Lambo sets up outside Italy

13/05/2008 07:39



Automobil Lamborghini has created a sales division for its North American operation - the first outside of Italy - after 14% of all its cars were sold there in 2007.
2 406 Lamborghinis found homes in the US last year, with about one-third of these sold in California, where the new US headquarters has been established.
"While we will have to wait until the afternoons to call California from Italy, it was the best decision," Stephan Winkelmann, CEO of Automobil Lamborghini, told Automotive News.
For 2007, the manufacturer posted a net pre-tax profit of 47.1 million euros, up from 18.1 million euros in 2006.
"It's the first time we've ever earned real money," Winkelmann commented. By contrast, two Lamborghini Gallardos were sold in South Africa in April.

Only 14% of all Lambos are sold in the US?? I expected the US allocation to be higher like 29-24%.

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The U.S. is the single biggest market for Lamborghini so it comes as little surprise the Italian supercar brand will be setting up a separate sales company exclusively for the country – the first of its kind outside Italy. We - ONLY REGISTERED AND ACTIVATED USERS CAN SEE ALL LINKS - CLICK HERE TO REGISTERnews Lamborghini would establish the new sales arm back in January and we can now confirm it will be located in Santa Monica, California.

Last year Lamborghini made 41% of its sales in North America, with California alone accounting for a third of these, which is the key reason the West Coast was picked over the East.

“While we will have to wait until the afternoons to call California from Italy, it was the best decision,” Lamborghini CEO Stephan Winkelmann explained to AutoWeek.“California is where the future trends are. It’s where our PR agency is. It’s where many of our buyers are,” he added.

The new offshoot will be called Automobili Lamborghini America LLC and it will be headed by Pietro Frigerio, the current regional sales manager for the U.S. West Coast. Executives are hopeful a local operation will reduce wait times for dealers who sometimes have to wait for several weeks at a time to receive information on items ranging from service bulletins to special requests for customers.

Looks like it's a typo. It's supposed to be 41 %.