‘We Sell Scarcity:’ How Lamborghini Continues to Stay So Cool

‘We Sell Scarcity:’ How Lamborghini Continues to Stay So Cool

From Bold Names by The Wall Street Journal

February 6, 2026 · 25 min

About this episode

Lamborghini CEO Stephan Winkelmann discusses the brand's appeal through scarcity and its future direction amidst global trade challenges.

Lamborghinis dominate pop culture – from rap lyrics to blockbuster movies – but the reality is few people actually own them. Every year, the luxury carmaker delivers around 10,000 vehicles worldwide. Lamborghini CEO Stephan Winkelmann says that scarcity is central to the brand’s appeal. On Bold Names, Winkelmann joins WSJ’s Tim Higgins to explain how the company leans into exclusivity, why it’s choosing hybrids over a fully electric future, and how tariffs and global trade pressures are challenging the business. To watch the video version of this episode, visit our WSJ Podcasts YouTube channel or the video page of WSJ.com. Check Out Past Episodes: How SAP's CEO Is Remaking the European Tech Giant For The Age Of AI Affirm’s Max Levchin: Why ‘Buy Now, Pay Later’ Beats Credit Cards How Athletic Brewing Sells Beer for a Post-Alcohol Generation Let us know what you think of the show. Email us at BoldNames@wsj.com. Sign up for the WSJ's free Technology newsletter. Read Tim Higgins’s column. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

People in this episode

Host: Tim Higgins

Guest: Stephan Winkelmann

Topics covered

  • Lamborghini
  • scarcity
  • exclusivity
  • hybrids
  • global trade

Keywords

  • luxury cars
  • pop culture
  • electric vehicles
  • tariffs

Mentioned in this episode

Products: Lamborghini

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