You strap in. Grip the wheel. Look out ahead, and then reach down to flip a bright red switch which reveals the all-too-tempting button. You might think you’re shooting a missile from a fighter jet — but no. You’re starting a Lamborghini. This kind of theater to start the engine is a symbol of how the Italian brand loves to do things with more than just a sprinkle of fun, and, according to its design chief, customers still love that. And it’s not going anywhere.
Lamborghini Knows What Makes It Stand Out
Lamborghini Urus SE PerformanteGabrielle Schmauderer/CarBuzz/Valnet
Supercar performance has become easy to replicate with the rise of hybrid motors and cheaper performance parts, but Lamborghini knows that speed isn’t all that customers look for. They want their vehicles to feel like the cockpit of a fighter jet, and that boils down to the flip-up start button, which has become a staple of the interior since the introduction of the Aventador back in 2011.
“For sure, there is a faster way to start the car, but is it fun?” Mitja Borkert, Lamborghini design director, explains in a recent conversation with CarBuzz. “I think we are creating the right amount of emotions, and I think that belongs on such a car.” This process could get tiresome every time you need to drive the car though, and when asked if he thinks it’ll become too much of a gimmick one day, he simply says “I don’t think so.”
“In the kitchen, you want to do something with quality. If you’re going fast, it’s not as enjoyable as when it takes a little bit of time. You need to feel a little bit involved.”
– Mitja Borkert, Lamborghini Design Director
Familiar, Whether You’re Driving A Urus To Work Or A Temerario On Track
Lamborghini Fenomeno Roadster in natural light.Lamborghini
Sitting next to the latest Lamborghini Urus SE Performante at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, Borkert was keen to share that the theme is consistent across all three Lamborghini models, which brings synergy and familiarity for those with multiple Lamborghinis. “We have the same philosophy in our supercars so that when you take your precious car out on the weekends, you’re not confused. You have an architecture that integrates you like a pilot.”
That sense of pantomime isn’t just something that unites Lamborghini models, but something that makes it stand apart from rivals tht may attempt to challenge its performance and design.
The Brand Doesn’t Feel Threatened
Back in the eighties, if you wanted a supercar, you’d have to reach deep into your pockets for that experience. With the rise of electric vehicles and more affordable manufacturing processes in the 2000s, this level of performance and fun has been easier to grab onto.
Lamborghini Fenomeno Roadster in natural light.Lamborghini
Faced by the pressure of other companies trying to replicate the same design and level of fun, Borkert isn’t worried, as he believes a Lamborghini’s theater still sits above the rest.
“At the end of the day, we are taking things with a smile and with a certain level of humor,” he mentions with a smile. “It’s our way to get the customer involved, feeling happy, satisfied, and enjoying the product.”
These small physical elements remind the driver they are in a Lamborghini, even when they’re driving on electric range in the Revuelto. The market has become enriched with more brands aiming for the top spot in terms of excitement, and even if some electric cars are faster than Lamborghini’s flagships, it’s the experience that beats out pure power.
CarBuzz Insight — Why This Matters
Lamborghini Fenomeno Roadster interiorLamborghini
Screens have become the dominant way of interacting with cars now. Large slabs are taped to the interior to make every car feel a bit same-y, so to see a brand, even this premium manufacturer, celebrating its physical controls makes us rejoice. We’re sure that Lamborghini also saw the backlash that Ferrari received when it removed the physical ignition button. Starting a V12 shouldn’t feel the same as changing the volume of the radio in your Prius.
Bringing the same personality and emotion to the Urus that is present in a V12 hypercar makes it stand out from cars that are very similar in other sense. “We are not the champions of screen sizes, but we have the right sizes to provide the modern visualization the driver or the pilot needs. We always keep our iconic keys, like the start/stop button,” Borkert says. When you step into a Lamborghini, you know you’re stepping into a Lamborghini — nothing else.
