Lamborghinis are flashy and flamboyant hypercars. They draw attention wherever they are, and many consider them to be one of the best cars in the world. But many people still wonder why Lamborghinis cost so much.
Lamborghinis cost so much for many reasons. Firstly, they are built from high performance parts which cost a lot of money in the first place. Secondly, they are relatively rare as their production volumes are quite low. Lamborghini also have a long history of building some of the greatest supercars.
Unlike what many people often believe, you don’t always just pay for the badge on the front of the car. There are actually a number of factors that affect the total value of the car. Below, we’ll go into more detail to find out exactly why Lamborghinis cost so much.
The History Of Lamborghini
Lamborghini’s true origin can be traced back as far as 1948, when Lamborghini Trattori started building tractors. They still do so to this day, and they build some of the most expensive and cutting-edge tractors on the market.
Lamborghini Automotive was founded in 1963 by an Italian man named Feruccio Lamborghini. He established the brand in order to compete with rival Italian supercar giants Ferrari. Ferrari were somewhat in a league of their own at the time and dominated the supercar market.
Tough Times
Lamborghini were quickly sent into a downward spiral merely ten years after opening for business. 1973 saw a worldwide financial downturn and an oil crisis. These events led to three ownership changes and the bankruptcy of the ambitious supercar manufacturers in 1978.
It seemed as though the company would not last long until it was finally sold to the Volkswagen Group who placed it under the control of the Audi division.
A New Lease Of Life
This is when Lamborghini’s fate took a sudden turn. New models were introduced such as the massively successful Gallardo and Murcielago. Utilizing technology from Audi, the Italian company was finally able to compete amongst the best supercars in the world.
Currently, Lamborghini produces three models, which are the Aventador, Huracan and Urus. They also supply V12 powered engines for powerboat racing and their tractorcompany is still fully operational.
Lamborghini also produces incredibly rare one-off cars every now and then such as the Reventon and the Veneno. Lamborghini always names their models after famous Spanish fighting bulls. But the rich history is not the only reason Lamborghinis are so expensive.
Production Volumes
The Reventon
Production numbers are a huge factor in the total cost of Lamborghinis. Raritycan significantly impact the total value of any car. For example, in 2007 Lamborghini released the limited edition Reventon, of which only 21 models were ever built. The car sold for an eye-watering price of $1.5 million.
However, the car was mechanically identical to the Murcielago of the time, which sold for $310,000. This just shows how rarity and limiting production numbers can have a drastic effect on the value of the car.
The Veneno
More recently, in 2014, Lamborghini created the Veneno, and only made 14 of them. This had a huge effect on the price as the car was sold for $4 million, one of the most expensive cars in the world. If Lamborghini had built more of these, the price would have dropped significantly.
Lamborghini builds between 5000 and 8000 vehicles per year. This is an incredibly low production volume compared to normal car manufacturers. By comparison, Toyota produce 10 million cars per year and Chevrolet produce 8 million cars per year.
Supply And Demand
The simple factor involved here is supply and demand. While Toyota is able to produce millions of less expensive cars per year, Lamborghini produces significantly fewer cars at a higher price point. In most cases, Lamborghinis aren’t built until an order is placed by a customer.
Similarly, Ferrari also only produces around 8000 cars per year. Once again, these are extremely expensive cars with low production volumes. The rarity of the car causes a huge price hike, and it allows them to charge more for their product.
Features Of Lamborghinis
Lamborghinis may be hypercars, but they still offer a huge amount of technology and luxury. This helps to drive up the price of the car as well. Some technologies are expensive to develop and implement into the car, and the customer needs to pay extra for this.
These elements do not even include the performance parts of the car, which are even more expensive. What we’re looking at are the more ‘luxury’ features that make a Lamborghini easier to drive on a daily basis.
Some Luxuries
Lamborghini interiors feature full grain Napa leather, all the way from the Swiss Alps. This luxury alone costs between $2600 and $4700. In addition to that you get other tech such as automatic climate control, automatically dimming mirrors, and Bang & Olufsen sound systems.
There is a significant amount of other tech to find in a Lamborghini, such as the intricate computer systems, and it’s all of these small elements that add up to a massive price tag for the end product.
Cost Of Manufacturing
The costs of putting a Lamborghini together are immense. The car is built from a variety of high-performance parts. The parts themselves carry a huge cost, and when put together into the final product, the value of the car skyrockets.
For example, the front bumper of the Lamborghini Huracan costs $5,462. Compare this to $970 on a Toyota Camry.
Much Better Parts
The prices aren’t massively far apart just because it’s a Lamborghini. The bumper on a Huracan is made out of carbon fiber, which is a strong and lightweight material used in high performance cars. In addition, the bumper is aerodynamically shaped in order to channel the airflow around the car.
On the other hand, the Camry’s bumper is more of a safety feature rather than a performance feature. It’s built out of a much cheaper material called Toyota Super Olefin Polymer (TSOP). This is essentially a type of plastic which is used to reduce costs as much as possible.
The Really Expensive Parts
When you get to the really high-performance parts, the costs become even more outrageous. The beating heart of the Huracan, a 5.2-liter V10 engine, will likely cost close to $100,000 including labor to have it built and installed.
