Is Audi getting rid of its luxury brand?
A consortium allegedly wants to usurp Lamborghini for an impressive sum.
But there are indications of a "cocky affair".
Ingolstadt / Munich - The traditional Italian brand Lamborghini has been part of Audi AG for almost a quarter of a century.
At the end of the last millennium - 1998 - the premium manufacturer from Ingolstadt acquired the ownership rights to the cult manufacturer.
Now, however, there is (again) fuss about a possible sale of the sports car subsidiary: The portals
Autocar
and
Automobilwoche
recently reported the interest of a very rich consortium in usurping Lamborghini.
It is about the Quantum Group, which, together with the investment firm Centricus Asset Management, has submitted an offer for 7.5 billion euros.
But what does it mean?
Audi AG allegedly receives a lucrative offer to sell Lamborghini
According to the descriptions, both VW CEO Herbert Diess and Audi boss Markus Duesmann knew about the offer. A connection between the parent brand VW and the bidder results from an interesting personality: Quantum boss Rea Stark founded the sports car brand Piech Automotive in 2017 with Anton Piëch, son of the former VW patriarch Ferdinand.
However: Lamborghini sold 7,430 cars last year, the proceeds amounted to 1.6 billion euros.
So should Volkswagen or Audi part with the profitable division?
The answer: Probably not.
According to the
dpa
,
an Audi spokeswoman let it be
known: “We have no offer and Lamborghini is not for sale.” According to its own statements, Audi is planning to continue with the brand in the future, which will make an “important contribution to profitability”.
Meanwhile, the manufactory from Santa Agata is working flat out to electrify its models, in accordance with the Group's specifications:
Audi and VW: separation from Lamborghini?
That is supposed to be behind the rumors
Wirtschaftswoche
tries to shed light on the curious offerings
. The reports about a possible Lamborghini sale are an air bunch: Many in the Piëch family would “not take Anton seriously” and would rather be annoyed about his staging, claims the portal. Even the "grandiose announcement" of wanting to build better cars than Porsches with "Piëch Automotive" would have shaken heads at VW.
(PF with dpa)
