the Estoque rumour mill...
Discussion
There's been a sudden rash of press reporting saying that Lamborghini has cancelled / shelved the Estoque for at least the near future if not forever.
Here's the factory statement that applies:
__________________
PRESS RELEASE
LAMBORGHINI ESTOQUE
Sant'Agata Bolognese, 23rd March 2009
In reference to recent press coverage commenting on cancellation of its Estoque project, Lamborghini has not taken any decision to produce its Estoque concept car, the four door performance saloon concept shown at Paris motor show in 2008.
As stated when the car was shown, Lamborghini believes that if a third model line should ever be added to its product line up, a four door luxury performance saloon could be a logical product strategy. No decision has been made to produce the Estoque.
_________________________
reads like they might never have built them anyway or they might still do, maybe - maybe not - all a bit of a b*gg*r really, as two pages of the latest LCUK magazine have been given over to the original press release and photographs - ho hum, ne'er mind, onwards, onwards
Here's the factory statement that applies:
__________________
PRESS RELEASE
LAMBORGHINI ESTOQUE
Sant'Agata Bolognese, 23rd March 2009
In reference to recent press coverage commenting on cancellation of its Estoque project, Lamborghini has not taken any decision to produce its Estoque concept car, the four door performance saloon concept shown at Paris motor show in 2008.
As stated when the car was shown, Lamborghini believes that if a third model line should ever be added to its product line up, a four door luxury performance saloon could be a logical product strategy. No decision has been made to produce the Estoque.
_________________________
reads like they might never have built them anyway or they might still do, maybe - maybe not - all a bit of a b*gg*r really, as two pages of the latest LCUK magazine have been given over to the original press release and photographs - ho hum, ne'er mind, onwards, onwards
...but, if I recall correctly David, the magazine heading states fairly clearly "CONCEPT" car... which does of course mean "pie in the sky" and it's more of a surprise if it does get made than does not!
Which of course leaves you totally in the clear
My 02p worth was that they were gauging market / media response to the car and the whole idea of a 4 seater Lambo and seeing if any / many / enough of their usual customers made all the right enquiry-noises about it and would then decide whether it's worth making or not?
I see the 'logical conclusion' of adding a 4 seater in this vein but my gut (admittedly, totally ignorant) opinion is that it was top down ideaz from a certain Wagen manufacturer pressing them to diversify their product line. Admittedly I base that opinion on absolutely no evidence whatsoever (that has never stopped me before
)
While there is very much a precedent in the Lamborghini bloodline for a 4 seater car... I'm led to wonder if in a modern market, that Lamborghini as a brand has come to mean or embody something very different and I question if a family 4 seater appeals to the same people to whom Lamborghinis have appealled over the last 30 years?
ie rich, playboy, left field, hellraisers, adrenaline junkies... Or people to whom any some or all of those attributes are at least in some way aspirational.
I'm not sure the 4 seater 'sensible' (lol) car fits in to that demographic? lol
I guess there is a huge amount of *customer retention* in the idea - hellraisers playboys who grow up /knock their missus up (clumsy
) and inevitably move on to a different brand capable of offering them what they need at that stage of their lives?
Which of course leaves you totally in the clear
My 02p worth was that they were gauging market / media response to the car and the whole idea of a 4 seater Lambo and seeing if any / many / enough of their usual customers made all the right enquiry-noises about it and would then decide whether it's worth making or not?
I see the 'logical conclusion' of adding a 4 seater in this vein but my gut (admittedly, totally ignorant) opinion is that it was top down ideaz from a certain Wagen manufacturer pressing them to diversify their product line. Admittedly I base that opinion on absolutely no evidence whatsoever (that has never stopped me before
)While there is very much a precedent in the Lamborghini bloodline for a 4 seater car... I'm led to wonder if in a modern market, that Lamborghini as a brand has come to mean or embody something very different and I question if a family 4 seater appeals to the same people to whom Lamborghinis have appealled over the last 30 years?
ie rich, playboy, left field, hellraisers, adrenaline junkies... Or people to whom any some or all of those attributes are at least in some way aspirational.
I'm not sure the 4 seater 'sensible' (lol) car fits in to that demographic? lol
I guess there is a huge amount of *customer retention* in the idea - hellraisers playboys who grow up /knock their missus up (clumsy
) and inevitably move on to a different brand capable of offering them what they need at that stage of their lives?Edited by evil_dr_fish on Tuesday 24th March 09:05
evil_dr_fish said:
...but, if I recall correctly David, the magazine heading states fairly clearly "CONCEPT" car... which does of course mean "pie in the sky" and it's more of a surprise if it does get made than does not!
Which of course leaves you totally in the clear
My 02p worth was that they were gauging market / media response to the car and the whole idea of a 4 seater Lambo and seeing if any / many / enough of their usual customers made all the right enquiry-noises about it and would then decide whether it's worth making or not?
