Every Lamborghini Model Ever in One Magnificent GIF

Before the 350GT, Lamborghini made tractors. Not hulking, slow cars. Literal tractors. It’s how Ferruccio Lamborghini made his money in post-war Italy, but it wasn’t his passion. Fortune in hand, the Italian turned to his real goal: building the best sports cars possible, which meant taking on industry giant Ferrari. In 1963, he founded Automobili Ferruccio Lamborghini. A year later, he gave the world the 350GT, the first production car branded with the charging bull, built in Sant’Agata Bolognese, just 16 miles from Maranello.

In the half century since, Lamborghini has produced some remarkable cars. The Miura, one of the best two-seat, mid-engine cars ever. The Countach, which made curved lines seem like the lamest idea ever. The Murcielago, the first model built under the ownership of Audi. And now you can see them all in one glorious GIF, created by PartCatalog.com.

Lamborghini, like other automakers in the supercar genre, tends to crank out lots of variations on each model (there are enough takes on the Gallardo to justify a top 10 list). So the GIF is restricted to the main models. It’s also missing the LM002, the ill-advised Lambo SUV.

Here’s the full list:

• 350GT


• 400GT 2+2


• Miura


• Espada


• Islero


• Jarama


• Urraco


• Countach


• Silhouette


• Jalpa


• Diablo


• Murcielago


• Gallardo


• Reventon


• Aventador


• Sesto Elemento


• Veneno


• Egoista


• Huracan

Top Gear Shouldn’t Go on Without Jeremy Clarkson

Jeremy Clarkson seen leaving his West London home on March 16, 2015 in London, England. Neil Mockford/Alex Huckle/GC Images

After 22 seasons at the helm of Top Gear , the BBC has decided not to renew Jeremy Clarkson’s contract. Effectively fired because of a “fracas” between himself and a producer—he screamed at a member of his staff for half an hour and then punched him because there was no hot food available—Clarkson’s departure leaves a void at the top of one of the world’s most watched television programs.

The BBC is looking for a replacement and to renew the show for 2016, which won’t be easy. “This will be a big challenge and there is no point in pretending otherwise,” BBC Director-General Tony Hall said in a statement. It’s not clear if Clarkson’s co-hosts Richard Hammond and James May, who weren’t involved in the melee, will be back next season.

This is the part where we’d usually suggest replacements for Clarkson. Folks like Sabine Schmitz, racer and television presenter for the German version of Top Gear, or BBC presenter Chris Evans, a huge car nut and experienced television personality. Or even Clarkson frenemy Piers Morgan, the former tabloid editor turned failed CNN host.

Instead, here’s our suggestion for the BBC: let Top Gear end.

Yes, it generates millions of dollars in revenue and is one of the prize programs on the Beeb. But Jeremy Clarkson is—or rather, was—Top Gear. In 1988, he joined the original show (which debuted in 1977). He oversaw its relaunch in 2002 with his childhood friend Andy Wilman as executive producer. He didn’t create the idea of a car show called Top Gear, but everything it is and has been for the last decade is directly attributable to him. His talent made the whole Top Gear world revolve around him. His irreverent wit, obnoxiousness, politically incorrect boarding school humor, and conservative viewpoints gained him a massive and adoring audience—plus an army of haters.

Top Gear without Clarkson, as talented as his two co-presenters are, is a bit like Van Halen without David Lee Roth. Or Roger Waters calling himself Pink Floyd. It’s just not the same, and to pretend it is is an insult to the fans.

Richard Hammond and James May, the other two Top Gear presenters, are wonderful entertainers. But, like all great ensemble casts, the three of them are immeasurably better together. Take any one of them away and the whole will be worse. May is the mature and pedantic car expert. Hammond is the excitable little brother, eager to impress. Clarkson is crotchety smart-aleck who delights in pushing others’ buttons. He is the one who drives the plot of the show, and the glue that held it all together.

Any one of the three could host their own show (and frequently do), but together they are a once-in-a-lifetime entertainment masterpiece. They seem to agree: In an interview with SkyNews, May said “the three of us as a package works for very complicated reasons that a lot of people don’t fully understand.” Hammond tweeted: “Gutted at such a sad end to an era. We’re all three of us idiots in our different ways but it’s been an incredible ride together.”

