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Wealthy car lovers addicted to the sound and sensations of exotic cars are snapping up the final supercars powered by petrol alone.
Lamborghini chief executive Stephan Winkelmann says the brand has been surprised by strong demand for its ageing Aventador and Huracan supercars, fuelled by looming environmental regulations in Europe and beyond.
Sales of petrol and diesel cars will be banned in the UK from 2030, and manufacturers already face steep fines for exceeding carbon emissions targets within the European Union.
Mr Winkelmann said there was “a run” on the last V12-powered Aventador Ultimae supercars, ahead of the model’s replacement by a hybrid successor in the next two years.
“The run is over because we have sold out all the cars – all the combustion V12s are all sold,” he said.
“There was a run on the 600 Aventadors – they were really sold in the blink of an eye, this was really surprising us.
“The demand I have to say is high. It’s the highest which has ever been in the luxury car industry in the super sports car industry.”
The future of Lamborghini’s Huracan is also murky.
It shares a huge 5.2-litre V10 engine with Audi’s R8, which is no longer on sale in Australia.
The Audi is rumoured to get a smaller turbocharged motor in the near future, which could also spell the end of big-bore V10 power for the baby Lambo.
The Lamborghini boss told Australian media there was “a magic moment in a shift of technology”, and that “being the last of a kind” helped fuel strong sales, even in a pandemic.
While the Aventador represents the last Lambo powered purely by a V12, hybrid successors will be more wild than mild.
Winkelmann promises that its range-topping models “will always be true Lamborghinis”, and that “the sound of the hypercar is going to be safeguarded” by a new, more efficient V12 hybrid engine.
A hybrid version of the commercially successful Lamborghini Urus luxury SUV will arrive soon, likely borrowing technology from Porsche’s Cayenne E-Hybrid.
That car will be followed by a new “two-plus-two” grand tourer that could borrow elements from the luxurious Bentley Continental GT and Porsche Panamera, as Lamborghini is part of the Volkswagen Group.
Lamborghini has ramped up production ahead of strict emissions rules pushing overseas customers toward electric cars. Even so, the majority of 2022 production has sold out, with relatively small numbers of the Huracan sports car and Urus crossover unaccounted for.
Winkelmann said ultra-wealthy people are choosing to reward themselves following coronavirus restrictions.
“People are travelling less so they buy cars at home,” Winkelmann said.
“The money is not getting you the feedback you want from the bank, and also that after a long period of suffering there is a lust to come back to life.”
– news.com.au
Keyword: Millionaires race to snap up supercars