Lamborghini News

The next generation of Lamborghini road rockets could use turbocharged or supercharged engines to maintain their supercar edge. Force-fed powerplants are now clearly on the drawing board as the Italian company searches for the best way to maintain the power-to-weight potential of its Gallardo and flagship Murcielago. But there is still a conflict in the company. Lamborghini director of research and development Maurizio Reggiani dead-pans the idea, but chief executive Stephan Winkelmann says it is under investigation. Reggiani says naturally aspirated engines that fire the right numbers in key speed measurements are core to Lamborghini's composition, and introducing boosted powerplants is in direct conflict with that core DNA. However, Winkelmann admits turbo or supercharged units are “something we are working on”. “Mr Reggiani is right, but on the other hand we are working on the future,” Winkelmann admits. So it is not out of the question for Lamborghini to wedge an awesome V12 turbo-diesel engine into the Gallardo down the track. “Not only the near future, but the far future and there are no limits in terms of whatever contingencies you might have. It's the same as we have.” The new Gallardo V10 engine now comes with what the Italians call Iniezione Diretta Stratificata, which in Audi-speak is FSI or direct fuel injection. It comes as Lamborghini adopts a more responsible role in the world community, saying it is important to reduce noxious exhaust emissions. The just-launched and heavily revised Gallardo LP560-4 super coupe has made a massive leap in CO2 emissions, even though it has increased engine capacity and output.  

The first sports car company to build a giant four-wheel-drive has no plans to do it again. And Lamborghini also rules out joining Porsche and Aston Martin in building a four-door luxury sedan. The Italian company has closed the door on anything outside its sports car portfolio, and company president Stephane Winkelmann has passed some sharp judgments on the future of the luxury car business. “SUV's have had their day. They are finished,” he says of luxury four-wheel-drives. “It's important that we not shy away from our two models, which are helping us to improve awareness of the brand. We want to continue the message of uncompromising and extreme,” is his take on anything four-door that would dilute the Gallardo and Murcielago impact. Winkelmann says there is no chance Lamborghini will return to making a large off-road vehicle because it would be lambasted by environmentalists. Lamborghini produced the LM002 off-roader with a 5.2-litre V12 engine from 1986-1992 at a time when the company was part of the Chrysler empire. “We were the first to come out with an SUV, and people forget we were the first to come out with a real two-plus-two (the Lamborghini 400GT),” Winkelmann says. “To say ‘let's do an SUV' is not possible. There is no such thing as luxury SUVs. They are premium cars. I believe if we do an SUV it would have to be the biggest and strongest, but by its nature it would be very polluting and we would be crucified if we did it.” It would also complicate Lamborghini's plans to reduce emissions by as much as 40 per cent. So Winkelmann says Lamborghini will stick with today's two-model line-up, though there will be some undisclosed derivatives. He has plenty of reasons to be happy. Lamborghini has raised pre-tax profits from $567 million in 2006 to $765 million last year, mainly through better efficiency and drawing on partnerships – mostly in the VW Group, which owns Lamborghini – for such things as parts purchasing and back-room development. Lamborghini is on the move worldwide and, in Australia, its success is reflected in a new Brisbane dealership. Another will open in Perth before the end of the year. They are among 10 new dealerships worldwide that will boost Lamborghini's global network to 107, a number that has already risen from 65 in 2005. “Sydney and Melbourne make up 60 to 70 per cent of the market, but Queensland and Western Australia are both growing,” Winkelmann says. “We are not quite at 100 cars yet in Australia, but we are getting there. Australia is one market in the Asia-Pacific region that is growing.” Lamborghini sold 46 cars in Australia last year (up from 38 in 2006) compared with Ferrari, which sold 145 (up from 101 in 2006).  

Europeans tore themselves away from exotic supercars to catch a close-up glimpse of the Nano, a tiny, basic and extremely cheap runabout which promises to turn the motoring world on its head.

You can have them all for a fraction of the price. P1 is a multi-million dollar version of a car-rental company but you need to be quick if you want to be a part of the action. Less than a year after launching its Melbourne office, memberships in the exclusive and expensive rental company are running out. More than 135 Australians have signed up and the company will limit its membership to 200 to make sure there are enough cars to go around. “We'll never go above 200 members,” says James Ward, general manager of P1 in Victoria, “basically to maintain a ratio of five new members for each new car.” Though only 29 vehicles are spread across the company's three Australian locations — in Richmond, Sydney and the Gold Coast — the quality of the cars and motorbikes has seen the company lay out $29 million on equipment. Set up by former Formula One world champion Damon Hill in 2000 in Britain, the club came to Australia in December 2006. The Richmond branch opened last March. Members can join for $4550 and pay annual charges ranging from $27,000 to $36,500 to have access to a dream garage. P1's roster includes three examples of the Lamborghini Gallardo, a Lamborghini Murcielago, Ferrari 430, Ferrari 575M, Aston Martin DB9, Bentley GT Continental, Porsche 997 GT3, Porsche Cayman S, Audi RS4 Avant, Lotus Exige, Hummer H2, and a Ducati 1098 and BMW K1200 for bikers. Packages give customers a bank of points to use through the year. As is befitting the cost, the company offers a range of services. They drop off the cars anywhere they are required and can store and wash the customer's personal car. “It's as much about the car as it is about the service,” Ward says . “It's whatever suits our customers.”  

