Coronavirus forces one of world's biggest sportscar maker to shut factory

Italian supercar maker Lamborghini is halting production for nearly two weeks as parent Volkswagen AG looks to limit the impact on its operations from the coronavirus crisis that has spread across the globe.

Lamborghini will temporarily close its plant in Italy, which has been hit hard by the viral outbreak, until March 25, the company said Thursday in an emailed statement. All of the brand’s cars are manufactured at its headquarters plant on the outskirts of the northern Italian city of Bologna.

“This measure is an act of social responsibility and high sensibility toward our people, in the extraordinary situation in which we find ourselves right now," Lamborghini Chief Executive Officer Stefano Domenicali said in the statement. “We continue to monitor the situation in order to react rapidly and with the right flexibility, in collaboration with our people and in order to restart with energy in the right moment."

Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte on Wednesday ordered all shops in the country to close except for grocery stores, pharmacies and few others until March 25. The government said factories can continue operating, but only with “precautions."

Lamborghini’s second largest market for its super cars is China, where the virus originated and demand for vehicles has plummeted in the wake of the epidemic. Last year, it delivered 770 vehicles in greater China -- including the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong and Macau -- which was second only to its 2,374 deliveries in the U.S.

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