Monterey Car Week 2023 was set ablaze by the debut of Lamborghini’s out-of-this-world Lanzador concept car, marking a significant moment that fuses the brand’s historic past with an electrifying vision of the future.

The company celebrated its 60th Anniversary at an estate in Pebble Beach during the event, while also showcasing the Lanzador’s futuristic design, impressive technological innovations, and commitment to sustainability.

In addition to getting an up-close tour of the dynamic vehicle, I sat down with Lamborghini Head Designer, Mitja Borkert, to discuss his perspective on this stellar new design, in addition to learning about how he inspires, motivates, and empowers his team to create their best work every day.

The concept car was initially presented during a highly-anticipated global reveal at The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering, at Quail Lodge & Golf Club in Carmel, California. Then, throughout the weekend, invited guests were brought to a Mediterranean-style private estate along the 18th Fairway in Pebble Beach, to see the car up-close, while enjoying the luxurious surroundings of the exclusive Lamborghini Lounge.

Beyond its eye-catching spaceship-inspired design, the Lanzador concept is a tangible embodiment of Lamborghini’s “Direzione Cor Tauri” decarbonization strategy, charting the course towards reduced CO2 emissions and the dawn of electrification.

Lamborghini’s dedication to sustainability is also evident throughout the Lanzador concept, especially in its spacious and distinctively unique interior. As Mitja explained to me, sustainable materials take center stage without compromising on luxury or quality, as the new concept car highlights the company’s usage of both sustainably-developed and 3D-printed materials.

The heart of the Lanzador’s appeal lies in its rapid speed and supreme power, which comes from its all-electric powertrain.

As explained by the brand “The Lanzador is equipped with two electric motors, one for each axle, providing all-wheel drive and efficiency in all driving conditions, on all surfaces, and in every driving style. The system delivers a peak power that exceeds one megawatt.”

This technological marvel signifies Lamborghini’s unrelenting pursuit of uncompromising performance. To offer a long-range, the energy is provided by a new generation high-performance battery, as well as active aerodynamics that play a pivotal role in enhancing the car’s performance and enhancing range capabilities.

The Lanzador stands out not just for its hardware but also for its cutting-edge software, enabling drivers to have an unparalleled level of personalization. With controls at their fingertips, drivers can craft their unique journey, ensuring each ride is truly their own, which further exemplifies the brand’s desire to heighten the immersive experience for its discerning customers.

The concept is that the pilot should have full control of the ride, no matter where he or she decides to orbit. So, to bring this idea to life, they’ve developed a completely new and unique driving dynamics control system that harnesses the power of intelligent sensors to tailor the driver’s experience so that they can essentially influence how the car maneuvers as it responds to their driving style.

What notably sets the Lanzador apart is its visionary design. In speaking with Mitja at the Lamborghini Lounge in Pebble Beach, he revealed that Lanzador’s design inspiration drew from the sleek lines and futuristic aesthetics of spaceships. Here’s a peek into our conversation:

CLP: Your design journey at Lamborghini continues to captivate enthusiasts and collectors. How do you manage to infuse each new creation with an evolving brand identity while pushing the boundaries of innovation?

MB: My starting point is always our design DNA, and that is defined by two lines. One line is the side view – the side profile of a Lamborghini, the single center line that looks recognizable. Every child can tell you it’s a Lamborghini; everyone who is even a little bit into cars can tell it’s a Lamborghini. So this is always my starting point because it’s already about looking innovative itself. Secondly, when you see our cars from the front and rear view, we have this cabin with these strong side windows, which already look like a spaceship. So, these are, for me, the two lines that are the boundary. But, I keep it easy like this because my team and I have maximum freedom to design a Lamborghini.

Then, we need to say – what is the new car? What is our new dream? Is it a mid-engine car or a super SUV? Depending on what we’re designing, whether it’s a track car or something more elegant, it will influence the design. But I’m still working within the created boundary of our design DNA. And, now, without the Lanzador, we are presenting a concept car. For my team, it’s the most sophisticated concept car we have created in the last 8 years because it’s full of potential technology and ideas. It’s showcasing a new car that has completely new proportions. It follows the design DNA of Lamborghini and is also very innovative and contemporary. It’s also addressing so many things – design, technology, aerodynamics, sustainability, etc.

I wanted to have everything clean. For example, the door handles were inspired by the Diablo, with an electrical opening. I wanted the front to look like a Lamborghini immediately, with the blades and lines with the peak. For the interior, there’s a lot of space for whatever you need, for bags or even your purse. As you can see, the spaceship idea is also apparent in the interior. For us, it’s about making it feel like you’re a pilot, with a low seat position, a lightweight dashboard, and a very iconic Y-shaped main theme for the interior.

CLP: Would you say that the future production runs of that styling will resemble this concept car a lot? Or is this truly conceptual?

MB: It’s a little bit early to say. But, at the moment, it’s the inspiration for such a car. It will not have all the content, but the proportions that you see in this concept car could be very similar to the proportions that you could expect from a production car.

CLP: How did the concept of the spaceship-inspired design elements shape both the exterior and interior, taking your design ideas to soaring new heights?

MB: When you see our silhouette, it already looks like a spaceship. I was always fascinated with our DNA, starting with the Countach. In the 70’s, they were designed a bit higher, because they were not dealing too much with aerodynamics. So, at the end of the day, it’s basically coming back to this styling period, which is what we did with the Lanzador. I was immediately fascinated with this proportion. Then we milled the full-size model and said, yeah, this is what we want. We didn’t want to create the traditional GT; we wanted to create something unseen, following our history. Lamborghini is rich, not only in design icons but also unique in concepts in terms of engine layout, technical layout, etc. So we were saying when we were working on the Lanzador, that we need to follow this history.

