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Why Are Lamborghinis So Expensive? [11 Reasons 2023]

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Lamborghini is a heavyweight name in the supercars world. The brand is synonymous with top performance and luxury. So much so that few people can afford such a vehicle.

But what makes Lamborghini cars so expensive?

Photo: Simone Brunozzi / Flickr / CC BY SA 2.0

Exclusivity and high performance are the top reasons Lamborghinis are so expensive. These cars are super-light and super-fast, and they are manufactured in limited numbers. Because of each model’s rarity, Lamborghinis have a high resale value. Concept, design, and production costs are also included in the car’s price. Moreover, the luxury finishes, accessories, and customization drive costs up even more. 

Lamborghini is one of those heritage-rich brands that wrote the history of supercars. From the first vehicle to the latest release, each Lamborghini model is iconic. This article explores all reasons why they have inaccessible price tags.

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1. Low-Volume Production

In 1948, Ferruccio Lamborghini founded the tractor company with the same name. At the time, Lamborghini was only making tractors from reconfigured surplus military machines, and the car magnate had no intention of ever building sports cars. 

Things changed after Enzo Ferrari – founder of famous Ferrari supercars – insulted Lamborghini, allegedly telling him that he’ll never be able to handle a sports car. 

As a result, the first Lamborghini sports car was born in 1963; the automotive company was founded, and the prototype became the Lamborghini 350 GT launched on the market one year later. 

Since the beginning, Lamborghini has only manufactured limited series for each newly launched model. For instance, the company only made 120 units of 350 GTs. 

The Aventador, initially released in 2011, is the most mass-produced car from the brand, but Lamborghini only made 10,000 units of it. Comparatively, 2011’s Ford Mustang had a production number of 70,400 units.

Not only is the Aventador a limited edition, but these vehicles are further divided into the Coupé and Roadster series, each of them available in low numbers.

For instance, 2016’s special edition of Aventador Coupé Miura Homage was a 50-unit tribute to the legendary Miura. 

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Aventador SVJ 63 is another special edition of Aventador available in only 63 units. As a whole, the Aventador SVJ series comprises only 900 cars.

Like anything else that is a limited edition, Lamborghini cars have a high collectible value. People who want to own a rare car generally don’t mind splurging, and this is one of the reasons Lamborghini cars are expensive.

2. Design

While all Lamborghini models share the same design DNA, new elements are added to each new series. 

Some of the iconic design features found in all cars include the hexagon and the Y stylistic elements. However, new details are added to each model, differentiating it from the others. 

Photo: Jay Gannett / Flickr / CC BY SA 2.0

According to Lamborghini designers, you can create a new model with just a few elegant and accurate lines. 

Yet, there is a lot of effort that goes into the creation of each series. From drawings, 3D renderings, sketches, and physical scale models, there are lots of steps – and lots of people – involved in creating each car.

All these efforts are reflected in the car’s price.

3. Innovative Elements

Lamborghini cars are also expensive because each new series equals innovation.

Currently, the company focuses on pushing its concepts into the third millennium through the use of renewable energy, innovative materials, new powertrain and vehicle architecture, and sound and emotion.

To achieve its goals, the Italian brand works with scientists at MIT – Massachusetts Institute of Technology. 

Innovative materials used in the construction of Lamborghini cars include advanced composites and carbon fiber, both of which increase durability while making the vehicles lighter. 

4. High-Performance Parts

What’s inside each car also counts towards the final price. Like most supercars, Lamborghinis have high-performance parts capable of enhancing the driving experience. 

This is true for all Lamborghini cars, from the first released model to the latest. 

Back in 1964, the Lamborghini 350 GT had one of the most powerful motors. The car packed a 12-cylinder engine capable of going from standstill to 60 mph in just 6.8 seconds. That was pretty impressive for the time. 

To put things into perspective, a Ford Mustang of the same year managed to accelerate to 60 mph in 8.9 seconds. 

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The newest release, Lamborghini Huracán EVO Fluo Capsule, can accelerate to 60 mph in only 2.9 seconds and reaches speeds over 200 mph.