I see the 'logical conclusion' of adding a 4 seater in this vein but my gut (admittedly, totally ignorant) opinion is that it was top down ideaz from a certain Wagen manufacturer pressing them to diversify their product line. Admittedly I base that opinion on absolutely no evidence whatsoever (that has never stopped me before )
While there is very much a precedent in the Lamborghini bloodline for a 4 seater car... I'm led to wonder if in a modern market, that Lamborghini as a brand has come to mean or embody something very different and I question if a family 4 seater appeals to the same people to whom Lamborghinis have appealled over the last 30 years?
ie rich, playboy, left field, hellraisers, adrenaline junkies... Or people to whom any some or all of those attributes are at least in some way aspirational.
I'm not sure the 4 seater 'sensible' (lol) car fits in to that demographic? lol
I guess there is a huge amount of *customer retention* in the idea - hellraisers playboys who grow up /knock their missus up (clumsy ) and inevitably move on to a different brand capable of offering them what they need at that stage of their lives?
I'd like a hellraiser 4-seater for hellraiser Family D outings rather than a two Lambo convoy which currently means we can't talk hellraising plans on the way to visit our victims when we go out as a family. There is *nothing* out there that fits the bill, not that I can see anywayWhich of course leaves you totally in the clear
My 02p worth was that they were gauging market / media response to the car and the whole idea of a 4 seater Lambo and seeing if any / many / enough of their usual customers made all the right enquiry-noises about it and would then decide whether it's worth making or not?
I see the 'logical conclusion' of adding a 4 seater in this vein but my gut (admittedly, totally ignorant) opinion is that it was top down ideaz from a certain Wagen manufacturer pressing them to diversify their product line. Admittedly I base that opinion on absolutely no evidence whatsoever (that has never stopped me before
)While there is very much a precedent in the Lamborghini bloodline for a 4 seater car... I'm led to wonder if in a modern market, that Lamborghini as a brand has come to mean or embody something very different and I question if a family 4 seater appeals to the same people to whom Lamborghinis have appealled over the last 30 years?
ie rich, playboy, left field, hellraisers, adrenaline junkies... Or people to whom any some or all of those attributes are at least in some way aspirational.
I'm not sure the 4 seater 'sensible' (lol) car fits in to that demographic? lol
I guess there is a huge amount of *customer retention* in the idea - hellraisers playboys who grow up /knock their missus up (clumsy
) and inevitably move on to a different brand capable of offering them what they need at that stage of their lives?Edited by evil_dr_fish on Tuesday 24th March 09:05
... I think the ALSpA press release is a glorious example of saying nothing whilst saying everything that's needed... Lamborghini are getting ever-better at presenting a tantalising possibility amidst the almost certain probabilities and absolutely definite real cars... Doesn't anybody remember the Concept S and the retro-Miura of recent times?
Whatever it is, the Estoque concept is at least as valid as the Concept S and much more credible than the 'not really real' retro-Miura. At least the Concept S was/is drivable - that car was at a big show with Lamborghini Club France last year and looked fantastic. Perhaps we should ask Sant'Agata to bring the show-Estoque to some event in the UK this year?
Mind you, it could be (much) worse, they could yet build a diesel 'powered' Estoque... eeoooo
One of the American magazine/e-zines has already complained that they intended to have a comparison article with whatever the Ferrari and Porsche 'equivalents' of the Estoque were/are going to be and that they were now having to cancel their plans, poor things.
This is much like the comparison I had been planning testing Pagani's new water-floating, off-roader, biofueled car with the McClaren 9-seat LPG-only MPV and the next version of the Nano, which will cost £7.34 to buy, have a cowdung-powered W24 engine but only 3 seats and of which the motor is in no way based on any VAG engines at all, no, not one at all, none, no...
All such plans have now gone to the big dump of great notions yet again like so many other brilliant projects. Such a waste of precious minutes of preparation and planning, all just worthless ideas, shattered dreams, heartlessly ruined aspirations...
Whatever it is, the Estoque concept is at least as valid as the Concept S and much more credible than the 'not really real' retro-Miura. At least the Concept S was/is drivable - that car was at a big show with Lamborghini Club France last year and looked fantastic. Perhaps we should ask Sant'Agata to bring the show-Estoque to some event in the UK this year?
Mind you, it could be (much) worse, they could yet build a diesel 'powered' Estoque... eeoooo
One of the American magazine/e-zines has already complained that they intended to have a comparison article with whatever the Ferrari and Porsche 'equivalents' of the Estoque were/are going to be and that they were now having to cancel their plans, poor things.
This is much like the comparison I had been planning testing Pagani's new water-floating, off-roader, biofueled car with the McClaren 9-seat LPG-only MPV and the next version of the Nano, which will cost £7.34 to buy, have a cowdung-powered W24 engine but only 3 seats and of which the motor is in no way based on any VAG engines at all, no, not one at all, none, no...
All such plans have now gone to the big dump of great notions yet again like so many other brilliant projects. Such a waste of precious minutes of preparation and planning, all just worthless ideas, shattered dreams, heartlessly ruined aspirations...
Gassing Station | Supercar General | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff