ALT-3 Automotive History Lamborghini
If it wasn't for a disagreement with Enzo Ferrari, tractors may have remained the most exotic form of machinery to emerge from a Lamborghini factory. Ferrucio Lamborghini already had a highly successful tractor company. He also liked exotic cars and bought himself a Ferrari 250 GTO. When he felt that the clutch on Maranello's finest was inadequate he had no qualms in confronting Enzo Ferrari about it. After a heated argument Ferrucio resolved to build a better sports car than Ferrari could manage.
Based in the village of Sant'Agata Bolognese, Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A. was founded in 1963. Intent on using a V12 engine layout Ferrucio recruited ex-Ferrari employee Giotto Bizzarrini to design it. The aesthetics of the car were taken care of by renowned Italian coachbuilder Franco Scaglione. The 350 GTV prototype was first shown to the public at the 1963 Turin Auto Show. Refinements were made before it went to production as the 350 GT, of which 130 examples were sold.
Lamborghini really made their presence felt at the Turin show in 1965 when they unveiled the distinctive Miura, named after Don Eduard Miura, a legendary fighting bull trainer. Bulls were a recurring theme with Ferrucio. The Lamborghini badge depicts a bull. Ferrucio decided on this as his birth sign was Taurus.
The Miura was a very beautiful and fast car but with one major flaw. In those days before wind tunnel testing body shapes were created more with looks in mind than any meaningful aerodynamic purpose. In effect, the Miura's body behaved like an aircraft wing, creating lift at high speed, much to the consternation of its owners.
Lamborghini stunned the motoring world in 1971 when they revealed the futuristic looking LP500 Countach prototype. It would be three years before a version of the extraordinary car was ready for public sale. In the meantime the company suffered a major blow. Ferrucio had continued to produce tractors alongside the exotic sports cars. A lucrative tractor order from South America was suddenly cancelled in 1972. In preparation for it Ferrucio had already modified the tractor factory at considerable cost. In a difficult situation he was forced to sell part of his tractor business to FIAT. Soon after he also sold the car company in what was to be a shrewd move. With the seventies oil crisis Lamborghini's fortunes declined further and, in 1978, the company declared bankruptcy. An Italian court eventually managed to find Swiss investors who took over before selling the company on to the Chrysler Group in 1987.
It was while under Chrysler's ownership that the Countach's successor emerged, the more refined Diablo. The Countach had been a very noisy and fairly impractical car. Reversing had to be done while leaning out of the 'scissor' doors due to the rear-window being around the same size as a letter box. With Chrysler's resources and expertise the Diablo was much more user friendly. It was also during this period that the company made an ill-fated foray into Formula 1 motor racing. Ferrucio had always been strongly against a motorsport programme as he felt it would drain the company's resources, but Chrysler was keen for on-track success. They produced engines for various teams in the late eighties and early nineties, with little success. It may have panned out very differently however. During 1993 an engine was fitted to a McLaren Formula 1 car and tested by triple World Champion Ayrton Senna. He was upbeat about the potential of the power unit, suggested changes to improve it and wanted to race it as soon as possible, but the partnership never materialised. McLaren opted instead for Peugeot power. Senna moved to the Williams team and, shortly after, was killed in a crash.
In 1994 the company changed hands yet again, this time to a group of Indonesian investors. Finally, in 1998, it was sold to Audi, who themselves are owned by Volkswagen. Recent times have seen an upturn in the company's fortunes with successful models like the Murcielago, Gallardo and Reventon. Diablo-based cars are also sold under license in South America by Automoviles Lamborghini Latinoamerica.
Following the sale of his companies Ferrucio Lamborghini withdrew from the car world. Instead, he pursued his love of wine-making on his Perugian estate. He died on February 20th, 1993.
