China could become the number one market for Italian supercar maker Lamborghini, as the country's luxury market continues to grow apace, its chief executive Stephan Winkelmann told Reuters on Tuesday. "I think it is even going to become the No.1 market already this year," Winkelmann said, adding that precise sales numbers in China would depend on how many of its new Aventador luxury sports cars it could deliver.
First quarter sales beat the same period in 2010, although this year Lamborghini was only selling the Gallardo during that period, while in the first quarter 2010 the Murcielago, which it stopped making in May 2010, was still available, he said.
Lamborghini, a unit of Volkswagen's Audi brand, whose iconic logo is a charging bull, should have about 20 dealerships in China by the end of the year, compared with 14 today, Winkelmann said in an interview. China differed from other markets because there were more female customers, Winkelmann said.
Lamborghini owners were also younger than in other markets. "This is a good sign because you can get old with them and this is something we have to take care of - that they don't leave the brand when they get older," he added. Winkelmann was speaking on the sidelines of a flamboyant ceremony featuring white-clad models, a graceful male pole-acrobat and a rendition of the Italian national anthem to unveil the new Gallardo LP 550-2 Tricolore, a special edition launched to celebrate 150 years of Italian unification.
Lamborghini hopes overall to sell about a hundred of the cars, which sport a stripe the length of their bodies in the green, white and red of the Italian flag, Winkelmann said. Lamborghini launched its new Aventador super car in Geneva last month, and said at the time it saw sales above those of its best-selling Murcielago. Lamborghini's luxurious sports cars range in price from about 180,000 euros to about 400,000 euros.
Comments
Comments are closed for this article.