Lamborghini Estoque

Lamborghini started to explore the idea of entering new segments of the car market back in 2008 when it unveiled the Estoque concept car. It was not only the first front-engine vehicle to be introduced by Lamborghini since the LM002, but it was also a four-door coupe.

Customers weren’t really into the idea of Lamborghini making a sedan, and because of the initial negative feedback, the Estoque never made it to production. Lamborghini did however enter new segments of the market with the launch of the Urus which turned out to be a huge success, so would things be different this time around?

Do you remember the Estoque? Yes, that evocative sedan that Lambo showed us more than a decade ago. The concept car broke cover at the 2008 Paris Motor Show. This, of course, was pre-Aventador, back when Lamborghini was just trying to garner market reaction to the idea of a four-door sedan.

It’s no secret that Lamborghini has its eyes set on adding another model to its current lineup. That long-rumored model, a 2+2 grand tourer that takes inspiration from the Estoque Concept from 2008, is reportedly close to receiving the green light from Lamborghini executives.

Specific details haven’t been revealed, but there’s growing buzz that the model will arrive by 2025. More importantly, it could become the first-ever all-electric vehicle to wear a Lamborghini badge. If this model gets the nod, it would complete Lamborghini’s long-game plan of offering a four-model lineup that also includes the Aventador, Huracan, and Urus SUV. A four-door Lamborghini model also has the potential to alter the current electric saloon landscape in the auto industry. That’s a scenario I can’t wait to see unfold in the coming years.

Lamborghini has its eyes set on launching a fourth model, but it still doesn’t know what model is going to be. CEO Stefan Domenicali has identified the possibilities — a four-door front-engined GT and a third mid-engined supercar are both under consideration — but a final decision isn’t expected to be made until more market research is done. If one or both of these models do get the green light, production won’t even being until the middle of the next decade.

Lamborghini CEO Stefano Domenicali has not ruled out the possibility of bringing a four-door sedan into its lineup of models, reviving whatever hope was left from those who wanted to see the Estoque four-door sedan concept come to life. Though it’s highly unlikely that Lamborghini will actually revisit the concept, Domenicali’s comments to Car Advice is the first hint of a possible Lamborghini sedan since the Estoque broke into the scene back at the 2008 Paris Motor Show.

While he didn’t specifically draw any comparisons, the arrival of the Urus and the importance Lamborghini has placed on the SUV to spearhead the company’s growth in sales volume could open the door for a sedan to get more consideration. The Italian automaker also previously hinted of a production run for the Estoque so it has shown a history of being open to the idea.

What Lamborghini isn’t open to, nor will it ever be open to, is the possibility of an autonomous driving technology. According to Domenicali, that’s where the Italian automaker draws the line. “There are certainly technologies such as autonomous technology…you will never see a Lamborghini being driven independently,” he told Car Advice. Not that Lamborghini will face scrutiny for taking this stance because anybody in their right mind would immediately scoff at the thought of a self-driving Lamborghini for the obvious reason that such a setup would completely eliminate the performance DNA of the Italian automaker, something that’s obviously near and dear to the company and its loyal customers.

Continue after the jump to read the full story.

More than three years after the Estoque sedan concept was unveiled at the 2008 Paris Motor Show, the clamoring for a production version of the supercar has yet to die down. That’s why in a recent conversation with Autoweek, Lamborghini CEO Stefan Winkelmann refuses to shut the door on the possibility of a production version of the Estoque, saying that the car "was placed on hold because of a number of reasons, including the lack of a suitable platform."

"We haven’t given up on the idea of a sedan entirely," Winkelmann said. "But we see more potential in a sport-utility vehicle encapsulating typical Lamborghini attributes."

The Lambo CEO, of course, is referring to the recently revealed Urus SUV, which made its world debut at the 2012 Beijing Auto Show.

While we don’t necessarily disagree with what Winkelmann has to say, we do see a future where the a production version of the Estoque, or something close to it, will be built by Lamborghini. After all, with Ferrari’s new FF supercar already out and about, a Lamborghini counterpart would make for quite a rivalry.

Lamborghini skipped the Detroit Auto Show in terms of any major reveals, but the Geneva Motor Show is going to be a whole different story. The company is planning on unveiling two major vehicles at the show, one of them being the highly anticipated Roadster version of the Lamborghini Aventador and a mysterious second model.

TeamSpeed has a few thoughts on what this mystery model may be. The first is a production version of the Sesto Elemento which we’ve all been waiting for since the concept was revealed in 2010. A second possibility is that Lamborghini could be presenting a concept version of the company’s replacement for the current Gallardo, a model currently known as the Cabrera.

Another possibility is that Lamborghini has finally decided on that third model they’ve been going back and forth on for way too long. President and CEO, Stephan Winkelmann, has stated in the past that a final on either the Lamborghini SUV or the Estoque will be made in early 2012, so this option seems to be the most plausible. If the decision is made, then we’ll more than likely see a concept version of it soon.

