Skip to main content

Lamborghini lukewarm on entry-level model, bullish on SUV

2015 Lamborghini Aventador back badge
Image used with permission by copyright holder
When Lamborghini introduced the Gallardo over a decade ago, it was a pretty big deal. Traditionally, Sant’Agata Bolognese had survived with just one model at a time, and previous attempts to grow the lineup hadn’t gone well.

Today, Lambo’s two-car lineup seems rather quaint as brands like Ferrari and McLaren introduce new models on a fairly regular basis.

Recommended Videos

While it may erode some of the brand’s mystique, Lamborghini is considering similar growth, CEO Stephan Winkelmann told Car and Driver in an interview at the recent New York Auto Show.

McLaren unveiled its “entry-level” 570S in New York, and Winkelmann said Lambo is open to the idea of a model at a similar, sub-$200k price point, although not an entirely new one.

While Lamborghini isn’t planning on devoting an entirely new model to that segment, Winkelmann said it is open to “derivatives inside the models” that already exist.

Instead of a direct 570S fighter, this sounds like Lambo would consider a stripped-down version of the Huracán, along the lines of the 625C McLaren offers in Asia.

Of course, there’s another Lamborghini model that seems destined to join the lineup, and that’s the production version of the Urus SUV first glimpsed at the 2012 Beijing Motor Show.

Winkelmann has confirmed this model multiple times, although it still may be awhile before it hits showrooms.

The Urus is expected to share its platform with other Volkswagen Group SUVs, but Winkelmann said it will only share parts with those more common models when absolutely necessary.

Meanwhile, another show-stopping Lamborghini concept appears to be at a development dead end.

The Asterion LPI 910-4 plug-in hybrid wowed audiences at the 2014 Paris Motor Show with its 897 horsepower and claimed 199 mph top speed, but Lamborghini apparently has no plans to build it.

The carmaker intended it purely as a technology demonstrator, to show that it could meet much stricter emissions standards with currently-available tech if it needed to. Since it doesn’t the Asterion will remain a concept.

Stephen Edelstein
Stephen is a freelance automotive journalist covering all things cars. He likes anything with four wheels, from classic cars…
Lamborghini Telemetry X can monitor your driving and your stress level
Data readout from the Lamborghini Telemetry X concept.

If you have a fast car, the only place to let it loose is a racetrack. And because being able to buy a fast car doesn't automatically imbue you with the driving skills to get the most out of it, you'll probably need some coaching as well. At CES 2024, Lamborghini unveiled a high-tech take on driver coaching that uses vehicle data to improve driver's skills. Called Telemetry X, the system is just a prototype for now, but could be applied to future Lamborghini supercars.

"In the near future, our supercars will offer not just thrills, but truly immersive driving experiences," Lamborghini CEO Stephan Winkelmann said in a statement. "Telemetry X is a perfect preview of the connected services our customers will be able to experience in the coming years."

Read more
Cadillac aims to balance its lineup with a small electric SUV
Exterior of the Cadillac Optiq compact electric SUV.

Cadillac will add an entry-level electric SUV to its lineup in 2024.

The Cadillac Optiq is a "luxury compact SUV" slotting below the Lyriq in the brand's EV hierarchy. Photos released with the brief announcement show styling features that tie the Optiq to the larger Lyriq, such as split taillights, but other details won't be released until closer to the Optiq's launch.

Read more
The BMW i4 is more luxurious than the Tesla Model S, and costs way less
2022 BMW i4 M50

The Tesla Model S is the original cool electric car. It did away with the concept that EVs had to be nerdy, small, low-range cars — and instead offered a sleek and stylish design, as well as a modern interior. But over the years, a ton of competition has popped up, and these days, the Model S has to go up against some seriously great cars. 

Like, for example, the BMW i4.

Read more