Lamborghini has cancelled its future electric car... and now wants to launch its «Gran Turismo».»

Just a few months ago, Lamborghini seemed ready to enter the 100 % electric era with the Lanzador concept. An ambitious, almost radical project, which was to embody the Italian manufacturer's fourth range. But since then, everything has changed.

The electric SUV has been abandoned. And this strategic about-turn now opens the door to a very different, almost unexpected idea: the return of a genuine Lamborghini “Gran Turismo”.

A strategic shift after the abandonment of Lanzador

The Lanzador project was more than just a concept. Presented in 2023, it was to mark a breakthrough in Lamborghini's history with a 100 % electric architecture and outstanding performance. However, despite the promises, the reality of the market caught up with the brand.

As Stephan Winkelmann acknowledged, customer interest in an electric Lamborghini was simply “close to zero”. A strong statement, which led to the outright abandonment of the project last month. This choice forced Lamborghini to review its entire roadmap. For one question remained unanswered: what would be the fourth model in the range alongside the Revuelto, Temerario and Urus?

Lamborghini goes back to basics

Rather than persist in an uncertain direction, Lamborghini has decided to look... into its own past.

At the 12 Hours of Sebring, Stephan Winkelmann confirmed that several avenues had been explored. A more compact SUV? Out of the question. A four-door sedan in the spirit of the 2008 Estoque? Abandoned too, not least because of a segment in decline.

But one idea has withstood all analysis: that of a Gran Turismo. “What's missing today, and what was the starting point of our company, is a GT,” explains the CEO. Not an insignificant phrase. Before Lamborghini became the symbol of extreme supercars, it was a GT brand.

A future Lamborghini 2+2 in the works?

The project is now taking shape around a simple but strategic concept: a two-door Lamborghini with four seats, in other words a 2+2.

A format already successfully exploited by several direct competitors. Ferrari, Maserati, Aston Martin and Bentley all offer models capable of combining high performance with long-distance comfort. A field in which Lamborghini is currently totally absent.

This future model could fill the gap, with a more versatile approach than current supercars. Less radical than a Revuelto, but still faithful to the brand's DNA. And above all, unlike the Lanzador, it would not be 100 % electric.

Inspiration from Asterion and hybridization

To imagine this future GT, Lamborghini doesn't even need to start from a blank sheet of paper. The brand has already explored this path with the Asterion, a plug-in hybrid concept presented in 2014.

At the time, this more discreet model, almost wise for a Lamborghini, was not chosen for production. Today, however, it appears to be a credible basis for reflection.

Especially since Lamborghini's entire current range is now electrified... but via hybrid powertrains. Revuelto, Temerario, Urus all combine combustion and electric power. The future Gran Turismo could therefore follow this recipe, with a plug-in hybrid powertrain that combines performance, range and, above all, mechanical emotion.

This repositioning is not insignificant. It comes at a time when even the most prestigious brands are reassessing their electric ambitions. And in this landscape, a GT 2+2 could be the obvious choice. Especially as certain segments are evolving rapidly. Ferrari, for example, is gradually moving away from this type of model, leaving a space that Lamborghini could exploit.

Internally, discussions are already well advanced. Synergies with the Volkswagen group could even be envisaged, notably via platforms shared with Porsche or Bentley.

At heart, this Gran Turismo project seems almost like a return to our roots. Before the Miura and the era of supercars, Lamborghini built elegant, powerful GTs designed to cover long distances at high speed. Models like the 350 GT and 400 GTV laid the foundations for the brand.

Now, almost 60 years later, Lamborghini seems ready to revive this heritage. The Lanzador was supposed to usher in a new electric era. In the end, its abandonment may well allow Lamborghini to rediscover a part of its identity.