LamborghiniEnthusiasts scoffed, guffawed and protested when Porsche, maker of the venerated 911 sports car, launched its Cayenne sport utility vehicle in 2002. The large SUV boosted the marque's sagging sales, winning over Porsche loyalists.These days, Lamborghini factory workers in Sant'Agata Bolognese, Italy, are busy filling orders for the Urus, a high-performance SUV that has attracted new customers and electrified sales.
"When we originally announced in 2012 our intention to create an SUV, we were absolutely convinced we would reach unprecedented volumes," Andrea Baldi, CEO of Automobili Lamborghini America, told ABC News. "Since its debut in 2017, customer feedback has been exceptional. Within the vehicle’s first four years to market, over 80% of Urus customers have been new to the brand.
The "Ferrari faithful" may have "clutched their pearls" when the storied Italian marque finally acquiesced to consumer demand and said it was developing an SUV, Kim said. Ferrari has already begun production of the Purosangue, an exclusive and expensive new model that challenges the Urus and Cayenne Turbo. The wait-list is deep; a spokesperson told ABC News production is sold out for two years.
"We've evolved a bit from a sedan-based company to a purveyor of luxury performance SUVs and supercars," Bill Peffer, CEO of Maserati North America, told ABC News.The athletic Grecale is available in three powertrains -- a 296 horsepower turbo-four, a 325-hp turbo-four and a 523-hp twin-turbo V6 -- and debuted in showrooms in January. Sales are so strong that it's quickly become the brand's bestseller, replacing the Levante.
Alfa Romeo Tonale plug-in hybrid Q4 compact SUV on display at Brussels Expo on Jan. 13, 2023 in Brussels.Kim said the introduction of the Tonale will get consumers talking again about the struggling brand.Peffer pointed out that Maserati is also seeing a ton of interest in its MC20, the company's flagship supercar that makes 621-hp from a twin-turbo V6 engine.