Audi rescued Lamborghini Financially that's it. The whole quality issue improvement is way overstated. As with all makes, quality improves over the years because of globalization and information sharing. Ferrari hasn't needed the Germans to improve their quality, and neither would have Lamborghini, It would have happened anyway.

No Italian needs German influence in the design process. Since God stopped making Marcello Gandini's, and because of the safety first mindset that goes into today's car designs you'll never see jaw dropping styling any more. The current models just don't have the edge the pure Lamborghini's do. Neither do new Ferrari's for that matter.

As for driving experiences, everybody will tell you the new models outperform older ones in every way, but they are more refined and have more creature comforts etc. which is not a good thing IMO.

I don't buy into the "best of both worlds" argument at all, and would have preferred Lamborghini to stay pure and true to it's core, but that's not possible today.

Having said that, if not for Audi, and more specifically the Gallardo which is what makes the cash register ring, I probably wouldn't be sitting here. There'd be no events to go to, no dealership network, and parts would be even harder to get, so I have to thank Audi for that, and salute them with a frown on my face.