Lambo dealers to ‘reap rewards’

PROFITABLE dealers and a doubling of sales as the Urus SUV takes hold are key items on the wish list of Automobili Lamborghini’s newly appointed CEO of Asia Pacific, Matteo Ortenzi.

The Singapore-based, Italian-born regional head of one of the last words in automobile exotica said that the Urus brings many challenges to the brand but also the opportunity to dramatically increase its Lamborghini family of owners.

One of the biggest challenges was ensuring the dealers are prepared to welcome the new breed of Lamborghini owner that will be attracted to the car-maker’s first SUV, the Urus.

“Interest in the Urus is beyond expectation. In terms of numbers, we are collecting a large amount of orders from potential customers,” he told GoAutoNews Premium.

“Worldwide, about 70 per cent of orders are from customers new to Lamborghini. These are customers who never touched the Lamborghini brand before.

“This is a huge opportunity because we are opening the brand to other potential customers on top of our existing sportscar models.

“It’s also a challenge because this is a different way for us in dealing with customers of cars coming from (other) top brands. It is important to manage that customer properly because they have big expectations.”

Mr Ortenzi said Lamborghini dealers had to be aware of issues such as providing customers with loan cars “because the Urus is a car they use every day”.

“It’s not a sportscar that they may drive only once a week and that can be in the service centre during the week,” he said.

“This is a car that is made for the family and customers are unlikely to be able to leave it without a replacement.”

Mr Ortezi said “all the Australian dealers are working in the right direction”.

“I think we are prepared now for the wave that is coming.”

He admits that it has been “an expensive transition for the dealers” but added that it was now time for dealers to reap rewards for their support for the brand.

“The dealer network is not growing proportional to the growth in sales (because) we want their business to grow and be profitable.

“We have good partners and they have been with us when we had small volumes. Now we will let them grow and increase their business.

“We will add one dealer in Australia next year. But while we will have one more dealer, we will double sales from about 120 a year to about 200 a year.”

The new dealer is a Zagame dealership that will also sell and service McLaren cars.

Lamborghini in Australia has started a corporate identity upgrade and renovation of its showrooms, part of what Mr Ortezi said is “asking dealers for additional commitment to the brand”.

Lamborghini’s area manager for Oceania, Sydney-based Andrea Ruggiero, said the Sydney Lamborghini dealership “is a work in progress” and its renovation was now being planned and managed.

The new CI consists of new colours, new floor design and the addition of a “video wall” that links the showroom with the factory in Italy and downloads all the custom options available for customers.

“Because of the customisation of the product, we have to allow for that in the dealerships,” Mr Ruggiero said.

“It is difficult that while someone wants a Lamborghini they also want their own Lamborghini.

“In Melbourne we have a large screen that shows the ability to customise the cars. It’s a video wall that is linked by cloud to the factory and all the items available to personalising the car are shown.”

Mr Ruggiero said that in 2017, Lamborghini sales were 122 units in Australia and that he expected that to be the same for the current calendar year. To the end of June, the brand has sold 65 cars.

But from the arrival of the Urus in October, he expects an increase in sales so that for the full 2019 year, they could hit 180-200 units.

By Neil Dowling