bezzecchi but made a mistake, allowing Acosta to pass him back. Speaking of riders from Murcia, Fermín Aldeguer was also picking up pace; after shaking off Johann Zarco, he overtook Raúl Fernández on the penultimate lap and snatched sixth place from Diogo Moreira on the final lap.

At the front, Marc Márquez maintained a lead of about a second over Álex Márquez to claim the victory, while Marco Bezzecchi held off Pedro Acosta to secure the final podium spot. Jorge Martín finished fifth in "no man's land," with Fermín Aldeguer in sixth, ahead of Diogo Moreira, Raúl Fernández, and Johann Zarco.

The intense heat in Aragon added a crucial element to this Saturday's (29) Sprint race. With ambient temperatures exceeding 29ºC and track temperatures topping 50ºC, tire wear became a decisive factor, particularly given the split choices between soft and medium compounds.

Marco Bezzecchi got off to a good start and initially held his position, but Marc Márquez didn't waste his first opportunity. The Ducati rider attacked at Turn 1, took the lead, and saw Álex Márquez move up to second place. The Márquez brothers controlled the pace from the opening laps, successfully holding off Bezzecchi, who had opted for soft tires.

Further back, Luca Marini was the first rider to retire after crashing. On the second lap, Diogo Moreira maintained his strong start, overtaking Fabio Di Giannantonio to move into seventh place. Pedro Acosta also started strongly, gaining two spots to reach fourth and attempting to keep pace with the leading trio.

Di Giannantonio, however, did not stay in the fight for long. He crashed at Turn 16 and retired from the race, while Moreira continued to use the early laps to pressure his rivals. The Brazilian confidently overtook Raúl Fernández to move up to sixth place.

At the front, Jorge Martín began to pick up pace on the third lap and joined the battle for fourth place. Running on soft tires, the Spaniard managed to overtake Pedro Acosta, who was using the medium compound. From that point on, tire strategy played an increasingly significant role in the riders' performance.

Marc Márquez, meanwhile, was turning his status as favorite into outright dominance. The Ducati rider opened a gap of around 0.4 seconds over Álex Márquez and steadily extended his lead.

In the following group, Martín had to manage pressure from Acosta to hold onto fifth place, but the duel ended on the sixth lap. A mistake by Martín allowed Acosta to reclaim the position and subsequently pull away. Shortly after, Fabio Quartararo retired due to a mechanical issue with his Yamaha.

While the action unfolded at the front, Moreira held a secure sixth place. The Brazilian began chasing Martín but also had to start managing tire wear on his LCR Honda, which was running the soft compound.

From the seventh lap onwards, tire wear became evident among riders who had chosen the softer compound. By the end of the ninth lap, the top positions had largely stabilized, though Raúl Fernández was gradually closing the gap to Moreira.

The battle for eighth place also intensified, with Fermín Aldeguer and Johann Zarco swapping positions. However, the Gresini rider would still play a significant role in the fight for sixth place.

With three laps remaining, Fernández stepped up the pressure on Moreira. The Brazilian's tire wear made it easier for the Spaniard to close in, while Aldeguer showed even better pace and began to join the fray.

On the penultimate lap, Moreira had to defend sixth place right at the limit. Fernández and Aldeguer caught up to the LCR Honda rider, forming a three-way battle for the position. In Sector 3, Aldeguer managed to overtake Fernández, becoming Moreira's main rival.

At the front, Marc Márquez was running a completely different race. With a clear track ahead, the Spaniard controlled his lead unchallenged and took the checkered flag for another Sprint race victory. Álex Márquez finished second, while Bezzecchi rounded out the podium.

Pedro Acosta finished fourth, ahead of Jorge Martín. The real battle, however, was taking place a few seconds back, over sixth place. Moreira held his ground as long as possible on the final lap, but tire wear eventually took its toll; once again in Sector 3, Aldeguer found a gap and overtook the Brazilian, who crossed the finish line in seventh place.

How did the race unfold? Bezzecchi, who had secured pole position, got off to a good start and held the lead for the opening meters but was soon overtaken by Marc Márquez and, subsequently, by Álex Márquez. Diogo Moreira also made a strong start and gained positions, moving up to ninth place. Luca Marini crashed at Turn 7, triggering a yellow flag in that sector.

Mid-pack, there was an intense battle for fourth place between Pedro Acosta and Raúl Fernández. Acosta initially held the upper hand, but Raúl stayed close behind. Just behind them, Jorge Martín, Fabio Di Giannantonio, and Diogo Moreira joined the fray. After some jostling within the group, Martín moved up to fifth, Raúl settled into sixth, and Moreira climbed to seventh, with Di Giannantonio right behind him.

