Lamborghini is trying to broaden its appeal to women with its new Urus SUV, coming out in 2018. At least that’s new-ish CEO Stefano Domenicali’s plan, according to Bloomberg, and it’s not that far out of the realm of possibility.
“A bull is always aggressive, but I would like to give us a new philosophy toward the future: A bull can be gentle,” Domenicali said. But don’t worry, Lambo’s giant V12s aren’t going anywhere, even though the Urus is expected to have a 600-hp turbocharged V8.
Domenicali says the new SUV should double the company’s yearly sales; for reference, in 2015 it moved 3,245 units.
We know the Urus will be immediately identifiable as a Lamborghini, but the company wants it to be customizable from the factory and to target a 30- to 45-year-old audience. We think that might be a little difficult, considering the SUV is expected to come in at about $200,000, and there are only so many young, successful entrepreneurs to go around.
Domenicali is hoping a big percentage of those new buyers will be women, as the company’s current buyers are 95 percent male. Bloomberg notes there’s a big swath available to Lamborghini, considering 48 percent of all small premium SUV buyers are women, according to J.D. Power and Associates.
“Lamborghini is going in the right direction here,” said Milton Pedraza, a Manhattan-based consultant. “Anybody can be convinced, as long as there is substance to the argument. If Lamborghini puts out a product that is female-friendly, women will definitely flock to it and will change their minds. It’s not a question of money for women in that segment. The money is not going to be the issue. It’s going to be: ‘Show me you know me.’”
Pedraza goes on, “When women get to the showroom, the people who are ambassadors to the brand and the experience have to be impeccable,” he said. “It all has to be seamless and honest and relevant — and by the way, human. If it can do that, I believe Lamborghini has a great shot.”
Bloomberg notes that it might be productive to actually hire some women as head executives to lead the charge. Currently the only woman on the top team is a new American public relations rep.
“We have a small company, but we know we can do a good job,” Domenicali said. “And we are humble — it’s a different customer, a different car, a different network. We are (at the) top with regard to the super-sports car, but this will be a different business.”