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With just two vehicles, the and , in its lineup, Lamborghini has been searching for a third model to boost its sales and improve its fortunes. At the , the company unveiled the concept, a 4-door sedan. While highly praised, the Italian automaker felt that it would face competition head on from the and from below its market position from the likes of the .
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As a result, it has refocused its effort on the SUV market, which really doesn't have any high priced, high performance entries with the sort of extreme attitude for which is known. So at this year's , Lamborghini has taken the wraps off an SUV which not only provides a third model range, but also gives the brand a product unique in its market positioning. Lamborghini CEO Stephan Winkelmann says to be successful the company would expect to sell 3000 worldwide, nearly doubling last year's combined sales of 1602 of its V-10 and V-12 exotics.
Although there is no firm commitment to build the SUV, Winkelmann says that it would likely be powered by a twin-turbo V-8 with a hybrid system putting out 600 combined horsepower.
Maurizio Reggiani, director of research and development at Lamborghini, said the key to the vehicle's performance lies in lightweight construction, an adjustable suspension that combines different setting for on-road performance while allowing the vehicle to increase ground clearance for off-road excursions as well as active aerodynamics to improve fuel economy.
The extreme styling from Filippo Perini looks as if an Aventador has been dropped on an SUV chassis, while in the flanks some of the Estoque's lines can be discerned. The roofline is low and at top of the rear hatch is a large moveable spoiler. Inside, unlike other luxury SUVs that take the traditional leather and wood approach to the cabin's finish, the Lamborghini has a high tech look incorporating carbon fiber, metal and other elements giving it a much more futuristic aura.
In addition to riding on massive 24-in. wheels, Winkelmann maintains that one of the key attributes of the SUV is that it must have a low overall height, in this case, just 65.3 in. Winkelmann said that when the decision is made to go forward (it depends on the approval of a new platform by the VW group) it could take as long a 4 to 5 years for it to reach production, which means the 2017 model year at the earliest.
