This year marks the 50th anniversary of Lamborghini and the Italian company has scheduled many events to celebrate the birthday. Perhaps the most important will be a “special model” that company CEO Stephan Winkelmann has confirmed for the upcoming Geneva Auto Show in March.
Though Winkelmann wouldn’t elaborate, Lamborghini’s head of research and development Maurizio Reggiano was more forthcoming: “We want it to be a tribute to the 50th anniversary of Lamborghini and we want it to shock and reward”, he told Australia's Drive.
Reggiano added that it won’t be a concept but “a homologated car”, which the company intends to manufacture. “Usually we present something because we want to produce or sell it”, he commented, adding that one-off cars, like the US$2.1 million Aventador J, “are part of our strategy”, since buyers price are loyal customers that buy “the majority of the time without seeing the car”.
In spite of sister company Bentley having received the green light for the EXP 9 F SUV, Lamborghini’s Urus SUV, which is based on the same platform, is still awaiting for approval.
Winkelmann said that, if the group decides to OK the project, the Urus could be in the market in 2017 and (the horror, the horror!) it might even get a diesel in the (unlikely) case that it made sense.
“Usually we have one model, one engine”, he said. “You need an engine which is able to be sold worldwide and diesel, unfortunately, is not. Up ‘til now we don’t see any development in this direction. This means going forward into major volume, which I don’t think we’re going to do.”
With all due respect, let’s keep it that way please, Herr Winkelmann. A raging bull SUV is understandable; a diesel Lamborghini unthinkable…
By Andrew Tsaousis
* 2012 Lamborghini Aventador J Speedster pictured above
4 Comments:
The front of that roadster is AWESOME!!!
Sounds like a solid exaggeration to me, since it will probably only be a new variant of the Gallardo or more likely the Aventador lineup. Additional 50hp and a fixed rear spoiler on an Aventador really aren't that shocking.
" A raging bull SUV is understandable " - no, it's not! the lm002 and especially the cheetah weren't suv s in the modern sense. it would have to have at least 700bhp and a 180mph+ top speed, to make the connection to its ancestors. because that is, what it was all about. the fastest offroader, you could use on the road. something new and ambitious, to show the world. the urus would just be another upper-class mainstream item. LAME! build the estoque instead - makes much more sense, is by miles better looking and more desirable. and - despite the 4 doors - closer to lamborghini's heritage. so, whoever came up with that urus idea... bugger off!
I hope the new shocking and fastest Lamborghini ever will not be a Bugatti rebranded.
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