I am a massive Top Gear fan. I’ve seen every episode, and am now much more interested in whatever Clarkson (and, I suspect, Hammond and May) do next than in some relaunched Top Gear with new presenters. Make no mistake: The BBC did the right thing in letting Clarkson go. He physically attacked a producer, and being kicked off his television home for nearly three-decades, is a just punishment. Especially since this is a last straw situation: Clarkson’s come close to being sacked before, thanks to a long list of questionable moves, ranging from on air racial slurs to last year’s did-they-or-didn’t-they instigation of Argentine veterans of the Falklands war.

Nonetheless, the man is a massive talent with a huge following, and he will find a home somewhere. Perhaps it’ll be on BBC-competitor ITV or—and my gut tells me this is the best option for all involved—he might end up with a huge deal on Netflix. Either way, the biggest loser in all of this isn’t Clarkson or the BBC or even the Top Gear brand.

It’s the fans. And that’s always the way these things go, isn’t it?

France Is Letting 14-Year-Olds Drive This Tiny Electric Car

The Renault Twizy city car. Ralph Richter/Renault

Being 14 sucks. You’re a freshman in high school, which puts you at the bottom of the social food chain. The opposite sex is endlessly confusing, you need to beg your parents and older siblings for rides, and (in the US at least) you’re half a lifetime away from the legal drinking age. Unless, that is, you live in France. Then you just need to beg your parents to buy you a Renault Twizy, a $7,600 “car” that 14-year-olds can now legally drive.

The Twizy is a quadricycle, a 1,000-pound, two-seat electric car meant for zipping around cramped European cities. It’s designed to be a safer alternative to bicycles and scooters for the urban set, sporting a 13-horsepower electric motor and enough batteries to take you 60 miles at a maximum speed of 50 mph. It won’t hold much cargo, but it’s got plenty of room for your baguettes, cigarettes, wine, and “On Strike” signs (because yes, French high schoolers love to faire la grève).

The Twizy has airbags, seat belts, two seats, headlights, turn signals—all those things that actual cars have. And, thanks to new legislation in France, youths as young as 14 can now drive the things legally.

Previously, 14-year olds in France with a road safety certificate (sort of a lightweight-version of a driver’s license) could only ride mopeds. Now, in order to comply with EU regulations, that same certificate now allows holders to drive “quadricycles”.

As regulated, quadricycles are four-wheeled cars that can’t exceed 28 mph, can’t have a battery pack bigger than 4 kWh (for electric engines, traditional gas and diesel versions can’t have an engine bigger than 50cc), and can’t exceed 770 pounds curb weight. To accommodate the new market, Renault is releasing a special, scaled down, slower version of the Twizy specifically for youngsters with a road safety certificate.

Renault says it’s sold some 15,000 Twizys in Europe since launching the thing half a decade ago, and we would love to see the automaker jump the pond and let American teens, or adults, climb in. Unlike other small European cars like the Smart, which is actually kind of expensive (base price is around $13,000), an $8,000 Twizy would be great for city-dwellers who want something faster and safer than a bicycle, and nearly as versatile. We could see it being popular for car-sharing services like Zipcar or as an alternative to bike sharing services in cities like New York and San Francisco.

There are reports that Renault, which left the US in 1987, is exploring the possibility of selling the car in Quebec, but entering an established market is risky business. Daimler, which owns Smart, has an established dealer and parts network in the United States already, making it easier to launch its sub-brand here, with modest success.

Renault has a strategic partnership with Nissan, so it’s possible the Twizy (or a variant) could make an appearance as a Nissan-badged product (might we suggest the Nissan Stem, to go along with the Leaf?). But this is America—where the little car has never flourished—so we’re not holding our collective breath, even if the Twizy would make for a badass little city car.

Chevy’s Helping Parents Spy on Their Terrible Teen Drivers

Teenagers are terrible drivers. It’s why parents worry about handing over the keys to a brand new car to their brand new driver. It’s also why Chevy has developed a new “Teen Driver” nanny mode to keep young drivers from getting into too much trouble—or at least to report them when they do.

