It’s not quite being pushed out of the nest, but Volkswagen is making sure Lamborghini’s wings work.
Reuters reports the Volkswagen Group is taking the first steps towards eventually publicly listing the Italian supercar manufacturer.
A source told the news agency, “Volkswagen is in the process of carving out Lamborghini, and to organise future supply and technology transfer deals”.
The German giant could partially list the company and retain a controlling stake, though there has been no formal decision to divest Lamborghini. It’s been a division of Audi since 1999.
Multiple sources told Reuters that Volkswagen has approached bankers and potential cornerstone investors in an IPO, though Volkswagen has declined to comment.
The future of not only Lamborghini but also Bugatti and Ducati was discussed during a supervisory board meeting last Friday, according to another source.
Volkswagen isn’t looking to just cut and run, and there have been internal discussions about electrifying Lamborghini and Bugatti through partnerships.
Recent reports suggested Volkswagen would sell Bugatti to Croatian electric sports car manufacturer Rimac in exchange for a greater share in that company.
The news follows another report that the Volkswagen board is discussing a strategy for the three brands.
Senior executives who talked to Reuters, but declined to be named, said the review could lead to the brands entering a technology partnership with another company, being spun off and listed on a stock exchange, or sold off.
Earlier this week, Volkswagen Group CEO Herbert Diess said the company will announce “important steps” for the company’s future before year’s end.
Internal discussions on these brands’ futures have heightened in recent months as the Group continues to invest heavily in a sweeping rollout of electric vehicles across its more mainstream brands, which has left little money for investment in these niche exotic brands and their internal combustion engine-powered vehicles.
Lamborghini has changed hands numerous times since founder Ferruccio Lamborghini sold it and retired in 1974. Its current German ownership has been the longest it’s remained in the same hands, even counting Ferruccio’s original ownership.
The next longest-running owner of the brand was the Chrysler Corporation, who owned it from 1987 to 1994.
