Lamborghini does not yet see Chinese supercars as a serious threat

Chinese EVs are pushing the power benchmark sky-high

The subject came up when Auto Express spoke to Winkelmann at the 2026 Goodwood Festival of Speed. Denza was there with its electric Z supercar, which is claimed to produce 1,583 bhp, or roughly 1,180 kW. The company is targeting a 0-100 km/h time of under two seconds and a top speed of around 350 km/h.

Those are figures that even Lamborghini’s latest production cars do not necessarily match in a straight-line comparison. Winkelmann, however, does not see power alone as decisive. In his view, Lamborghini sets itself apart through the complete performance package, the sound of the powertrain and the emotion the car delivers to its driver.

The Lamborghini boss said he could not currently name a single Chinese brand that the company regards as a direct threat. He did, however, acknowledge that this could change in the future.

Lamborghini chose hybrids over a full EV

Winkelmann’s comments are consistent with Lamborghini’s recent strategic decisions. The company has pushed its first fully electric production car beyond 2030 and is currently focusing on plug-in hybrids. Winkelmann says customers support that decision too.

That does not mean Lamborghini is backing away from electrification. The Revuelto, Temerario and Urus SE all use electric motors, but Lamborghini pairs them with combustion engines.

The Temerario illustrates the approach particularly well. Its 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 works with three electric motors to produce a combined 677 kW. It accelerates from 0-100 km/h in 2.7 seconds and reaches a top speed of 343 km/h, while the combustion engine revs to 10,000 rpm.

Chinese electric supercars may offer more power and even quicker standing-start acceleration, but Lamborghini is betting on a different combination. A V8 or V12, gearshifts, sound and the response of a hybrid powertrain create an experience that a pure-electric drivetrain cannot replicate one-for-one.

Chinese manufacturers are becoming increasingly strong in technology

Winkelmann singled out software as one of the key strengths of Chinese cars. It is an important concession, because electronics, electric drivetrains and rapidly evolving software architectures are precisely what allow Chinese manufacturers to move very quickly from mainstream cars into the luxury and high-performance segments.

Lamborghini’s defensive advantage is therefore no longer necessarily one of outright technical superiority. Electric motors make it far easier to achieve extraordinary system outputs than a large-displacement combustion engine ever could.

For now, the Italian marque’s strongest advantages lie in its brand, heritage, design and driving experience. Those are qualities that cannot be built overnight with a single record-breaking high-output model.

The rules of Europe’s supercar market are changing

The rise of Chinese carmakers is putting Europe’s supercar brands in a new position. Ferrari, Lamborghini, McLaren and Porsche can no longer assume that the biggest power figure or quickest acceleration time will automatically belong to them.

At the same time, buying a supercar costing several hundred thousand euros is very different from choosing an ordinary car. Customers are not simply buying a 0-100 km/h figure; they are also buying heritage, design, mechanical feel and exclusivity.

That is why Winkelmann’s confidence is understandable for now. A Denza or Yangwang may outperform a Lamborghini on paper, but that does not automatically mean the same customer will walk away from a Lamborghini purchase.

The picture will become more interesting over the longer term if Chinese manufacturers can pair their technological capability with an equally strong sense of identity and desirability. That, more than headline performance figures alone, will determine whether today’s record-setting electric supercars become genuine rivals to Lamborghini.

The original information comes from an Auto Express interview with Stephan Winkelmann published on 24 August 2026. Lamborghini’s technical specifications are taken from the manufacturer’s official materials.