On the third lap, Fabio Di Giannantonio crashed out of the race. Meanwhile, Diogo Moreira was running a strong race and moved into sixth place, closely tracking the battle ahead of him between Jorge Martín and Pedro Acosta for fourth; Martín nearly crashed, allowing Acosta to take the spot. Shortly after, Quartararo suffered bike trouble and retired from the race.

Fernández and Aldeguer battled for seventh place, while further ahead, Diogo Moreira tried to hold his position. However, near the finish line, Raúl Fernández overtook the Brazilian, who finished the race in seventh place(video below)

Autonews and Mundoquatrorodas

 

LAMBORGHINI

Does Lamborghini still see a future for its V12 engines?

Since the Revuelto's debut in 2023, Lamborghini has been promising to keep the V-12 around until 2030. The company wouldn't comment on what might happen after that, suggesting it didn't exactly know where regulations would take the brand. Now, though, Lamborghini insists the 12-cylinder will stay in production for even longer.

"The horizon for us is even more than 2030 now," says product line director Matteo Ortenzi. "It's part of the character of [the Revuelto], we like the responsiveness of the engine, it's a signature for us, so we don't want to change it."

Speaking with Motor1 at the reveal of the Fenomeno at The Quail, Ortenzi points to the Revuelto's hybrid system as the pathway to maintaining its 12-cylinder heart.

"This allows us to comply with the legislation, especially in CO2 and emissions, which would be difficult to comply with if we did not have this kind of technology," he said.

Despite Lamborghini's massive sales achievements in the US, the decision to double down on the V-12 was not influenced by the Trump administration's move to dismiss all penalties for emissions laws.

"For sure, we are keen to comply with every legislation, not just the US—I have in mind C6 in China," Ortenzi says. C6—also known as China VI—is the country's own set of emissions regulations. "So there are different kinds of legislation we have to comply with. We have one bullet that has to work worldwide, because we are a small producer. We have to be realistic."

The news of Lamborghini's recommitment to the V-12 comes alongside its move to scale back its ambitious EV plans. The Italian carmaker previously laid the groundwork to introduce its first purely electric car in 2028, before turning the Urus into an EV in 2029. Earlier this year, CEO Stephan Winkelmann walked back those plans, saying in separate interviews that the two cars could become plug-in hybrids instead.

Amidst the wave of electrification—and with the Sword of Damocles hanging over traditional combustion engines regarding the 2035 deadline—sports car brands like Lamborghini refuse to abandon a core part of their DNA: 12-cylinder engines.

This is evident, for instance, in their latest release, the Lamborghini Revuelto, which is equipped with a naturally aspirated 12-cylinder engine—assisted, of course, by three electric motors that allow the powertrain to exceed 1,000 hp.

Details about this new car were revealed by Lamborghini CEO Stephan Winkelmann, who shared some interesting insights into the future of these engines... a future that isn't as bleak as one might think. In fact, we will continue to see them under the hoods of Sant'Agata models for at least the next 10 years—or perhaps even longer.

"We have the V12 today, and we will have it in the near future. And when I say 'near,' I mean up to the middle of the next decade," the German executive stated.

We are dealing with at least 20 different emissions regulations across various global markets. Stephan Winkelmann, CEO of Lamborghini:

"The Revuelto SV complies with the Euro 7 standard, which will govern emissions control in the near term. Furthermore, we are talking about a global car... and we face at least 20 different emissions regulations across our markets, so manufacturers are working hard to ensure V12 engines can make it to the mid-2020s."

The ban on internal combustion engines in Europe will take effect in 2035...and that moment is crucial for what comes next: "We can't predict anything beyond 2035. But I believe that, even after that, European regulations will allow us to sell combustion-engine cars powered by biofuels. That will be a great opportunity for us to continue homologating cars like this one. In the rest of the world... I don't see any issues after 2035."

Will Lamborghini race at the Nürburgring again? The Revuelto SV arrived with a record under its belt... but, contrary to what one might imagine, not at the Nürburgring—the usual benchmark for measuring sports car performance.

Instead, Lamborghini chose to test its most extreme hypercar on a more conventional track, also in Germany: Hockenheim. There, with Italian driver Marco Mapelli at the wheel, it achieved a lap time of 1:41.6—the fastest time ever recorded by a production car on that circuit (a track less frequently used by manufacturers, it should be noted).

A return to the Green Hell...Lamborghini would likely return to the Green Hell, where it has achieved notable results. For instance, this model's predecessor, the Aventador SV, completed the lap in under 7 minutes, and the SVJ held the record for production sports cars for a time. Winkelmann, however, ruled out that possibility: "At the moment, our focus is on remaining at Hockenheim, due to availability and costs. Furthermore, it was our engineers' choice, and I generally place great importance on their opinion," he concluded. So... it seems we won't be seeing a Lamborghini at the Nürburgring anytime soon...

The future of Lamborghini seems clear, then: Electric assistance all-around, but purebred, high-revving internal combustion engines too.

Autonews