Lamborghini Chairman and CEO Stephan Winkelmann traveled from Europe to Miami to Naples, appearing at the sixth Lamborghini dealership in Florida and now the only one in Southwest Florida.  

Lamborghini of Naples opened in early September at 5154 Tamiami Trail E. but held its ceremonial ribbon-cutting and celebration Tuesday night, with Winkelmann on hand, as well as Andrea Baldi, CEO of Lamborghini North America.  

“Florida is very important for Lamborghini,” said Winkelmann, a native of Germany who presides over the Italian brand. He said he was fluent in four languages. “Inside the U.S., it’s the second-most important market. It covers almost 20% of all of our sales.  

“It’s a brand which is all about super sports cars. What is, let’s say, defining of our brand is its innovation, its design and performance. Because very few can own a car like this. But it is to be something which is exceeding expectations of who is buying those cars.”  

The cars start at about $250,000 and run up to more than $700,000.  

The showroom has a life-sized, yellow replica of the forthcoming Revuelto, a model that has a three-year waiting list to purchase and a 2024 rollout, marketing the luxury car brand’s first plug-in hybrid.  

“It’s 1,000 horsepower,” Winkelmann said. “It’s the repositioning of the brand, because we are going to hybridize all of our cars within the next couple of years.”  

Nick Del Negro, who spent 13 years managing the Jaguar and Land Rover dealership in Fort Myers, accepted the job managing the store, becoming one of 10 employees.  

Del Negro said they hoped to sell seven to 10 new Lamborghinis each month and would bolster the business by selling 20 to 45 used exotic cars on hand each month. The Miami-based Warren Henry Auto Group, which owns 7 other Florida car dealerships, owns Lamborghini of Naples.  

“I got to know them, and they approached me,” Del Negro said of managing the store. “I thought it was the perfect fit. I’ve always been enamored of the brand as a child. I think it’s amazing.”  

Bringing Lamborghini to Naples appeased many locals who already owned one, Del Negro said.  

“There are owners here already,” he said. “Now they don’t have to go to Miami or Sarasota for service.” 

Del Negro called the brand “automobile art.”  

“There’s such a mystique to the brand,” he said. “It’s a showstopper.”  

Winkelmann said he had no problem traveling so far to attend the opening.  

“It’s an important event for us,” he said. “We can stay close to our customers. I think it’s important to speak with the customers, to speak with the owners.  

“And for sure, it has to be a dream. And on top of that, we also have a big fan base. And this means we have to take care of all the people who may not be able to buy a car of ours. But we have a big fan community.  

“Basically, when you buy a Lamborghini, you are going to be part of a community. Of a club. That experience starts really from that moment.”