Source: Reuters
Lamborghini, the maker of low-slung supercars once advertised as ?closer to the road?, is planning a new model that will be further from the tarmac than ever: an SUV.
The Italian brand, owned by Volkswagen, aims to announce the vehicle at April?s Beijing auto show for a 2016 launch, according to two people with knowledge of the strategy.
At the risk of alienating purist fans of its EUR313,000 (US$413,000) Aventador carbon-fibre sports car, Lamborghini hopes to repeat the Porsche Cayenne?s success in the fast-growing market for luxury four-by-fours.
?An SUV could be cool, but it would have to be the fastest on the planet and look extreme,? said Andrew Romanowski, president of the world?s biggest Lamborghini owners? club, based in Los Angeles.
?If it turned out like a run-of-the-mill BMW X5, it would be a betrayal,? Romanowski said. ?People would be very upset.?
The planned vehicle reflects a push to increase profitability at Lamborghini and VW stablemate Bentley, with new models to meet upscale demand for all-wheel-drives. Britain?s Bentley last year announced tentative plans for its own SUV.
?Porsche proved that it works, to the industry?s great surprise, and now everyone is flocking in,? said Christoph Stuermer, Frankfurt-based research director at IHS Automotive.
By 2015, sales of the plushest SUVs will increase about 20 per cent in western Europe, 30 per cent in the US and 50 per cent in China, the consulting firm predicts. The Cayenne has become Porsche?s top-selling model since its launch a decade ago, with 59,000 sold last year and a EUR121,000-price tag on the high-performance Turbo version.
Hallowed Brands
Some of the world?s most hallowed auto brands are stretching to adapt. Fiat?s Maserati last month unveiled its first SUV, the Kubang, to be assembled in Detroit instead of its Italian factory.
?On the one hand, you need to have a pure, clearly positioned brand,? Lamborghini CEO Stephan Winkelmann told Reuters recently, declining to comment on specific model plans.
?On the other hand, it would be good to enter a new segment that brings higher volumes and more stability,? he said. ?It doesn?t necessarily dilute the brand if you sell a bit more.?
Lamborghini, which has been loss-making since 2009, last year increased deliveries by 23 per cent to 1,602 vehicles.
The new four-by-fours from Lamborghini and Bentley, maker of the EUR293,000- Mulsanne limousine, would share parts and engines with VW, Audi and Porsche models including the Cayenne. Volkswagen took control of Porsche in 2009 and plans to integrate the auto business with its own operations.
The Gallardo, Lamborghini?s entry-level car starting at EUR155,000, already shares its 5.2-litre V10 engine and some on-board systems with the Audi R8 sports car.
The new SUV will be prefigured by a concept car unveiled at the Beijing show, the sources said. The VW group is expected to decide within months whether to go ahead with the new Bentley and Lamborghini vehicles.
LifestyleSource: http://bizdaily.com.sg/newsite/lifestyle-lamborghini-to-follow-porsche-with-suv/
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