Check back with us soon for more details on the mystery model!

Lamborghini has been on the fence about which model to add to their lineup for what seems like forever, but it looks like the decision will finally be made sometime before the end of the year. At first it was believed that we would get to see the production version of the Estoque, but it may be the successor for the legendary LM002 that will come out on top due to the trends in growing markets like China.

"We haven’t asked our customers so much in terms of a personal question but the feeling, especially for the new markets, is SUV seems to be the majority," said Christian Mastra Lamborghini Asia-Pacific boss. "If you think about India, China, Brazil, Mexico — all the new markets are more keen on this kind of car. Especially as we might have also the heritage with that, if you think about the LN002. We’ll see, the decision has not been taken yet."

If Lamborghini does go through with their SUV, they would be clearly following in the footsteps of their main competitor, Porsche, but that will be where the trail ends. Mastra says Lamborghini will not be going into the hybrid, or even diesel markets with their models. They say their supercars will always be powered by V10 or V12 engines and the SUV or sedan may be seeing a turbocharged engine, but that’s the only compromise they will make to their heritage.

A third model has always been in Lamborghini’s plans and, although rumors have been circulating about an SUV or sedan dilemma, the Estoque Concept seems to be well on its way to production. In fact, its debut should be arriving sometime in 2014 and much like the Sesto Elemento Spyder we talked about earlier today, Lamborghini will also be offering a drop top version of the Estoque which will be unveiled one year after the sedan’s debut.

The Lamborghini Estoque Convertible will arrive, first in concept form, in 2015 with a production version following in 2016. So far, all we have on the model is a leaked document confirming its existence, but we imagine it will follow along the same design lines previewed on the 2008 Estoque Concept, minus the solid roof. Rumors suggest that the Estoque – both sedan and convertible versions – will benefit from the same V10 engine that will debut in the Cabrera in 2013. This will be a new generation V10 engine combined with a supercharger that will deliver up to about 600 HP.

The Estoque Convertible’s debut will tackle the same market segment as the Porsche Panamera Convertible which is finding its way to the market in 2012. The earlier Panamera debut will allow Porsche to upgrade the model as needed for when the Estoque Convertible shows its face in 2016.

Lamborghini started 2011 off right with the debut of their new supercar, the Aventador LP700-4. And true to being one of the greater supercar manufacturers, Lamborghini is well on its way to establishing plans for its lineup for the next few years. Thanks to history finding a way to continually repeat itself, we’ve established what we think will be the Italian automaker’s future lineup.

In 2012, we will begin to see different variations of the Aventador, starting off with a Spyder version. That same year, we will also be getting the brand’s first SUV, the LM00X and the production version of the Sesto Elemento concept. The coupe will be followed by the Sesto Elemento Spyder in 2013.

Jumping off the supercar track for a bit, Lamborghini will then bring out the Estoque Sedan in 2014, followed by a Cabrio version in 2016. In between those two debut, Lamborghini will revisit their supercar mainstay with the Aventador Super Veloce.

If we happen to live past the supposed end of the world in 2012, then 2013 will be bringing us a new model set to replace the Gallardo. It will be called the Cabrera - after a famous Spanish bull of course - and will be powered by a V10 engine with a total output of 570 HP. The Cabrera will be built on a multi-sectional, bonded carbon monocoque and will be lighter than the model it replaces. A Roadster version will follow in 2014.

Hit the jump for a breakdown of each model.

A few days ago, a report came out that Lamborghini is teaming up with Porsche to build its very own SUV that will be based on the latter’s latest GT architecture. While this news poses a shift in philosophy for the Raging Bull and could potentially undermine its tradition, the latest word - at least according to Car and Driver - is that Lamborghini is on the fence on which model will join the Gallardo and the Aventador in the lineup.

Apart from this long-rumored SUV - it’s been codenamed as the ’LM00X’ - the other choice is the production of the Estoque. The Italian automaker is considering both vehicles, but has made it known that only one is going to be green-lighted for production.

While no decisions have been made yet, the company is looking at October as the time to decide. As it stands the SUV has a slight edge over the Estoque because the car will be on a class of its own as far as high-end SUVs are concerned whereas the Estoque will have its hands full going up against competitors like the Porsche Panamera Turbo S, the Aston Martin Rapide, and the recently launched Ferrari FF.

The final decision is still a few months away, but it’s never too early to put your two cents in. For us, we prefer seeing the Estoque finally come alive after years of drooling over it. Besides, just like Ferrari, the words ’Lamborghini’ and ’SUV’ don’t belong in the same sentence.

Let us know which model you prefer in the comments section below.

Lamborghini doesn’t usually build a concept car without it getting put to some kind of use in the future. It’s never happened, and we’ll place bets on the fact that it won’t ever happen. Try as they may to deny the fact that the Estoque would not see the production line, this concept vehicle stood a fantastic chance at becoming the third model in Lamborghini’s line-up.