The feature, available in the new 2016 Chevy Malibu, does clever things to get teens to make smarter decisions. For instance, it mutes the radio if the front seat drivers aren’t wearing their seat belts. Brilliant!

More frighteningly for America’s youth, Teen Driver allows parents to put limits on the car, associated with a specific key fob, so their spawn can’t disable safety features like stability and traction control, park assist, daytime running lights, and blind spot monitoring. So sorry, no more burnouts. And no more rush from changing lanes without checking your blind spot. Parents can also set a maximum speed from 40 to 75mph, that, if exceeded, will trigger visual and audible warnings to scold the driver.

The feature will also let parents see a report of total distance driven, maximum speed traveled, how many speed warnings were issued, or if there were any antilock or stability control events (i.e., driver screw-ups).

The tech doesn’t seem to be anything new: Chevy (along with other automakers) already offers Valet Mode on cars like the new Corvette, which limits how the car is driven, and uses an on-board camera and data recorders to prevent Ferris Bueller-style abuse.

Notably, as Car & Driver points out, the system doesn’t do anything to curb distracted driving from mobile devices, arguably a bigger danger to teen drivers than the urge to turn off traction control or daytime running lights. So maybe Chevy should look into developing features that punch the teenager in the arm anytime he looks at his phone instead of the road.

The 2016 Chevy Malibu will be unveiled at the New York auto show next month.

Sidecar-Equipped Motorcycle Is the Perfect Urban Outrigger

The Russian motorcycle czars at Ural—who've been making sidecar bikes since World War II—specifically designed the new cT to be the ultimate city ride. They succeeded: It's small and maneuverable, with legit-comfy seating for two and a 2.9-cubic-foot trunk to stow your groceries. It fits into parking spots a Smart car wouldn't dare, zips adeptly through traffic, and costs less than a Scion. Unlike many sidecar rigs, the cT's third wheel isn't powered—making this one-wheel-drive model great for back roads and snow. All three of its wheels do have brakes, though, and there's a reverse gear for Wes Anderson-style vehicular double takes (or parking). Recommended but not included: helmet, scarf, and old-timey goggles. Pricing starts at $13,000.

These Tiny Model Motorcycles Look Just Like the Real Thing

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Pere Tarragó is a motorcycle builder of remarkable skill—you just can't ride anything he builds Pere Tarragó

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Normal tools are often useless for this kind of detail work, so Tarragó has made his own. Pere Tarragó

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To build his bikes, Tarragó uses materials like steel, aluminum, brass and soft-tempered Nappa leather. Pere Tarragó

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The subjects are usually classic Spanish machines like Bultaco, Montesa or OSSA. Pere Tarragó

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Yes, the controls are usually functional, if tiny. Pere Tarragó

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Once the bike's assembled, Tarragó checks the operation of the brakes, clutch, wheels and transmission. Pere Tarragó

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On some builds, operating the brake lever will move the brake pads in the drum, and the front suspension will operate via friction plates and leaf springs. Pere Tarragó

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Pere Tarragó’s creations are virtually impossible to separate from the real thing, except for the size difference. Pere Tarragó

In the small Spanish town of Molins de Rei lives Pere Tarragó, a motorcycle builder of quite extraordinary skill. His bikes are completely unrideable—but that’s only because they’re 1:5 and 1:6 scale models.

These are nothing like the Revell or Tamiya kits you played with back in the ’70s. In photographs, Tarragó’s creations are virtually impossible to separate from the real thing. In many ways, Tarragó’s process is similar to that of a regular custom builder: It involves lathes, milling and welding. But normal tools are often useless for this kind of detail work, so Tarragó has made his own.

Pere Tarragó.He starts a build by taking photographs, making drawings and copying decals from a full-scale bike. The subjects are usually classic Spanish machines like Bultaco, Montesa or OSSA—although there’s the occasional venture further afield, with Italian marques such as MV Agusta and Moto Guzzi. And the odd Henderson and Indian from across the Atlantic.

