growing up in Italy and being
German, Italian-bred, belonging to a German
group, I think that this was one of the key
elements, together with the A Lamborghini Gallardo.
developments in electric cars, and will this route play a part in Lamborghini’s future? “I don’t see that for the next decade there will be an electric Lamborghini on a production scale, but never say never,” he said. “We see that regulations are changing very fast, so it’s not about saying we are a trendsetter, it’s about always watching carefully what is going to happen in the future.”
Multitasking
Before joining Lamborghini in 2005 Winkelmann had held senior positions at
Mercedes and Fiat. So what excited him most about the offer of his current role? “I grew up in Italy so, for me, it’s a big positive sign to be part of an Italian brand,” he said, “and Lamborghini gives you the opportunity to work 360 degrees; from R&D to purchasing, production, quality, marketing, design, etc. But, on top of that, it’s also about selling worldwide. It’s tough, because it’s about multitasking, but it’s a great challenge and the brand is just a dream.” And why does he feel he was he singled out for the role of CEO? “I don’t know, this is something I think I cannot answer,” he considered, “but I can tell you what I felt –
experience I already had at that time in the car business – so it’s more than one thing.”
Public image
And what of the marketing of the brand? “Marketing is product placement, magazines, merchandising, so all that creates the feel … because if you see our car in films which are very fitting to the image of the car and the brand, it’s perfect. And today, for the kids, it’s less the posters and much more the joystick and the computer games. So, if you then have our cars racing against each other you create the same feelings that, in our day, were created by the posters.”
Ducati, Pagani, Ferrari, Maserati … what are Lamborghini’s views towards competition in the high-end motoring market space? “We have no jealousy, I have to say, in the company,” said Winkelmann, “and if a competitor produces a good car we look at it, we test it, and we can appreciate what the others are doing. We have our own style, we have our own directions and we feel very relaxed about what the others are doing.” Winkelmann concluded: “… if there is passion and if there is the will, and if you feel it like something belongs to you, then you are rewarded because, no matter what, if you do the best you can, then, with a brand like this, it’s a heavy load but it’s worth it – it’s more than worth it.”
www.logisticsit.com March 2011
MANUFACTURING &LOGISTICS
IT 9
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