To prove our theory, we bring you this. In a recent statement Chairman and CEO Stephan Winkelmann confirmed that the company is indeed preparing a third model, and that this new model is not an SUV as people have speculated, but a four-door luxury sedan.

"We have opportunities outside the supercar business, and we showed that with Estoque. It had a more enthusiastic response than we had expected. It was the right time to see if the brand could go outside of supercars. Even now, people are still emailing me about us making the Estoque."

And if the strong demand for a production version of the Estoque doesn’t make them actually build it, the recent success the company has been having on the Chinese market may just give Lamborghini the final push they need, especially since luxury four-door sedans are in high demand over there.

UPDATE 05/24/2011: Here’s a bit of good news for Lamborghini owners that feel a little silly dropping their kids off at school in their new Aventador LP700-4; the company has just revealed plans for a third model in their lineup that will fulfill the need for a daily driver. Lamborghini chief executive Stephan Winkelmann said, "We are going to have a third model. It has to be an everyday car. We want to have a car which is able to be used on a daily basis."

Could this be the production Estoque we have been waiting for? We think so.

Hit the jump to read more about the production version Lamborghini Estoque.

It’s funny how Lamborghini went out of their way to state that the Estoque concept was never going to make the production line, and now they are recoiling and backtracking to announce something that we knew anyway. Guess what everyone; Lamborghini will indeed bring a production version of the Estoque concept sedan unveiled at the 2008 Paris Auto Show. Yes, we know, hold back the shocked expressions and gasps of surprise. In a recent interview, CEO Stephan Winkelmann told reporters in the US that "a third model would fit Lamborghini very well, and a four-door car would be a very feasible approach."

Lamborghini believes that a luxury sedan will help reverse Lamborghini’s falling sales. Winkelmann said a third model would need to provide "a real leap" in sales. Well, thanks for the update, Captain Obvious.

Under the hood, the production will likely have something along the lines of the V10 from theGallardo LP 560-4 that produces 560hp. This engine would make it an ideal competitor for the Aston Martin Rapide which only produces 470hp. A production version will be priced in the $200k area and will target models like the Aston Martin Rapide and the Porsche Panamera.

The Lamborghini Estoque concept graced the Paris Motor Show floor back in 2008 and was an instant success. We would be bold enough to say that everyone thought the car would shoot straight into production immediately after it debuted, but we were all wrong. After an onslaught of rumors stating the Estoque’s production would be placed on hold, Lamborghini cleared the air by saying its production was never on the table to begin with.

But as with many things in the automotive business, the idea that the Lamborghini Estoque was not going to production changed the minute Lamborghini needed a little oomph in their sales charts. The plans may not be completely set in stone, but with the Aston Martin Rapide and thePorsche Panamera blaring off of computer screens everywhere, the Estoque may just be what Lamborghini needs to fight back.

The 2009 Lamborghini Estoque concept is the first "sedan" in Lamborghini history, but that doesn’t mean it lacks the essence of the company. The sedan reference is strictly for the number of doors the Estoque carries. Under the hood, the production will likely have something along the lines of the V10 from the Gallardo LP 560-4 that produces 560hp. This engine would make it an ideal competitor for the Aston Martin Rapide which only produces 470hp. The only thing that might put a hamper on the production Estoque’s sales would be the hefty $200,000 price tag.

It’s been a while since we last had any news regarding the Lamborghini Estoque concept car but now, it looks like the car long thought to have been scrapped has finally resurfaced.

These spy shots of the Estoque were captured recently in Cologne, Germany, putting to rest all those rumors that Lamborghini’s new super car has been shelved.

Details as to why the car was out on the road are still a mystery, although some folks have assumed that the Estoque was being taken out for a test run. This comes as great news for those who have fallen head-over-heels for the car since it was launched at the Paris Motor Show last October.

Although the car received overwhelmingly positive reviews, the sudden collapse of the global economy sparked rumors that the car would be permanently shelved despite Lamborghini’s later attempt at quelling the rumors by saying that “no decision has been made to produce the Estoque”.

But now that it has been seen running around the streets of Cologne, it looks like the Estoque is still far from the chopping block and that Lamborghini is still working doubly hard to make the Estoque more than just a pipe dream.

It’s not that rumors of its demise have been greatly exaggerated; instead Lamborghini claims rumors of the Estoque’s creation have been greatly exaggerated.

Yesterday we reported that Lamborghini has put the Estoque’s production on indefinite hold. Now the story has caught some steam, plus other recent stories of Lambo’s misfortune in the slowing economy, has caused the company to react. Lamborghini posted a brief comment on its press site that included: "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."

Basically this does not make the previous stories invalid. Lamborghini still has not confirmed that plans for the Estoque will be going ahead. The company just wanted to remind all of us that there was no official car to cancel.

Read the full statement from Lamborghini after the jump.