Once he’s satisfied with the blueprint, Tarragó returns to his workshop and begins construction, using authentic materials such as steel, aluminum, brass and soft-tempered Nappa leather. Weeks later, he’s ready to make a test assembly of the model, and check the operation of the brakes, clutch, wheels and transmission. Yes, the controls are usually functional.

On some builds, operating the brake lever will move the brake pads in the drum, and the front suspension will operate via friction plates and leaf springs. Tarragó then takes the model apart and applies the finishing touches—polishing, plating with nickel and chrome, and painting. The final assembly takes between 250 and 400 hours.

This post originally appeared on Bike EXIF.

$20M Worth of Classic Cars From an Extravagant Auction

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To avoid paying heavy taxes on a new car, the Finnish buyer of this 1955 D-Type asked Jaguar to make the car appear used, so the company added an old steering wheel, adjusted the odometer, and more. In what must have been an awesome sight, the car was used for ice racing and is one of the most original D-Types in the world. $3,675,000 RM Sotheby's

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This Jaguar XJR-9, chassis 388, was the third XJR-9 completed, participating in a number of IMSA GTP endurance races in 1988, including at Daytona, Miami, Road Atlanta and others. It won the 24 Hours of Daytona in 1990 and finally ended its career by taking third later that year at the 12 Hours of Sebring. $2,145,000 Tim Scott/RM Sotheby's

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The 1972 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona Spider, is one of 121 Spiders to come from the factory and of the most desirable convertible Ferraris ever built. The V12 makes an "incredible" exhaust note thanks in part to the open-air experience. This version is Ferrari Classiche certified, restored by Ferrari itself. $3,300,000 Robin Adams/RM Sotheby's

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This 1971 Lamborghini Miura SV was the first of its kind to enter the US, a prototype intended to be tested by the EPA. The car made the first public Miura appearance in the country, at the Boston Auto Show. After going through several owners, the car has since been restored to original condition. $2,310,000 RM Sotheby's

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When Carroll Shelby had trouble selling a few hundred 427 Cobra chassis to racing teams, he used them to make a street-legal version of the car. Marketed as the fastest street car ever built, the 427 Semi-Competition could accelerate from 0 to 100MPH and back to 0 in a still-incredible 13.2 seconds. $2,117,500 Ryan Merrill/RM Sotheby's

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The Mercedes-Benz 300 SL "Gullwing" coupe is one of the most beautiful cars ever built. Naturally, so is the drop-top version. This Fire Engine Red 1961 300 SL Roadster has been owned by a series of enthusiasts that actually drove the car, putting a total of 63,000 miles on her. We'd welcome her in the WIRED garage. $962,500 RM Sotheby's

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One of only 84 left-hand-drive 1968 Toyota 2000GT's, this car was built to goose the company's staid reputation as a designer of conservative econoboxes. Intertwining design and performance, the 2000GT produced 150 horsepower, impressive on a car weighing just 2,400 pounds. It remains a beauty, even today. $880,000 Anthony Bellemare/RM Sotheby's

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This 1995 Ferrari F512 M graced the bedroom posters of many an adolescent growing up in the mid 90s. Only 75 of the 501 units built came to the US, and this one, with just 11,000 miles on the odo, includes all the owner's manuals and books, as well as the original tool set, adding to the appeal. $462,000 RM Sotheby's

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This 1935 Mercedes-Benz 500/540 K Cabriolet A was purchased by a Cpt. Dean Weihe of the US Air Force, who brought it home in 1961. Fully restored in 2000, the car has been well-cared for. One of only 33 built, and thought to be 1 of 11 surviving, the car can still handle the long-distance touring for which it was built. $3,025,000 RM Sotheby's

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Given the current popularity of the new Fiat 500, it's good to remember where the car came from. This 1952 Fiat 500C Topolino is considered by some to be the most popular, stylish, and best-loved small car of its era. With a 16-horsepower 34.9 cubic-inch four-cylinder engine, and a top-speed of 59mph, this 500 is a (slightly) more affordable classic. $52,250 RM Sotheby's