Hot News: Lamborghini Estoque to Share Platform with Audi A7


More details are emerging on the Lamborghini Estoque four-door set to debut in 2011 or 2012. Lamborghini insists the aggressive sedan is still only under consideration, but company insiders tell us Sant’Agata is already preparing the car for production. The only obstacle is a strategic review of the entire Volkswagen Group's future vehicle portfolio, currently being carried out by Porsche, VW's majority shareholder.
A conservative sales estimate is about 1500 units annually, but Lamborghini hopes to sell at least 2000 per year. That doesn't seem unrealistic compared to Porsche's far more ambitious targets with the Panamera, of which Stuttgart hopes to make 20,000 in the same time span.
The Estoque will be built on Audi's modular-longitudinal platform, which is the base of a number of new models, including the current Audi A4 and A5, the next-generation A6 and A8, the forthcoming all-new A7, and the 2013 VW Phaeton. There is very little component sharing with the recently revealed Porsche Panamera, which uses a standalone platform close to that of the Porsche Cayenne, Audi Q7, and VW Touareg SUVs.
The Lamborghini Estoque will most likely have an aluminum body. All-wheel drive will be standard, since front-wheel drive, theoretically a possibility on this platform, is out of the question for Lamborghini. Much development on the underpinnings has been carried out by Audi's Quattro GmbH performance division in Neckarsulm, Germany.
The Audi A7, with its hatchback body, will be closest to the Estoque in concept and dimensions. The Estoque will definitely come to market after the A7, says an insider.