Is Lambo on the way out..?

This may seem like a business type answer to all of this, but lets face it for any brand to make it, the first thing you need is customers. I have to wonder what any sports car brand will be like lets say ten or twenty years from now. I have found this through my own business, and when my customers wanted what none of the manufacturers I distributed had, I started my own brand, had it made in China (as were theirs), and if I had not I'd probably not be in the position I'm in now, or perhaps even still in business. We have seen Porsche, Aston Ferrari ( the CA) and others add to their product offerings, and if Lamborghini, and yes Ferrari too do not try and reach a broader customer base, I think it is only a matter of time until they will either me a memory or a different type of company.

 

IMO I think it's cheesy to keep rebading the same car. It looks lazy to me. It's what killed the NSX.

 

I don't think Lamborghini will ever be on the way out. It's too powerful of a brand, regardless.

Fred

 

Until Lamborghini's and other exotics STOP depreciating !00K out the door I am NOT interested in any exotic product from anyone.

 

To the naysayers, I'm not excluding myself from the "Look at me" crowd; I never said I was.

Fact is , these cars whether Lambo, Ferrari, Bugatti, Rolls Royce etc get attention and that's what most of us like. Be true to yourself and admit it! Unlike the poster who said "I don't like the attention I get because I drive a Lambo" I say BS!!!!

Yes, we like the cars and we like the attention they bring. Our 15 minutes of fame that gets us noticed. Driving our SUV gets no attention, and there's no fun in that!

 

Not really......think about it!

 

Here you go Chief..........You'll find something more your style.

www.fordfocuschat.com

 

Good one Billy!

 

Well, Lamborghini HAS ebbed into near non-existence before but this time there has been quite a financial investment and I can't see Audi just letting it slip away. Oh they might unload it and let someone else ride a declining company into obscurity but this too seems unlikely.

I think Fred is correct but perhaps only as a historic marque and YES Lamborghini has a heritage albeit not a racing history.

I prefer the vintage cars so when I picked up a striking green Espada a few years ago frankly I was very surprised at how much attention it gets on the road. It's non chick magnet attention that this car gets. But for me attention is the down side as it becomes downright dangerous when gawkers surround you with the WTF stares.

I've always just enjoyed the look and feel of the cars and driving them on extended trips. Sadly, this is a lot harder to do now than it was when I bought my first exotic in the mid 1980s. For me car shows and restaurant gatherings with a group slog through sub 50 mph traffic on weekends gets old fast. I like driving them. A ton of attention isn't helpful. I much prefer just enjoying the car for itself, alone on fantastic road.

Let's hope it's those sort of experiences and not the parking on the golf course lawns that will keep the vintage Lamborghini's desirable. Getting corporate Lamborghini to consistently understand this and it's value to the marque will always be an on going effort. Certainly Valentino knows the value in these cars.

Bob S.

 

Powerful argument. You make a good point there, Darolls. I better take some time to mull this one over.

Thanks,

Fred

 

A droll one for Darolls ...

Bob S.

 

I don't know, Skip, I thought my Diablo WAS a great driving experience, and I tracked it on more than one occasion. A driving experience to me is about many things: performance, sound, handling, styling, exclusivity. The Diablo delivered most of that in spades. Going 155 mph down a California interstate with a CHP escort and feeling that chassis become more glued to the pavement with each passing mile is right up there in my list of favorite automotive memories. Expressway lane changes were a tad frightening, though

What year/model/color did you have? RWD or VT? SV? Mine was a '98 Monterey Edition SV. Put 8K miles on it in 11 months, not easy to do with a Chicago winter intervening.

 

I figured it would be a matter of time before Lambo went out of business.

They have survived for a very long time on one model car & that car is still evolving. The Countach.

I've typed it before & I will type it again. Lamborghini screws themselves trying to compete head to head with Ferrari. Ferrari is a totally different brand on a whole different level.

If Lamborghini wants to survive they need to do what Ferrari has done. Keep the over the top flash for cars like the F50 & Enzo but Lambo needs a pratical front engine model thats not TOO over the top like the 599. I also feel Lamborghini could certainly sell a very sporty SUV.

I was just at a Ferrari dealer a couple of weeks ago. He had a Gallardo 560-4 some guy traded for a Scud. The guy in sales told me Lamborghini just tries TOO hard with the looks, he opened the door and showed me the interrior, it was pure Audi.

I doubt they ever go all the way out of business but I don't see Audi keeping them around much longer if things don't pick up after 2011.

 

Dear Lamborghinisti,


Hmmm.....I don't see any Audi or an especially conservative Ferrari interior.

I see LAMBORGHINI !!

.....oh....it's a Diablo....that's why...


Shamile

Freeze...Miami Vice !
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So you are saying that Lamborghini needs to make more practical (and boring) cars. Maybe throw in an SUV for the ol' soccer mom?

Ahhhhhhh no.


