What We Know About the 2013 Lamborghini Estoque
Alarming financial news cast a pall over the October 2008 Paris Auto Show, but storied Italian sports car maker Lamborghini provided a feel-good respite by unveiling a stunning concept sedan. Yes, a sedan, only the third 4-door design in the company's 40-year history. Named Estoque (say "es-toe-kay") for a sword used in bull fighting, it's as sexy as any Lambo ever built. It also looks showroom-ready. Jaws dropped and tongues began wagging when Lamborghini CEO Stephan Winkelmann told assembled reporters that the concept is a fully operational prototype that could go into production.
For several reasons, the Estoque is not yet approved, and some reports say it won't be. And even if it is, Winkelmann says that Lamborghini would need at least four years to put it on the road, which suggests a 2012 arrival at the absolute earliest. But if it does go ahead, the Estoque is projected to more than double Lamborghini sales, to around 4,000-5,000 per year. That compares with a record 2,405 deliveries in 2007, divided between slinky V10 Gallardo and burly V12 Murcielago coupes and spider convertibles. Lamborghini is in the black, and the Estoque signals that it intends to remain there, recession or not. As Winkelmann told trade weekly Automotive News Europe, "If it's a feasible dream but an economic disaster, we cannot propose it."
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