Lamborghini took a bold step into a sector of the car industry that will hopefully win them some new customers by unveiling the brand's first-ever SUV in Milan today.
According to Reuters, the Volkswagen-owned auto maker is doing its best to insert itself into what experts are calling a fast-growing market within the sector. Produced in Italy, Lamborghini believes this new vehicle could double its annual sales volumes, which stood at just under 3,500 last year.
“It is a true Lamborghini in terms of design, performance, driving dynamics and emotion as well as drivable every day in a range of environments,” Chief Executive Stefano Domenicali said in a statement. Called the Urus, the SUV will be available next spring of next year, with a before-tax price tag that is estimated at $203,403.94 USD.
It's a move away from the Lamborghini tradition to be sure, but it's also a savvy move in terms of shifting the company's accessibility to a global marketplace. Around the world, SUV sales have grown to 26.47 million units in 2016 from 7.93 million just ten years prior. Pundits say that number could balloon to 34.34 million units by 2020. What's more, higher-end SUV makers, such as Mercedes G-Class and Bentley Bentayga, have grown nearly quintupled their sales in the six years to 2016.
“It will feature driving modes that give it capabilities in off-tarmac situations such as snow or sand. This could make it particularly appealing in markets where its sports cars are less suitable,” said Ian Fletcher, an analyst at IHS Markit. Lamborghini certainly has their fingers crossed that this calculated move pays off in the near future.