The chief executive of Italian sports car maker Lamborghini is OK with the use of Lamborghini’s name in songs, even when a model’s name is mispronounced.

“Not all publicity is good publicity, but we sell cars,” Stephan Winklemann (pictured left) told Reuters. “It’s part of the business that you have, let’s say, a potpourri of different types of customers and this is part of the game.”

Hip hop and R&B singer Akon’s ”Smack That” — featuring rapper Eminem — is a hit song that was nominated for a Grammy award. It is also one of the most popular rings tones to download. The carmarker is mentioned in the lyrics “I can see you from my shadow/Wanna jump up in my Lamborghini Gallardo/Maybe go to my place and just kick it like tae bo”

Gallardo is pronounced Ga-lar-doe in the track as opposed to the correct Guy-ar-doe. When asked if he could live with the mispronunciation, Winkelmann laughed, adding, “Yes, no problem at all.”

Winkelmann reiterated that Lamborghini, owned by Germany’s Volkswagen AG, expects sales in 2007 to rise 5 to 10 percent. Last year, Lamborghini sold 2,087 cars worldwide, an increase of 30 percent, with 876 coming in the United States. The state of California alone accounts for 300 of those sales, he said.

The company plans to add 10 to 12 dealers to the 100 it had at the end of 2006 globally so its customers won’t have to wait longer than the currant 12 months to buy a car, Winkelmann said.

(PHOTOS: Reuters left, Lamborghini right)