Lamborghini CEO Warns of U.S. Tariffs’ Potential Impact on Sales
Potential U.S. tariffs on European-made products could present challenges for Lamborghini, its Chief Executive Officer has indicated, even as the luxury sports car maker reported robust financial results for the previous year. Despite a contraction in the luxury market, Lamborghini’s performance remained strong.
The Italian automaker, a subsidiary of the Volkswagen group, announced on Thursday that its revenues increased by 16% last year, reaching 3.09 billion euros ($3.31 billion). Operating profit also saw a significant rise, up 15.5% to 835 million euros, surpassing the 800 million euro threshold for the first time.
Chief Executive Stephan Winkelmann noted that the company’s order book extends for 18 months. Winkelmann stated that Lamborghini’s goal is to maintain this strong order position and achieve “controlled growth.” He pointed out that the potential for U.S. tariffs adds uncertainty to a luxury market that’s already experiencing a contraction.
Last year, Lamborghini sold a record 10,687 vehicles. The United States, which accounts for approximately 3,000 units of those sales, is the company’s largest single market.
When questioned about the possibility of passing potential U.S. tariffs onto car buyers to protect the company’s margins in the country, Winkelmann said that there is a “sweet point.”
“If you go beyond that you lose volumes, that is a fact,” he explained during a media call. “We need to assess what our competitors do and how American clients react, but there is a risk on volumes for sure.”
Winkelmann also mentioned that the broader luxury car market saw a 10% contraction last year compared to 2023.
“Our feeling is that a post-COVID bubble is over,” he stated. “While such sudden growth in our market was unexpected, we knew it could not last forever. In particular, there has been a contraction in the Chinese luxury market. Our market is now stabilizing.”
Lamborghini’s growth has been accompanied by the addition of approximately 1,000 new employees over the past two years. This has led to a 30% increase in the company’s direct workforce.
Bentley, another luxury automaker under Volkswagen’s ownership, reported its lowest annual revenue since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
Lamborghini, which plans to introduce its first fully-electric model in 2029, currently has an entirely hybrid three-model lineup: the Urus SE SUV, the Revuelto sports car, and the new Temerario sports car. The initial deliveries for the Temerario are anticipated between the end of this year and early 2026.
The selling prices for Lamborghini cars begin at over 260,000 euros ( $1 = 0.9341 euros).