5. Luxury Materials 

Beyond exterior design and performance, Lamborghinis are also expensive because their interiors are made from the highest quality materials. 

Seats are generally made of Forged Composites®, an advanced proprietary material developed by the brand, or carbon fiber covered in Alcantara, a type of premium microfiber suede, or real leather.

Embroideries and customized details add even more value to the interior design. 

Since all these materials are expensive, they drive up the cost of the car.

6. Manufacturing Process

As a luxury brand, Lamborghini is all about quality. All its vehicles are made in one of the two factories found in Sant’Agata Bolognese, Italy.

These are the only two Lamborghini factories in the world, but what makes the brand special is the lack of automated car construction machines. 

In the Lamborghini factories, each car is handmade – and preordered. There is no stock of Lamborghinis, meaning that some models are even highly customizable.

Each vehicle requires six to 12 months of hard work, with about 300 workers assembling a car in the 24-station assembly line. 

The production factory has only one robot whose sole job is to move the hefty vehicle from one worker to another.

With such a complex manufacturing process and lots of craftsmanship involved, it doesn’t come as a surprise that these cars are expensive.

Standing behind all its claims, Lamborghini allows owners to visit the factory and watch how their car is made.

7. Customizations 

As mentioned above, Lamborghini doesn’t manufacture a car unless it is preordered.

Photo: Leonid Mamchenkov / Flickr / CC BY 2.0

Exposition vehicles you can see at dealerships are preordered too and owned by the dealership. This allows customers to personalize the vehicle to their heart’s content. 

However, customizations require alterations of the original design or the use of more exclusive and expensive materials; thus, they increase the final price.

Currently, Lamborghini runs bespoke customization programs for its Huracán and Aventador models. Other cars, like the Urus, can be personalized with various accessories and color schemes. 

8. Brand History 

Lamborghini’s heritage is another factor that makes these cars expensive. People associate Lamborghini with a high level of quality and prestige. This is the equivalent of brand equity

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Brand equity means that customers see that brand as being worth more than competitors, and the market generally bears higher prices for brands with a high level of equity. 

This is true for a variety of other brands across multiple markets and industries, and Lamborghini definitely takes advantage of it. 

9. Resale Value

One of the greatest advantages Lamborghinis have is the low depreciation. Owners can recoup a good portion of the money they spend on buying the car. 

Taking the brand’s turbocharged super-SUV for example (which is the brand’s most affordable vehicle), the Urus costs around $254,000 on the used market.

The car depreciates around $17,600 per year, but similar vehicles like the Porsche Cayenne Turbo or Bentley Bentayga V8 depreciate $32,000 or $29,500 per year, respectively. 

A low depreciation and high resale value make people more eager to buy the product, knowing that they can recoup some of those costs in the future.

10. Dealership Costs 

We already mentioned that Lamborghini only manufactures preordered cars. When buying directly from the brand, you pay the value of the vehicle alone. 

However, dealerships can also order Lamborghinis and then sell them to customers. 

When buying a car through a dealer, you’re likely paying more. This is because dealerships sell cars to make a profit, so they include their own margin in the final price.

Dealership margins in the luxury car market can go up to 15%. Considering that new Lamborghinis can cost over $400,000, the margin can easily add a few tens of thousands of dollars more on top of the factory price.

11. Supercar Culture 

Another factor that affects the price of Lamborghinis is the supercar culture associated with the brand. 

Photo: Brian Turner / Flickr / CC BY 2.0

Lamborghini cars are a symbol of money and power. Driving a Lamborghini comes with social status, and people are willing to pay for such a car just to be recognized in high society. 

With luxury automakers using social media influencers to advertise their cars, and lots of people wanting to drive those cars, it isn’t surprising that Lamborghini – and other similar brands – sell expensive vehicles.

Conclusion 

Lamborghinis are expensive because each car is handcrafted to order. These cars are highly customizable and made from the highest quality materials. Research and the use of innovative technologies – such as carbon fiber chassis and parts – also drive costs up.

These cars are also expensive because they have a high resale value and are iconic symbols of social status.

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