Valentino Balboni
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Valentino Balboni
Valentino Balboni (born 13 May 1949) is the former chief test driver of Lamborghini, a manufacturer of sports cars in Italy. He retired in October 2008 due to Italian government work regulations, after having served the company for 40 years. To pay tribute to him in occasion of his retirement, Lamborghini had labeled a 2009 edition to the Gallardo line-up, the LP550-2 Valentino Balboni. Biography Balboni started working for Lamborghini on 21 April 1968, as a mechanic apprentice in the company. Eventually, he was personally asked by the company's founder, Ferruccio Lamborghini, to test-drive the newly built cars alongside Bob Wallace. Valentino Balboni has reportedly driven about 80% of all Lamborghinis ever built. Among the marque aficionados, Balboni has risen to cult status. In 2008, Balboni was still active for the company as the chief test-driver and ambassador. Fluent in English and German, he often appeared at different Lamborghini-related events, such as new models' u ...
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Bizzarrini
Bizzarrini S.p.A. is an Italian automotive manufacturer: in 1964 it was founded by former Alfa Romeo, Ferrari and Iso engineer Giotto Bizzarrini. The company built a small number of highly developed and advanced sport and racing automobiles before failing in 1969: in 2020, it was announced that the name had been acquired by Pegasus brands, together with plans to restart production. Originally Prototipi Bizzarrini s.r.l., the name was changed to Bizzarrini S.p.A. in 1966. The physical legacy of the marque is scarce and fragmentary, save for a few extremely well-known and incalculably valuable cars. Notable models include the 5300 GT Strada and the P538S. Attempts to bring back the Bizzarrini name resulted in a number of concept cars in the 2000s. Giotto Bizzarrini Giotto Bizzarrini was born in Livorno, Italy in 1926. His father was a rich landowner who came from a family with strong roots in Tuscany and the city of Livorno. His grandfather, also named Giotto Bizzarrini, was a ...
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Cult Status
A cult following refers to a group of fans who are highly dedicated to some person, idea, object, movement, or work, often an artist, in particular a performing artist, or an artwork in some medium. The lattermost is often called a cult classic. A film, book, musical artist, television series, or video game, among other things, is said to have a cult following when it has a small but very passionate fanbase. A common component of cult followings is the emotional attachment the fans have to the object of the cult following, often identifying themselves and other fans as members of a community. Cult followings are also commonly associated with niche markets. Cult media are often associated with underground culture, and are considered too eccentric or anti-establishment to be appreciated by the general public or to be widely commercially successful. Many cult fans express their devotion with a level of irony when describing entertainment that falls under this realm, in that somethin ...
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1949 Births
Events January * January 1 – A United Nations-sponsored ceasefire brings an end to the Indo-Pakistani War of 1947. The war results in a stalemate and the division of Kashmir, which still continues as of 2022. * January 2 – Luis Muñoz Marín becomes the first democratically elected Governor of Puerto Rico. * January 11 – The first "networked" television broadcasts take place, as KDKA-TV in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania goes on the air, connecting east coast and mid-west programming in the United States. * January 16 – Şemsettin Günaltay forms the new government of Turkey. It is the 18th government, last One-party state, single party government of the Republican People's Party. * January 17 – The first Volkswagen Beetle, VW Type 1 to arrive in the United States, a 1948 model, is brought to New York City, New York by Dutch businessman Ben Pon Sr., Ben Pon. Unable to interest dealers or importers in the Volkswagen, Pon sells the sample car to pay his ...
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Zero Dark Thirty
''Zero Dark Thirty'' is a 2012 American thriller film directed by Kathryn Bigelow and written by Mark Boal. The film dramatizes the nearly decade-long international manhunt for Osama bin Laden, leader of terrorist network Al-Qaeda, after the September 11 attacks. This search leads to the discovery of his compound in Pakistan and the military raid where bin Laden was killed on May 2, 2011. Jessica Chastain stars as Maya, a fictional CIA intelligence analyst, with Jason Clarke, Joel Edgerton, Reda Kateb, Mark Strong, James Gandolfini, Kyle Chandler, Stephen Dillane, Chris Pratt, Édgar Ramírez, Fares Fares, Jennifer Ehle, John Barrowman, Mark Duplass, Harold Perrineau, and Frank Grillo in supporting roles. It was produced by Boal, Bigelow, and Megan Ellison, and independently financed by Ellison's Annapurna Pictures. The film premiered in Los Angeles on December 10, 2012, and had its wide release on January 11, 2013. ''Zero Dark Thirty'' received critical acclaim for its acti ...
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60 Minutes
''60 Minutes'' is an American television news magazine broadcast on the CBS television network. Debuting in 1968, the program was created by Don Hewitt and Bill Leonard, who chose to set it apart from other news programs by using a unique style of reporter-centered investigation. In 2002, ''60 Minutes'' was ranked number six on ''TV Guide''s list of the " 50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time", and in 2013, it was ranked number 24 on the magazine's list of the "60 Best Series of All Time". ''The New York Times'' has called it "one of the most esteemed news magazines on American television". Originally airing in 1968, the program began as a bi-weekly television show hosted on CBS hosted by Mike Wallace and Harry Reasoner. The two sat on opposite sides of the cream-colored set, though the set's color was later changed to black, the color still used today. The show used a large stopwatch during transition periods and highlighted its topics through chroma key—both techniques are still ...
