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JULY 2015
NewLamborghini SUVon theroadby 2018
Italian supercar-maker Lamborghini is to take on some of its biggest
rivals in the automobile industry–bothmainstream and luxury
brands–by entering the SportsUtilityVehiclemarket. Themove
intoutility vehicles, whichhas becomehighly lucrative for the likes
of Porsche, marks something of a return to Lamborghini’s roots.
Having startedout building farm tractors after the SecondWorld
War, the company transformed itself into a sports car firmwhen
wealthy founder Ferruccio Lamborghini decidedhewanted to
competewith local rival Ferrari.
Lamborghini is expected to launch its new4x4– tobe known as the
Urus– in2018with aprice tag of around€180,000. The company
believes themove coulddouble its annual sales by attracting anew
breedof customer besides thewealthydevotees of its famed supercar,
andhas set its sights on sales of 3,000SUVs a year.
The company first presented a concept car, also calledUrus,
at the 2012GenevaMotor Show, but stopped short of taking it
intoproduction. Chief executive StephanWinkelmanndescribed the
move into the SUVmarket as signifying ‘thebeginning of anew era’
for the company.
The luxury car-maker, part of Germany’s VolkswagenGroup, has
signed a letter of intentwith the Italian government thatwill see
Lamborghini hire 500newworkers and almost double the size of its
site inEmiliaRomagna, adding anewproduction line and enlarging the
research anddevelopment facility there.
Lamborghini will target drivers inGermany, theUS, UK, China, the
Middle East andRussia as it seeks to expand its customer base.
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WORDS:BENGRIFFITHS& LIZ LOXTON