It doesn’t end there though, as Lamborghinis are fitted with complex suspension systems, high performance braking systems, intricate cooling systems and much more. All of the high-performance parts add extra costs onto the total value of the car, and Lamborghini don’t hold back when it comes to performance!
Different Lamborghinis Compared
It’s always great to compare cars, especially when they are built by the same manufacturer. Lamborghini offers three different models in their current range, and while each has its own variants, we’ll be looking at the base prices for this comparison.
Lamborghini Aventador
The Lamborghini Aventador was introduced in 2011as a replacement for the long-loved Murcielago. The Aventador was to become the new flagship model for the Italian supercar giants.
It did not disappoint either, with new modern and aggressive styling, the Aventador quickly became a fan favorite and it was clear that it was here to stay for the long-term. As of 2021, the Aventador is still in production, offering an incredible 15 different variants.
The 15 Lamborghini Aventador variants are:
- Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4
- Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4 Roadster
- Lamborghini Aventador J
- Lamborghini Aventador SV
- Lamborghini Aventador SV Roadster
- Lamborghini Aventador S
- Lamborghini Aventador S Roadster
- Lamborghini Aventador SVJ
- Lamborghini Aventador SVJ Roadster
- Lamborghini Aventador SVJ 63
- Lamborghini Aventador LP720-4 Anniversario
- Lamborghini Aventador LP720-4 Roadster 50 Anniversario
- Lamborghini Aventador LP 700-4 Pirelli Edition
- Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4 Pirelli Edition Roadster
- Lamborghini Aventador Miura Homage
Price
Since it’s the flagship car, Lamborghini made sure to push the price of the Aventador up, with a starting price of $421,000. This is the base price, and if you add on some extras, you can push the price up to $510,000.
Performance
Engine: 6.5-liter V12
Horsepower: 769 HP
0-60 mph: 2.8 seconds
Top Speed: 217 mph
Production Volume
The production volume of the Aventador varies every year based on the number of orders the company receives for the car. Orders in the past three years have all varied between 1000 and 1200 cars per year.
Lamborghini Huracan
The Huracan arrived in 2014, shortly after the Aventador. The Huracan serves as the replacement for the famous Gallardo model, and it also offers a V10, just like its predecessor. Just like the Aventador, the Huracan has multiple variants.
The Lamborghini Huracan variants are:
- Lamborghini Huracan LP610-4
- Lamborghini Huracan LP610-4 Spyder
- Lamborghini Huracan LP580-2
- Lamborghini Huracan LP580-2 Spyder
- Lamborghini Huracan LP640-4 Performante
- Lamborghini Huracan LP640-4 Performante Spyder
- Lamborghini Huracan EVO
- Lamborghini Huracan EVO Spyder
- Lamborghini Huracan EVO RWD
- Lamborghini Huracan EVO RWD Spyder
- Lamborghini Huracan EVO GT Celebration
- Lamborghini Huracan STO
In addition to these there are also multiple concept cars and motorsport variants. Lamborghini also built special edition models for the Italian police force and for Pope Francis.
Price
The Huracan, as the younger sibling of the Aventador, costs less than half the price, and is currently the cheapest Lamborghini you can buy new. The base price of the Huracan is $214,000.Once again, the price is pushed up significantly if you throw in all of the available extras. The Huracan can cost up to $381,000.
Performance
Engine: 5.2-liter V10
Horsepower: 631 HP
0-60 mph: 2.5 seconds
Top Speed: 199 mph
Production Volume
Thanks to its ‘more affordable’ price tag and respectable performance versus the Aventador, the Huracan sells around twice as much in terms of volume as the Aventador. In the past three years, the production volume of the Huracan has been consistently around 2500 cars per year.
Lamborghini Urus
The Urus is the new kid on the block for Lamborghini. It’s the first Lamborghini SUV, and while many were disappointed to hear that the Italian supercar giants were going to be building an SUV, they didn’t fail to deliver a brilliant piece of machinery.
The Urus is an incredible car, and it is arguably the only Lamborghini you can use as a daily driver. The Urus was first released in 2018 and it has proven to be extremely popular. It’s the fastest SUV and the most practical Lamborghini.
While the Urus does have some variants, they are mainly customized by third-party companies such as Mansory. Some of these variants are not street legal either, which is worth noting.
Price
The Urus is not only the most practical Lamborghini on offer at the moment, but it’s also the most affordable one. The base model Urus will set you back around $211,000 and if you include all of the extras you can have it for $261,000.
Performance
Engine: Twin-turbo V8
Horsepower: 641 HP
0-60 mph: 3.1 seconds
Top Speed: 190 mph
Production Volume
The Urus has been the best-selling model for Lamborghini. In 2020 they sold 7,430 of these cars, almost triple the amount of Huracans sold each year. Lamborghini aims to build at least 10,000 cars in 2021.
Final Thoughts
Lamborghini is an Italian manufacturer that builds hypercars. These cars are incredibly expensive, not only to buy, but also to maintain. This is mainly due to their high-performance parts and rarity, which are key factors that drive up the price of any car.