Dear Lamborghini,

Keep making cars that kick ass. Keep making cars that have such beautiful lines that even women who hate cars love them. Keep making cars with obnoxious, impractical doors that pop up. Keep making cars that have people running down the street to see them. Keep making cars that have more than 8 cylinders. Keep making cars whose lines are noticed and appreciated by women who don't even like cars. Keep making cars that aren't all the same color at meets. Keep making cars that aren't owned by people that enjoy Perrier and caviar but will still fit in at the charity auction. Keep making cars that kids in the Make a Wish Foundation want to ride in. Keep selling them to "average Joe" owners who love to take these kids for rides.

If you do these things, you ensure that you will never be on the same level as Ferrari.

 

Gary,

My Diablo was a 93' Vt Nero/Nero. I never tracked it but I must agree with you about the driving experience and yes, its appearance and sound.

To me though, the car was just uncomfortable to be in, as was the Countach. I think I'm a bit claustrophobic and that's what created my disdain. I guess what I'm trying to say is I felt like I was in a coffin while driving them.

Had the Diablo been a roadster, my experience might have had a totally different attitude.

To wit, I'm saying I love the over-the-top design and performance of Lambos, I'm just not comfortable driving them.

Gary said: "Put 8K miles on it in 11 months, not easy to do with a Chicago winter intervening".

You have my respect Gary, you do drive your cars!

 

+1......

 

+2

 

Those practical boring cars like the California and 599 are outselling the kick ass you type of. And speaking of women, women prefer the California over the Gallardo. It was a recent article about the Chinese market where most California buyers in China were women. Lamborghini is in a 48 million dollar hole this last fiscal year simply because the Gallardo isn't moving. What in the world are you typing about?

Sorry my friend Lambo never has and never will be on the level of Ferrari in mystique performance or mythical status. Hell, even in Italy they are thought of as second rate status to Ferrari by Italian people. They try waaaaaaaaaay too hard.

 

You need to read your history, my friend. When Lamborghini introduced his first car he was way ahead of Ferrari. Of course, I'm not sure what "mystique performance" means, but certainly in raw performance...way ahead.

Fred

 

IMO the Gallardo isn't moving because all those who would buy a Gallardo have. Those that did buy will most likely not replace their G with a new G. What's the real difference between the looks of a 2004 and a 2010? I also think those who bought a 2004-2008 are not currently in a position to lose 100k on their trade-in. I watched the F car market for years and saw how cars didn't decrease in value too much. I thought great, buy a 360, drive it for a year and lose 10-15% of the value and trade up eventually getting into a new one. Not now. The car has lost 50% of it's value. and to get a newer one I would need to add 150% more $ not 20-30% more. If the car was 150% better great then trade up, but it's not 150% better.

 

Good point.

The other problem is the Gallardo has lost its target market segment. In 2004 they talked about a cheaper car to bring new people to the brand. The Gallardo has just increased in price so much, its not working as an entry level car.

 

SO if I understood you correctly Ferrari is now focused on making cars for Chinese women and anyone who buys a Ferrari is buying an intangible myth? If I were a superstitious wealthy Mandarin lady I suppose I would be running to my Ferrari dealer right now. However since I kept my testes and opened something besides a fortune cookie factory perhaps you would like to quantify some of your statements about performance and mystique and trying 'waaaaaaaay too hard? Personally I think the FXX tries WAY to hard, and the 430 Scud while cool is FAR from elegant inside and out. Its a hockey puck with stripes. Also perhaps you could post up some of Ferraris PNLs for fiscal 2008-2009, Should we look at just those units of FIAT (remember you are driving a FIAT for all of you who like to ***** that Lamborghinis are just Audis) and VAG or the companies profitability as a whole? Cause I'm fairly certain VAG is about to be positioned as the largest auto manufacturer worldwide in the next few years and a one year 48 million dollar deficit might be considered extremely acceptable for a marque that brings so much prestige to all the brands under the corporate umbrella. Remember the Veyron is a loser as well and was planned that way. What happens when Emporer of the Sith Dr Piech buys Fiat too? If you think its impossible ask Porsche what happened lol. You seem to think that Lamborghini and Ferrari are trying to make cars that are similar and I disagree. They might have similar performance figures but the cars couldnt be more differant. Ferrari is all about racing heritage and all the F car fanboys will try to wave that flag, so if all of a sudden after 30+ years of not racing Lambo started you would just scream bandwagon jumper stop trying to be Ferrari so I think Lambo is sticking to its heritage. GREAT ROAD CARS. Besides careful what you wish for, look what happened when VAG decided to go racing at Le Mans with Audi and Bentley. A VAG fielded F1 effort might be pretty interesting, better than Toyotas I would hope lol. At the end of the day buy the car that makes you happy and stop trying to make everyone else think like you do just drive it and smile and hope the Lambo guys are doing the same. It certainly wont be good for Ferrari or anyone if Lambo goes under.

 

I think Ferrari did a brilliant move with the California. Its not my style personally but my wife loves it and is constantly dropping "hints". There is no way she would ever drive a G, its too flashy and doesn't have enough storage to be a practical car, if you can a ferrari practical lol. But for whatever reason, she likes it. She also likes the 599 but I don't see her in a mercie. So I think Ferrari has done a great job increasing their audience, albeit at the dismay of the purists.