So, when the proportion of the Lanzador popped up, then we said – this is the right way to go. From the helicopter view of the design DNA, we go one level lower into the styling of the design. We decide what design theme we want. Then, of course, we define the interior, which has its own strategy and process. Then, the next level is the materials, as we want to address sustainability with this car. Then the next level is the HMI (Human-Machine Interface) design which we call the pilot interaction, as we have our own philosophy here about how the customer is interacting with his or her Lamborghini. We go through all these processes, and the result is always something exciting.

CLP: Lamborghini isn’t just a car, it’s an experience. How do you channel the essence of the Lamborghini lifestyle into your designs, ensuring that each automobile isn’t just a mode of transportation, but a gateway to exhilaration and aspiration?

MB: As a designer, it’s fantastic to recognize today how Lamborghini has evolved in terms of design perception. We have the most sophisticated product portfolio ever, and we now have brand extensions, such as collaborations with Ducati, the motorcycle, collaborations with watches, and even in Dubai (and elsewhere) we have launched villas too. Lamborghini, as a brand experience, starts with the first touch point – the car. But now it’s much more. It’s fashion, it’s furniture, it’s even the Tecnomar yacht. You can have many executions and experiences with us, with our design and also with our material. This is something really new and cool, and ongoing for the future.

CLP: I’ve noticed that’s where brands are heading, especially in the auto industry, because it really is an extension of your style and lifestyle. So it’s a full embodiment of the brand as it’s helping people bring it into their lives while making them feel like they’re a part of a club. 

MB: Exactly, it is.

CLP: I’ve learned that many of the materials used to produce this concept car were sustainably sourced, including using 3-D printed materials, recycled materials, etc. Can you expand upon that by explaining which specific elements were used in the exterior and interior of the car?

MB: For many years, I was convinced about the importance of sustainability. As you know, I grew up in East Germany, where we didn’t have a lot, so we used things many times. I don’t come from a culture where you just waste things, so I appreciate having things, keeping them, and maintaining them. At Lamborghini, we have a higher responsibility because of our sporty cars and our brand image, as we always want to create a sophisticated image for the cars. So, with my team, we said from the beginning, let’s have sustainability as the main part of the interior. But, not just by covering the interior with vegan materials. We wanted to have a very elegant execution. For the interior, we used Merino wool and natural tan leather, and then all the piping and stitching were from recycled materials. The carbon fiber is also recycled carbon fiber. I believe that Lamborghini is the most sustainable product anyway because no one will ever just throw it away. It’s something that will last forever, which is really fulfilling as a designer, to create something like this.

CLP: Your journey as a designer resonates with aspiring artists and creators. You have obviously exemplified someone who has pursued their dream job. Since you came from a humble beginning, it really is a testament to your drive and your passion. As a lot of people are afraid to follow their dreams, what advice would you offer to emerging designers who seek to craft their own artistic legacy while making their mark in the dynamic world of automotive design? 

MB: I’m trying to be a good designer and a good example. I try to always remember to keep my feet on the ground. I never forget when I was really young, I came from a very small family and we never had a lot of money, but I wanted to be a designer. I was lucky when the wall came down in East Germany at the time, as I was able to study at a university in Western Germany and then got the chance to have an internship with Porsche. Even becoming the Head Designer of Lamborghini now, doesn’t make me forget the roots of where I came from. So I want to always show that I’m able to sketch, because, especially today where there’s artificial intelligence and all this talk from people thinking that all the products are just made by the computer. I want to give a good example, to show that every product, not only the car, has to be created by someone that is thinking about it, that is having an idea, creating a purpose, and sketching it. This is what I think being a good example is for the young people.

CLP: In the journey of turning ideas into reality, challenges and obstacles always arise. How do you navigate manufacturing or design setbacks, transforming them into catalysts for innovation and refining your design ideas?

MB: Basically, it starts with every presentation that I give to my board and to Stephan Winkelmann, the Chairman and CEO. We have a weekly design review, during which we present the car, showcase ideas and our visions, and explain how our ideas will launch us into the future. The better I do at this, the better the result is. I find this to be a very fruitful environment because, since day one, with all of the responsibilities that I have been given, everyone was always pushing me in terms of – ‘What’s your new idea? What’s cool?’. A Lamborghini always comes with high expectations. Every time we launch a new car, people speculate bout what it will be, as there’s always so much heightened anticipation. So, we do our homework beforehand, because, then we can present something really cool.

CLP: As a leader, what you’re doing is not only leading your teams in regard to vision and design, but you’re also inspiring people to be the best they can be and to be passionate about what they’re doing so that they can produce excellent results. How do you keep your team motivated?

MB: First of all, by never giving up and always having a positive attitude. Of course, I’m human, so I’ll have better days when I’m more motivated, and other days when I’ll struggle a bit. But, when we don’t have a problem to wake up to, every morning when I arrive at the office, I shake hands with everyone. This is my must-have every morning to immediately create a sense of team spirit because we really are like one team. I always try to push my team to create the best results, and by trying to be a good example myself, I try to stay motivated to sketch. And they know that I’m very energetic, so they’ll say – ‘Hey, what about this idea? What about that idea?’. So, I’m always feeding them with ideas and trying to fuel their creativity. It’s kind of like a garage band in a way.