Lamborghini Publicly Flogged In China

Lyndon Conrad Bell

7,600 views Mar 18, 2011

Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4

On March 15, a Chinese Lamborghini owner had his car publicly destroyed out of disgust with Lamborghini. Ironically mirroring the founding of the Lamborghini automobile manufacturing concern in the first place (Ferrucio Lamborghini decided to build his own cars after Enzo Ferrari famously snubbed the then-tractor magnate’s request for service after the sale) this customer hired a team of men to literally beat his Lamborghini Gallardo to death.

According to reports, the trouble began when the Gallardo failed to start shortly after it was purchased. The local dealer dispatched a flatbed to bring the car in for service and somewhere along the way the car suffered cosmetic damage as a result of being transported. To add insult to injury, when the car was returned—damaged—the starting problem still had not been resolved.

After repeated attempts to get the situation rectified with the local dealer, the owner is reported to have gone as far as to try to contact Lamborghini CEO, Stephan Winkelmann seeking relief. Taken alone, this could well be construed as some spoiled rich guy, venting his frustration, but apparently this situation is endemic of a growing consumer problem in China.

Rapidly becoming the largest consumer-goods market in the world, as well as leading global demand for luxury goods, Chinese consumers are starting to feel less than appreciated when customer service situations like these arise. The perception is that while western companies are all too happy to take their money, they do not provide Chinese consumers the level of service commensurate to that accorded customers in Europe and North America.

Given the price of a Lamborghini Gallardo in China (in excess of half a million dollars after various taxes and duties), we are more than inclined to believe a U.S. Lamborghini dealer would (as they like to say in the car business here) bend over backwards to resolve this customer’s problem.

By the way, the owner chose the date intentionally; March 15 was World Consumer Rights Day.