During the global launch of the new Lamborghini Urus Performante, GearsMe sat down with Federico Foschini, Chief Marketing & Sales Officer at Lamborghini, to discuss the market reaction, the Urus’ position in the lineup, the Middle East’s importance, and the growing demand for personalization.
GearsMe:
The new Urus Performante has officially been revealed. How has the reaction been so far?
Federico Foschini:
The response has been incredible. We started with the digital reveal at the beginning of July, and now people are seeing and touching the car in person. The excitement has grown even further.
Customers love the design because every Lamborghini Performante is expected to look more aggressive and sportier than the standard model. That’s exactly what we’ve delivered.
Beyond the styling, the car represents a significant technological step forward. We’ve improved the suspension, braking, sound, and overall driving dynamics. While many haven’t driven it yet, I’m confident they’ll immediately notice how much closer it feels to driving a true Lamborghini super sports car.
GearsMe:
Some reports describe it as the fastest SUV in the world. Does Lamborghini officially make that claim?
Federico Foschini:
Since the very first Urus, Lamborghini has produced one of the fastest SUVs in the world in terms of top speed, and it’s also among the quickest in acceleration.
However, performance numbers are only part of the story. What really matters is the driving emotion. The Urus delivers the experience of driving a Lamborghini supercar while offering the practicality of an SUV. That’s been our philosophy since day one, and with every new generation we continue raising the bar.
GearsMe:
Will the Urus continue to account for around half of Lamborghini’s global sales?
Federico Foschini:
Yes. Historically, the Urus represents around 50% of Lamborghini’s production. Depending on where we are in the product lifecycle, that figure may fluctuate between 45% and 60%, but our strategy remains the same.
We are not interested in significantly increasing production volumes. Lamborghini’s philosophy is to build fewer cars than the market demands in order to preserve exclusivity.
GearsMe:
How do you see demand developing in the Middle East, especially in markets such as the UAE and Saudi Arabia?
Federico Foschini:
The Middle East remains one of our strongest regions.
Recent geopolitical events and logistics challenges have created some temporary uncertainty, but the underlying demand is still very healthy.
Dubai continues to be one of the best places in the world to live, offering exceptional safety and lifestyle, while Saudi Arabia is experiencing tremendous growth. Once regional conditions stabilize, I believe there is significant potential for further expansion across the Middle East.
GearsMe:
Will current Urus owners be interested in upgrading to the new Performante?
Federico Foschini:
Absolutely.
Luxury customers are always looking for the latest evolution of the product. Upgrading isn’t because they’re unhappy with their current Urus—they simply want the newest experience Lamborghini has to offer.
We’re not selling transportation; we’re selling emotion and desire.
I expect roughly 60% of Performante buyers to be existing Lamborghini customers upgrading from previous Urus models, while the remaining buyers will be new customers joining the brand.
GearsMe:
The original Urus attracted many first-time Lamborghini owners. Do you expect the same with this model?
Federico Foschini:
Yes.
The first-generation Urus brought more than 80% new customers into Lamborghini because it helped us grow from around 4,000 annual deliveries to nearly 9,000.
Many of those customers have remained loyal to the brand, progressing from the original Urus to the Performante and then to the Urus S. The new Performante will continue attracting both loyal owners and entirely new Lamborghini customers.
GearsMe:
Personalization has become increasingly important. How significant is Ad Personam for Urus buyers?
Federico Foschini:
It’s extremely important.
Today, more than 90% of our customers personalize their cars.
We’ve expanded the number of available colors and interior options considerably, and every time we introduce new possibilities, customers embrace them. If you visit Sant’Agata Bolognese, it’s rare to find two identical Lamborghinis.
Personalization has become a fundamental part of the Lamborghini ownership experience.
GearsMe:
Customers in the Middle East particularly enjoy owning unique specifications. Could we see region-specific editions in the future?
Federico Foschini:
We’re already working on it.
Without revealing too much, we have projects planned specifically for Saudi Arabia and the wider Middle East. Some activities had to be postponed because of recent regional developments, but our intention is to create cars inspired by local culture.
That doesn’t necessarily mean using national flags, but rather drawing inspiration from regional colors, heritage, and identity while remaining true to Lamborghini’s design language.
The Middle East is one of Lamborghini’s most important markets globally, and we always want our customers here to feel that we understand and appreciate their tastes.
GearsMe Conclusion
The new Lamborghini Urus Performante is more than just an evolution of the brand’s bestselling SUV. According to Chief Marketing & Sales Officer Federico Foschini, it represents Lamborghini’s continued commitment to combining supercar performance with SUV practicality while maintaining exclusivity through limited production.
As demand continues to grow across the Middle East, particularly in Saudi Arabia and the UAE, the company also confirmed it is exploring market-specific personalization projects, highlighting the region’s strategic importance within Lamborghini’s global business.