A worldwide crackdown on emissions and economy will not hurt Lamborghini, according to the chief executive of the Italian brand. Stephan Winkelmann, who heads Lamborghini for the Audi group in Europe, says this year is already a sellout and Australian sales will probably be up almost 50 per cent on the 45 cars delivered last year. He says his company is booming and he is not worried about future emission standards. “Apart from the question of what is environmentally acceptable now and in five years, there is the question of social acceptability,” Winkelmann says. “Lamborghini means power and power means emissions". “But our cars are not driven regularly from point A to point B. Realistically, our emissions impact is zero.” During a brief trip to Sydney on a visit to the Asia-Pacific region— including the booming Chinese and Indian markets — Winkelmann says support for Lamborghini has never been better. He reports a record result for last year, with more than 2400 sales, dominated by a 75 per cent share for the Gallardo. But Lamborghini will never fight Ferrari for sales supremacy in the supercar class. “If you do that you destroy the dream; no one wants to buy your cars,” he says. “We are a two-model brand. Worldwide the average waiting time for delivery is 12 months, no longer than 18.” That, he says, ensures anticipation without causing frustration. It also guarantees the brand's elite status, which in turn should favour Lamborghini when the European Union's new emission standards come into effect in 2010. Because Lamborghini is a subsidiary of a subsidiary — owned by Audi, which is part of the giant Volkswagen Group — the parent companies will absorb the emission targets with their more mundane and fuel-efficient models. This will leave Lamborghini free to produce its immensely powerful V10 Gallardos and V12 Murcielagos. Winkelmann says Lamborghini has no interest in copying Audi's decision to fit a V12 diesel engine into its R8 supercar in addition to the existing V8 petrol powerplant, or to move into petrol-electric hybrids, despite Porsche's commitment to a hybrid in its forthcoming Panamera flagship. Indeed, Lamborghini's current elderly V12 — which is several decades old — may be produced beyond the current model cycle after some refinements in efficiency. Winkelmann says Lamborghini is a motoring icon, which ensures public goodwill and should help in the negotiations over emissions. “My own car is a Gallardo Superleggera and as I drive this much more often than a typical owner, I have a feeling of how people think of it,” he says. When driving around, he gets a lot of feedback. “With this car it is always this,” he says, giving a thumbs-up sign. “And never this”, giving the thumbs-down.  

Stephan Winkelmann spoke to carsguide during the Sydney stopover of his meet and greet tour of Asia-Pacific, which also takes in the burgeoning Chinese and Indian markets; the region Lamborghini has identified as its biggest potential market. Locally, 2007's 46 Australian Lamborghini sales figure is likely to increase by almost 50 per cent this year. Local dealers would sell more if they could get them, but the worldwide production for 2008 is already spoken for. Despite a record 2007 which saw more than 2400 sales, some 75 per cent of which were Gallardos, Winkelmann is adamant the marque will never pursue Ferrari figures. “If you do that you destroy the dream, no one is wishing to buy your cars,” he says. “We are a two model brand. Worldwide the average waiting time for delivery is 12 months, no longer than 18.” That, Winkelmann says, is about the right amount to guarantee anticipation without frustration. It also guarantees the brand's elite status, which in turn should favour Lamborghini when the European Union's new emission standards come into effect in 2010. “Lamborghini means power and power means emissions,” Winkelmann says. “But our cars are not those that are driven regularly from point A to point B. Realistically our emissions impact is zero.” Because Lamborghini is a subsidiary of a subsidiary (it's owned by the Volkswagen Group-controlled Audi marque) the parent companies would absorb the emission targets leaving Lamborghini free to produce its immensely powerful V10 Gallardos and V12 Murcielagos. There is no interest in emulating the V12 diesel version of Audi's R8, nor it seems, much acknowledgement of the hybrids recently vaunted by Porsche. Indeed, the current V12, a venerable device that traces it origins back several decades, will continue possibly beyond the current model cycle, albeit with some refinements in terms of efficiency. Surety is further provided by Lamborghini's status as a heritage icon, something Winkelmann is satisfied that not only European Union commissioners comprehend, but which translates to public goodwill. “Apart from the question of what is environmentally acceptable now and in five years, there is also the question of social acceptability,” he says. “My own car is a Gallardo Superleggera and as I drive this much more often than a typical owner, I have a feeling of how people think of it." “With this car it is always this,” Winkelmann says giving a thumbs up, “and never this,” giving the thumbs down.  

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