Lamborghini, the Italian luxury sports vehicle maker, expects to unveil two new models in 2024, according to Stephan Winkelmann, Lamborghini’s Chairman and CEO, in an exclusive interview with CNBC-TV18.
While expressing optimism about the company’s future, Winkelmann stated, “We would not have done a record year last year if we did not have a rock solid order bank for 2024.” In January 2024, the manufacturer, a subsidiary of Germany’s Volkswagen, delivered a total of 10,112 sports cars and SUVs, up from over 9,200 in 2022.
He highlighted the United States as Lamborghini’s largest market, with equal growth in Asia-Pacific, Europe, and the Middle East. He went on to say, “UK, Germany, and Italy are important markets, in Asia they’re Korea, China and Japan.” Winkelmann viewed India as a “big promise for the future” when he turned his attention there. He stated, “India ranks 14th in our marketplaces,” adding, “Indians as a community.
The Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) area witnessed the greatest increase in Lamborghini deliveries last year, up 14% to nearly 4,000 units. Sales in the Americas increased by 9% to 3,465, while sales in Asia Pacific increased by 4% to 2,660. When discussing the electric vehicle (EV) market, Winkelmann acknowledged the challenges, adding, “Reduction of subsidies in certain nations has slowed down EV growth.” He cited pricing, range, and charging time as factors that influence EV demand. He went on to say, “Sometimes legislation gets ahead of technology, EV growth will be slow but will come.”
Winkelmann believes that the nature of regulation will influence the adoption of EVs. He went on to say, “If you want to get to zero emission then EVs are the only way.” He also offered synthetic fuel as an alternative, which would continue to pollute.
He agreed that in some countries, legislation has surpassed what technology can give, and that some barriers must be overcome by legislation. He stressed that sustainability is not limited to the automobile business; it affects all industries.
Winkelmann continued by expressing Lamborghini’s aim to reduce emissions by 40% across the value chain by 2030. He highlighted the route to electrification as the most difficult issue, but he was confident in the company’s ability to adapt to changing circumstances.