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Rides (American TV Series)
''Rides'' is an automotive reality TV show produced for the TLC Network in the United States. The show's host is the automobile enthusiast and amateur racer Jason Priestley. ''Rides'' began in summer 2004 and became TLC's highest-rated series of the year. Cars The majority of the cars seen in the show were one-off (non-production) cars or concept cars such as the Ford Shelby GR-1 and the Ford Shelby Cobra Concept The Ford Shelby Cobra is a concept car that Ford unveiled at the 2004 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Michigan. The Shelby Cobra concept is a roadster inspired by the original AC Cobra that AC Cars developed in 1961. Develop .... The show also showed the building aspects and techniques used for creating cars. External links * * 2004 American television series debuts 2000s American reality television series 2010s American reality television series {{US-reality-tv-stub ...
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Jeremy Clarkson
Jeremy Charles Robert Clarkson (born 11 April 1960) is an English broadcaster, journalist, game show host and writer who specialises in Driving, motoring. He is best known for the motoring programmes ''Top Gear (2002 TV series), Top Gear'' and ''The Grand Tour'' alongside Richard Hammond and James May. He also currently writes weekly columns for ''The Sunday Times'' and ''The Sun (United Kingdom), The Sun''. Since 2018, Clarkson has hosted the ITV (TV network), ITV game show ''Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? (British game show), Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?''. From a career as a local journalist in northern England, Clarkson rose to public prominence as a presenter of the Top Gear (1977 TV series), original format of ''Top Gear'' in 1988. Since the mid-1990s, he has become a recognised public personality, regularly appearing on British television presenting his own shows for BBC and appearing as a guest on other shows. As well as motoring, Clarkson has produced programmes an ...
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Top Gear (current Format)
Top Gear may refer to: * "Top gear", the highest gear available in a vehicle's manual transmission Television * ''Top Gear'' (1977 TV series), a British motoring magazine programme * ''Top Gear'' (2002 TV series), a relaunched version of the original show * ''Top Gear'' (2011 TV series), a Chinese adaptation * ''Top Gear'' (2014 TV series), another Chinese adaptation * ''Top Gear'' (American TV series), 2010–2016 * ''Top Gear America'', a 2017 series * ''Top Gear Australia, 2008–2012 * ''Top Gear France'', from 2015 * ''Top Gear Italia'', 2016 * ''Top Gear Korea'', from 2011 * ''Top Gear Russia'', 2009 Other uses * ''Top Gear'' (magazine), a British magazine based on the TV show ** ''Top Gear'' (Indian magazine) * ''Top Gear'' (radio programme), BBC radio music programme 1964–1975 *Top Gear (retailer), clothes boutique of the 1960s in London * ''Top Gear'' (video game series) ** ''Top Gear'' (video game), for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System See also * Propulsi ...
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Bizzarrini Strada
The Bizzarrini Strada (also 5300 GT Strada and 5300 GT), is a sports car produced by Bizzarrini from 1964 to 1968. Sold as an exceptionally low slung 2-seat coupe, roadster, and track-tuned "Corsa" racer, it proved to be Bizzarrini's most successful model. History Designed by ex-Ferrari chief engineer Giotto Bizzarrini in 1963, the Strada was launched by his company in 1964. It was similar in concept to the Iso Grifo, also designed by Bizzarrini, and even used the Grifo name while in the planning stage, as well as the welded unibody platform of the Iso Rivolta 300. The Strada – which adopted a Front mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout – was powered by a 327 Chevrolet small-block engine displacing and rated at to of torque in the road legal version and in the Corsa. The engine was intentionally placed as far back over the front axle as possible, to improve weight distribution and handling. The car could accelerate 0–100 km/h (62 mph) in less than 7 seconds, and a ...
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Rear-wheel Drive
Rear-wheel drive (RWD) is a form of engine and transmission layout used in motor vehicles, in which the engine drives the rear wheels only. Until the late 20th century, rear-wheel drive was the most common configuration for cars. Most rear-wheel drive vehicles feature a longitudinally-mounted engine at the front of the car. Layout The most common layout for a rear-wheel drive car is with the engine and transmission at the front of the car, mounted longitudinally. Other layouts of rear-wheel drive cars include front-mid engine, rear-mid engine, and rear-engine. Some manufacturers, such as Alfa Romeo, Lancia, Porsche (944, 924, 928) and Chevrolet (C5, C6, and C7 Corvettes), place the engine at the front of the car and the transmission at the rear of the car, in order to provide a more balanced weight distribution. This configuration is often referred to as a transaxle since the transmission and axle are one unit. History 1890s to 1960s Many of the cars built in the 19t ...
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Bob Wallace (test Driver)
Bob Wallace (4 October 193819 September 2013) was a New Zealand test driver, automotive engineer and mechanic, best known for his role in developing early Lamborghini road cars. Early life Wallace was born in Auckland, New Zealand in 1938. He became involved in auto racing as a teenager, meeting local and international drivers and mechanics at races in New Zealand. He moved from Auckland to Italy in 1959, prompted by an invitation from Guerino Bertocchi to work at Maserati. Wallace was accompanied by his friend John Ohlson, neither of whom spoke any Italian. When Wallace arrived in Italy, he was not able to get a job at Maserati. He instead worked as a mechanic for the racing teams Camoradi USA and Scuderia Serenissima. During his time with Camoradi, Wallace worked on the team's Maserati Tipo 61 "Birdcage" and Chevrolet Corvette, including at the 1960 24 Hours of Le Mans. Later on with Scuderia Serenissima, he would work on the Ferrari 250 GTO and Ferrari 250 TR 61 Spyder Fant ...
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