Lamborghini will build no more than 8,000 vehicles in 2020 to preserve its exclusivity and protect resale values.
The Italian firm's CEO Stefano Domenicali told the Australian website CarAdvice in a Wednesday report that half of the 8,000 vehicles will be Urus SUVs. The other 4,000 cars will be split between the Huracán and the Aventador, with two-thirds of the remaining production for the former and one-third for the latter.
The CEO also said the firm enjoys some of the highest residual values in the segment and noted Ferrari is always a reference point. The limited number of cars slotted for production globally should help maintain the strong figures Domenicali is proud of, even as the Urus SUV remains in high demand.
2019 Lamborghini Urus, Palm Springs media drive, December, 2018
Lamborghini sales grew 51 percent in 2018 compared to 2017 figures, and the Urus was the driving force. Of the 5,750 vehicles it sold, 1,761 of them were Uruses. The company previously noted that 70 percent of Urus buyers are new to the brand. Lamborghini sold 3,815 cars in 2017, up considerably from 2010, when it sold just 1,302 cars during the financial crisis.
Lamborghini Huracan Evo
Domenicali noted the company needs to strike a balance as younger customers don't want to wait for exclusive cars. He said the "waiting time" for a supercar is part of the experience, but younger buyers tend not to "place a lot of importance" on the brand's heritage and Lamborghini needs to cater to what he said could very well be an impulsive purchase. That means keeping cars in stock in configurations that could appeal to potential buyers.
The exclusivity factor is alive and well at rival Ferrari, too. To boost sales past 10,000 units, Ferrari plans to add its own SUV model. For 2019, the company will build 9,000 cars. British luxury rival Aston Martin also plans to increase deliveries to 10,000 cars globally by 2020. Like Lamborghini, both will be wise to balance demand and exclusivity as they prepare to add utility vehicles to their portfolios.