( dpa ) - Italy's Lambourghini is roaring confidence about the US market despite signs of economic gloom and even possible recession.
The company used the Detroit auto show to announce a record 1,000 sales in North America in 2007. The company has even created a US dealer-management arm, the Detroit Free Press reported Monday.
"2007 was a fantastic year for Lamborghini," Lambourghini President and CEO Stephan Winklemann was quoted as saying.
That number represented about 40 per cent of Lambourghini's world sales - 2,406 in 2007, company officials said. That figure jumped from 2,087 in 2006.
The 222,060-dollar Gallardo Spyder was on display in Detroit with a new paint colour - a matte brown called Marrone Apus, described as having an underlying gold sparkle.
The matte finish was introduced in the green-gray shade on Lamborghinis Reventon model at the Frankfurt, Germany, auto show in September, Lamborghini spokesman Chas Ostezan noted.
The idea is to let owners personalize their machines.
"Dream your dream and let us produce a car for you," Ostezan was quoted as saying.
The Spyder's 5-litre, 10-cylinder V-90 engine boasts 520 horsepower at 8,000 rpm.
A 640-horsepower engine is available in the pricier Murcielago models which fetch upwareds of 365,000 dollars.