Check out the unbelievable story of Ferruccio Lamborghini, who was inspired to build one of the biggest motor brands after a heated argument with another motor legend!
1. A Master Mechanic!
Image Source: Getty Images
During World War II, Ferruccio Lamborghini was stationed on the isolated island of Rhodes as a vehicle maintenance supervisor for the Italian Royal Air Force. It was there he honed his master mechanical skills
2. Lambo Tractor
The first ever Lamborghinis were actually tractors – not quite the luxurious sports cars you see today! Ferruccio would make the machines out of his spare parts and people absolutely loved them!
Next: They were an instant hit!
Pretty much overnight, Ferruccio’s tractor business took off! They were known for their quality performance and stylish aesthetic. Ferruccio owned the popular Ferrari 250GT model but one day he noticed something strange about it – the clutch was identical to the ones used in his tractors! Furious, he went directly to Enzo Ferrari to complain.
Enzo Ferrari reacted badly and said to Lamborghini:”You’re just a silly tractor manufacturer, how could you possibly know anything about sports cars?” Lamborghini spat on the floor in front of Ferrari and stormed out! Lamborghini was determined to prove Ferrari wrong, so he set himself the challenge of manufacturing his very own high-performance sports cars!
In 1963, Ferruccio and his Lamborghini team created the 350GTV, a Ferrari rival supercar. It was revealed at the Turin Auto Show.
Ferruccio was in such a rush to show that he could create a supercar, he left out the time-consuming task of building an engine to be ready in time for the unveiling! He packed a bunch of bricks in the front and kept the hood closed.
Lamborghini appointed Gian Paolo Dallara, formally behind IndyCars to complete some of the engineering work for the 350GTV. He is one of the world’s most elite engineers.
When Lamborghini released the 1960s Miura, it set the world alight and all of the top celebs were driving it. A Super famous Lambo fan was the singer Frank Sinatra who once famously said: “You buy a Ferrari when you want to be somebody. You buy a Lamborghini when you are somebody.”
Ferrari did not expect Lamborghini to make a successful batch of supercars, especially ones that became favored by huge stars! This bred a real rivalry between the two respected brands…
The reason for the famous bull logo, as well as many of the models being named after different bulls, is because of Ferruccio’s April 28th birthday, which makes him a Taurus!
In 1987, Chrysler bought Lamborghini and they immediately started to tinker with designs! Did Ferruccio sell the soul of his very-Italian brand to a bullish-American giant?!Giuseppe Bertone, head of one of Lamborghini’s partners, Bertone design house, shouted “Countach” the first time he saw the concept for Lamborghini’s new flagship model. In English, Countach translates to “Bloody Hell,” hence the Lamborghini Countach was born!
Lamborghini wanted to dominate the world and, unlike Ferrari, they had no problem stepping into different markets. They even released SUVs, like the LM002 pictured above, that had over 700 horsepower! Ferrari reluctantly built street cars after bombing destroyed his factory in Modena. He relocated to Maranello but, unfortunately, it got bombed again! Street cars were just a way to bring in more revenue. The Lamborghini powerboat won a number of offshore championships and it’s known for its slick interiors as well as awesome under-hood specs. It is also capable of outputting 775 horsepower!
Ferruccio Lamborghini tragically passed away due to a heart attack on February 20, 1993, and it shook the entire motor industry! Before he died, Ferruccio put in place his visions for the brand’s future. The Lamborghini brand has become synonymous with the word ‘supercars’ and they are now considered the best-looking vehicles on the market! We find it hard to disagree…The Lamborghini Aventador – released in 2011 – is now considered the most iconic vehicle ever released by the brand. It can blaze from 0-62 mph in a mere 2.9 seconds! Incredible!
The Lamborghini brand built the first ever Viper engine, an extremely high-end piece of machinery! The original aluminum version is currently locked safely away in a Detroit garage.
Due to their high-performance, the Italian police force use nothing but Lamborghini Gallardos when transporting organ donations. You see, the supercar even saves lives! The pure speed and power of Lamborghinis make them desired by everyone, including Kanye West and a load of criminals! Ferruccio Lamborghini wanted to overpower Ferrari, but did he manage to do it?! We will leave that to you to decide…
The Lamborghini brand has tried its hand everything, from boats to F1 racing to street cars! Ferruccio should have been a very proud man!