Lamborghini is up against a softening Canadian luxury-vehicle market as it launches its first plug-in hybrid vehicle, but the supercar maker has few doubts the electrified version of its top-selling Urus will find its mark, said Andrea Baldi, company CEO for the Americas.
The recent slide in luxury sales, he added, is more a return to normal from the “excessive demand” experienced over the past few years than it is a decline. The Italian automaker owned by the Volkswagen Group had a banner year in 2023, though its output pales in comparison to mainstream manufacturers. Lamborghini delivered 357 vehicles in Canada in 2023 and a record 10,112 vehicles globally, its first year breaking into five-digits. The Urus was the largest contributor, accounting for 54 per cent of Canadian sales and 60 per cent of global sales.
Unlike the two-seater supercars Lamborghini is best known for, the Urus, including the new plug-in version, is built to be a daily driver. “That versatility is what will continue to attract new people to the brand.” The powertrain in the Urus SE pairs a twin-turbo V8 engine with an electric motor for combined output of 789 horsepower. It can accelerate to 100 km/h from rest in 3.4 seconds and reach a top speed of 312 km/h. The SUV’s 25.9 KWh battery pack also gives the Urus about 60 kilometres of all-electric range.
Baldi said the company stays up to date on Canadian zero-emission vehicle regulations but does not expect the newly introduced sales mandate to significantly affect the brand. The federal rules will require ZEVs account for 60 per cent of the light-duty vehicles sales by 2030 and 100 per cent by 2035. Ottawa will impose a $20,000 per-vehicle penalty on automakers failing to reach these thresholds.