Stephan Winkelmann, CEO of Lamborghini Automobili S.p.A., poses next to a Lamborghini Urus during a Audi group reception on March 11, 2013 in Munich, Germany. (Photo : Getty Images/Alexander Hassenstein)
Hoping to double its sales in the country, Automobili Lamborghini has decided to introduce its upcoming model Urus in India. The rollout is expected to happen in 2018.
The Italian luxury car maker will enter the world of sports utility vehicles through the launch of Urus. The new model, will thus, mark a new way for the company to enter a new segment altogether. Lamborghini is otherwise known for its super swift steeds.
The company is currently finalizing the product specifications for Urus. The SUV concept car was first unveiled at the Beijing Auto Show in 2012. The product has been named after a wild ancestor of domestic cattle in Italy, also recognized as aurochs.
With the launch of Urus in India, the Italian company is hoping to revive its declining sales by specifically targeting the relevant section of people. The Head of Lamborghini in India, Sharad Agarwal, identifies the problem with the import duty as the cause behind declining sales.
"What we saw in the past is that the segment has not grown to its potential because there was a steep increase in import duty," Agarwal told Business Standard. "But the good thing that we saw last year is that the growth came back to the segment, and we expect it to grow at a double digit pace in the time to come."
People in India no longer feel shy in flaunting their wealth, especially in Tier-I and Tier-II cities. With a large fraction of male entrepreneurs running large businesses opting to purchase super luxury cars, Lamborghini is hoping to find a similar target audience in the country.
Agarwal further told the publication that launch of Urus opens a new customer segment for Lamborghini and the company is really excited to see things work out. In addition, he told that Urus takes care of the fundamental infrastructure challenge that people have to go through.
The Lamborghini SUV will use a V8 biturbo engine anf the R&D team at the company is currently exploring the possibility of incorporating a second engine with hybrid technology, Agarwal told Deccan Herald.
Lamborghini has not started taking the orders for the SUV yet. The company is expected to open more showrooms in the country if there is a hike in demand.
The following video examines the interior and exterior features of Lamborghini Urus:
